This drawing of New York Yacht Club American Magic’s AC75 Patriot, by 13-year-old Colin Shearley of Centerville, MA, graces the lunchroom at the team’s base in Aukland, NZ.
“Colin, one of the Padawans I know and with whom I have sailed and done some other mentoring type activities, sent me this handmade drawing of American Magic for Christmas,” explained Joe Cooper, WindCheck’s Contributing Editor and the Sailing Coach at The Prout School. “He is a great young fella and this is actually the second drawing he has sent. The first one was of the VOR 70 Warrior, formerly Camper. The detail on this latter picture was impressive, down to the spray coming off the tip of the windward rudder, almost out of the water.”
“I was so taken by the picture and the effort he made to make it and send it to me,” Coop continued. “I scanned it and sent to a guy I know in American Magic, Scott MacLeod, with the backstory on this Padawan. Scott sent me back this picture of the scanned copy posted up in the AM team lunchroom. What a great start to the New Year for all concerned.”
Colin, who sailed aboard Warrior at age 10, wrote about the experience in our October 2017 edition. You’ll find that story at windcheckmagazine.com/article/warrior_spirit/ and another entitled “Let’s Make Sailing Safer!” at windcheckmagazine.com/article/nurturing_sailors_one_at_a_time_if_necessary/.
We see a bright future for this young sailor…perhaps as a naval architect! ■
