202 replies to this topic

[Gouvernail]

Please. None of your speculation about why others don't come put to play anymore. Why did you give it up and how long ago??



In my case, The J-24 cirsuit in Texas very suddenly dropped from each regatta being a 40 to 60 boat event in 1992 and I could not justify spending all that time and effort to sail with a 15 boat fleet.



The Laser events in Texas, aside from my regatta and the Bruce Cup, never were particularly well attended and when traveling to regattas changed socially from a chance to see lots of friends to having to endure being anywhere near those with whom I have very profound personal differences, I decided there were many more fun things I could do by spending the same time and money.

( Those personal differences? I think sailboat racing is a great game and we should do everything we can to make it possible for as many people as possible to come play with us. I think sailing associations Like the laser Class and USSailing are tools for building the game whose resources should be primarily dedicated to building the game. Those with whom I cannot stand to share my world believe those associations were created to define participatants, restrict those who fail the definition from participation, and most of all to give titles to those who want to be in charge of something having something to do with sailing.)



I absolutely love racing sailboats and have many many times over drawn my bank accounts or paid bills late so I could attend an event.

If a fleet of boats pops up where I can regularly compete locally in a 20 boat fleet or travel to sail with a 40 to 100 boat fleet, I will jump right back in.



In the mneantime, I will enjoy sailing with a dozen to 20 Lasers on Wednesday nights, host an annual event, and do other things with my life that do not frustrate me as much as showing up on race day to find only a couple other interested players.

[U20guy2]

Too busy changing diapers and earning money for our next big hot rod boat. Thinking maybe a Pogo 10.5 would be a great family boat when the kids are older and still a hoot for mom and dad to do some fun racing with.

[Occams Razor]

Had kids. time requirements.

Down from 3 boats to one, an El Toro.

Practicing with a Kite Surfing trainer kite. Figure I can fit in 3 hours on a saturday vs. a minimum 8 hours for a big boat race - usually longer as I'd leave around 6am and get home around dinner time.

[Navigare]

My reason spells KIDS, lovely, adorable and time consuming. Can't wait until they move out.. then I'll be back.

[Liquid]

divorce...

[Que]

Having children put some serious limits on my racing schedule.....They're getting to the age that either they can join me or they can figure out their own plans without me. I'm hoping that I'll find myself back in Adventureland (the pointy end of the boat) within the next year!

[bugger]

Other racers who thought each race was the America's Cup, and they were the America's Cup lawyers prepared to aggressively interpret all the rules and regulations and twist them to whatever benefit it might give them.

No one seemed interested in just having some fun going around the cans then chatting later over a beer.

[pogen]

I only started big boat racing AFTER the kids and the divorce.

Biggest thing that keeps me away on any given weekend is kid duties with the kid that doesn't like sailing all that much, weekend time needed to fix the boat, and generally, the difficulty of getting crew consistently, given my own spotty schedule and lack of rock star appeal.

[LarryE]

After 38 straight years, never taking more time off than 3 months, just got tired of it. More hassle than it was worth. Got real low on the fun meter.
Haven't raced in almost two years. Can't see myself getting back into it any time soon. However I won't say never.
Retired now, traveling, into other things that I really enjoy more.

[skew]

Started family in '94 and stopped racing. Started back up in '04. Wife threatened divorce if we didn't get a boat so kids could experience "growing up on boats". Yest this is true.

[R Booth]

''I never got into racing becuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz'.....

[U20guy2]

divorce...

Christ If I were to go through one of these - I would live on a boat and be sailing every minute I wasn't working. Dude you need to change up the program and take care of your self go SAILING!

[Bump-n-Grind]

Started family in '94 and stopped racing. Started back up in '04. Wife threatened divorce if we didn't get a boat so kids could experience "growing up on boats". Yest this is true.

you found a winner!

[Rum Runner]

Paying tuition for 2 kids in college. Dropped the expensive yacht club membership and cut back on travel.

Honestly I don't miss the yacht club.

[doggone]

Please. None of your speculation about why others don't come put to play anymore. Why did you give it up and how long ago??



In my case, The J-24 cirsuit in Texas very suddenly dropped from each regatta being a 40 to 60 boat event in 1992 and I could not justify spending all that time and effort to sail with a 15 boat fleet.



The Laser events in Texas, aside from my regatta and the Bruce Cup, never were particularly well attended and when traveling to regattas changed socially from a chance to see lots of friends to having to endure being anywhere near those with whom I have very profound personal differences, I decided there were many more fun things I could do by spending the same time and money.

