Publisher's Log

The other night, after a round of proofreading the magazine that you’re reading, I watched one of my favorite movies. In a scene from The Freshman, Matthew Broderick’s character Clark Kellogg is a college student thrust into a daunting situation after being robbed the minute he arrives in New York City to begin film school. Accepting a shady job from a would-be mafia boss in hopes of recouping some of his  loss and the web of issues…

As I think back on sailing as a youth, it occurs to me that many of my most memorable experiences were not had in the heat of close fleet racing or heavy weather offshore battles, but rather during much more gentle times while cruising – and even at anchor.

The protest process is sometimes thought of as daunting or scary to competitors, and especially young sailors, many of whom have never had to file a form or state their case in front of a committee. On page 46, the Pequot Yacht Club Junior Sailing Committee has taken much of the mystery and fear of the protest process away by holding open hearings.

Clearly, the discipline that sailing demands of its participants and the self-reliance and camaraderie that it fosters carry on through everyday life. Youth sailors, keep up the good work, and thanks for making headlines that we can all be proud of!

Here we are in the middle of a wonderful summer sailing season in the Northeast, but several occurrences, both locally and elsewhere in the boating world, have had an impact on me. I, as with all of you, enjoy ‘letting it all go’ when I step aboard the boat.

I was counting on Newport to deliver everything that I thought was missing from the previous Volvo Ocean Race stopovers that I’d visited in New York and Boston – chiefly atmosphere and personality – and Newport did not disappoint.

There is great excitement surrounding this edition of the Volvo Ocean Race and it’s easy to see why. I hope you have the same sense of urgency about getting up to Newport as I. This is one event that I will not settle for witnessing on a screen…

Look at any current international sailing event and you’ll notice that amongst the headlines about sailing routes or event venues, the subject of trash in the water is prevalent.

Much has been written recently about retaining sailors as they age out of junior sailing, or are attracted to alternative sports. Certainly great strides have been made with regard to big boat training, and many manufacturers have been producing boats designed to appeal to the late-teen, early-twenties crowd.

We discuss important environmental topics on the pages of WindCheck each month. This issue, in particular, is loaded with articles with an environmental focus, and the message from each is clear: We may be on track toward healthy oceans, sounds, bays and coastlines, but we have a long way to go.