( Those personal differences? I think sailboat racing is a great game and we should do everything we can to make it possible for as many people as possible to come play with us. I think sailing associations Like the laser Class and USSailing are tools for building the game whose resources should be primarily dedicated to building the game. Those with whom I cannot stand to share my world believe those associations were created to define participatants, restrict those who fail the definition from participation, and most of all to give titles to those who want to be in charge of something having something to do with sailing.)



I absolutely love racing sailboats and have many many times over drawn my bank accounts or paid bills late so I could attend an event.

If a fleet of boats pops up where I can regularly compete locally in a 20 boat fleet or travel to sail with a 40 to 100 boat fleet, I will jump right back in.



In the mneantime, I will enjoy sailing with a dozen to 20 Lasers on Wednesday nights, host an annual event, and do other things with my life that do not frustrate me as much as showing up on race day to find only a couple other interested players.

I didn't quit, I just shook up my status quo (big boat racing in the Northeast) and moved to Texas. Fresh start racing small boats on a lake. Everything's 180 degrees different- people, their attitudes, venue, climate (12 months/year racing YAHOO!). Lots of things you say got the best of me up north. Sport has migrated from a lot of fun to like every other sport- winning is everything. Doesn't have to be that way.

[Heriberto]

Having a kid and starting a business, about 6-7 years ago.

The final nail though was the last two years before I quit, I ran our week-long regatta, and it was such a bullshit, abusive experience I had enough and said fuckit. Almost everybody was absolutely great, and many people greatly appreciated the work our team put in, and what a bitch and time suck it is to plan and a major event (especially the people who had done it before knew). But it only takes a handful of no-nothing, greedy, lazy, pompous, rumor-mongering, lying, dishonest assholes to really make an experience miserable, and poison the well so you really don't want to race anywhere near them. Ever. Not most of them, mind you, just a very select few, but that's the way it goes, the bad apples spoil the barrel. Most people don't realize how easy it is for a successful race program to just implode. It only takes a few well-placed and determined assholes to fuck it for everybody. I don't know why they do that, but they do.

So I put my boat on the hard and concentrated on my family, and my business, and powerboating. And now I'm fixing my sailboat, and when it is together (next week finally, I hope), I will be racing in a different venue that is more suited to my boat and my sailing goals. And I wish the good ones well....

[jerseyguy]

Weekend fleet went from 40 boats to 10 to weekend races being canceled
Wed night we went from full crew and spinnakers to JAM with my wife and I and a bunch of young junior sailors. Club eliminated JAM section.
My kids were 3 & 11 when we got the big boat. They got too good to sail with mom and dad and went off on more serious programs.
Finally sold the big boat and it paid for most of 4.5 years of undergrad education at a Big 10 U.

Time to conserve what few dollars I have left.

[U20guy2]

Having a kid and starting a business, about 6-7 years ago.

The final nail though was the last two years before I quit, I ran our week-long regatta, and it was such a bullshit, abusive experience I had enough and said fuckit. Almost everybody was absolutely great, and many people greatly appreciated the work our team put in, and what a bitch and time suck it is to plan and a major event (especially the people who had done it before knew). But it only takes a handful of no-nothing, greedy, lazy, pompous, rumor-mongering, lying, dishonest assholes to really make an experience miserable, and poison the well so you really don't want to race anywhere near them. Ever. Not most of them, mind you, just a very select few, but that's the way it goes, the bad apples spoil the barrel. Most people don't realize how easy it is for a successful race program to just implode. It only takes a few well-placed and determined assholes to fuck it for everybody. I don't know why they do that, but they do.

So I put my boat on the hard and concentrated on my family, and my business, and powerboating. And now I'm fixing my sailboat, and when it is together (next week finally, I hope), I will be racing in a different venue that is more suited to my boat and my sailing goals. And I wish the good ones well....

+1 nothing wrong with that approach! - Makes you wonder why YC's hosting events don't have a black list of names which are on "probation" so the rest of the planners RC crew and participants can enjoy the event LOL

I grew up as a power boater ie water skier week days only never skied on the weekends too many drunk ass holes on the water with power boats. LOL - I found sailing and regattas awesome due to the wide range of people I met the groups of people who came together as a team and had fun learning and doing their best to sail well etc. When you have deep pockets with piles of time tweaking boats into near cheater hulls and being ass holes on the water it reminds me of the water ski weekends we avoided. LOL

[Steam Flyer]

I haven't quit racing, but I have certainly dialed way back and changed emphasis

Other racers who thought each race was the America's Cup, and they were the America's Cup lawyers prepared to aggressively interpret all the rules and regulations and twist them to whatever benefit it might give them.

...

Or just plain cheating assholes. Ironically, they seem to be prety good sailors, just not happy with 2nd or 3rd or wherever their actual skills would take them... I suspect they are unhappy people overall.

... not given up racing for this reason, but I have left classes because of it. Which brings me to another reason, all the most popular one-design classes suck. They are either floppy-built tweaky painboxes or barnlike brutes with everything practical outlawed. There are some genuinely good boats but they never seem to catch on, in some case because the more popular classes actively sabotage them.

FB- Doug

[Liquid]

divorce...

Christ If I were to go through one of these - I would live on a boat and be sailing every minute I wasn't working. Dude you need to change up the program and take care of your self go SAILING!

I lose 32.5% of my gross earnings to the X. That puts a serious dent in available disposable income. can't live on my I14 either!

[CyberBOB]

Tired of converting boat from cruise mode to race mode and back, family takes up a lot of time, too many sea-lawyers racing, expensive keeping the boat competitive, so switched to crewing.

Got rid of many of the above, however, there is now an unwritten rule where I race that makes it hard to crew for somebody if you are a boat owner, a well intentioned ruled to get more boats out on the water, but the above takes away too much time/joy of racing, so all that rule really ended up doing is preventing a lot of people who didn't want to campaign their own boat from being experienced crew for others.

So now I cruise and day sail.

[SailAR]

We quit actively racing (outside of beercan racing) because of:

1) crew problems: the friends we sailed with all had kids and families and couldn't commit to weekends and the young, drunk and entitled crowd wasn't for us
2) arms race: people were (and I would guess still are) spending tons of money on sails, etc. so pros would race with them
3) too many assholes on the course (see #2).. no regard for the rules or property

now we race Tuesdays with fathers and sons and daughters and don't care if people can't make it. We call beercan racing, the race to pizza and don't worry about anything but sailing with friends and family, having a nice time. Unfortunately, if our beercan series continues the way it has, we'll be completely done. The current crop of volunteers think they are running Admirals Cup. We're there to have fun and not be hassled.

Please. None of your speculation about why others don't come put to play anymore. Why did you give it up and how long ago??



In my case, The J-24 cirsuit in Texas very suddenly dropped from each regatta being a 40 to 60 boat event in 1992 and I could not justify spending all that time and effort to sail with a 15 boat fleet.



The Laser events in Texas, aside from my regatta and the Bruce Cup, never were particularly well attended and when traveling to regattas changed socially from a chance to see lots of friends to having to endure being anywhere near those with whom I have very profound personal differences, I decided there were many more fun things I could do by spending the same time and money.

( Those personal differences? I think sailboat racing is a great game and we should do everything we can to make it possible for as many people as possible to come play with us. I think sailing associations Like the laser Class and USSailing are tools for building the game whose resources should be primarily dedicated to building the game. Those with whom I cannot stand to share my world believe those associations were created to define participatants, restrict those who fail the definition from participation, and most of all to give titles to those who want to be in charge of something having something to do with sailing.)



I absolutely love racing sailboats and have many many times over drawn my bank accounts or paid bills late so I could attend an event.

If a fleet of boats pops up where I can regularly compete locally in a 20 boat fleet or travel to sail with a 40 to 100 boat fleet, I will jump right back in.



In the mneantime, I will enjoy sailing with a dozen to 20 Lasers on Wednesday nights, host an annual event, and do other things with my life that do not frustrate me as much as showing up on race day to find only a couple other interested players.

I didn't quit, I just shook up my status quo (big boat racing in the Northeast) and moved to Texas. Fresh start racing small boats on a lake. Everything's 180 degrees different- people, their attitudes, venue, climate (12 months/year racing YAHOO!). Lots of things you say got the best of me up north. Sport has migrated from a lot of fun to like every other sport- winning is everything. Doesn't have to be that way.

[U20guy2]

divorce...

Christ If I were to go through one of these - I would live on a boat and be sailing every minute I wasn't working. Dude you need to change up the program and take care of your self go SAILING!

I lose 32.5% of my gross earnings to the X. That puts a serious dent in available disposable income. can't live on my I14 either!

Dude - that hurts! Crewing can often result in free food and a bunk to crash in - it was the only entertainment period I could afford for many years living in SF as a kid right out of college I freaking rode the bus down to the dock to save money half the time. LOL

Take care of your self Liquid! Go crew for folks, sounds like you need some fun and positive peeps to hang with!

[sledracr]

Other racers who thought each race was the America's Cup, ...No one seemed interested in just having some fun going around the cans then chatting later over a beer.

I guess I'm on the opposite end of that spectrum. I take my racing seriously. I like being part of a committed crew, on a well-prepared boat, and... I like doing well. I don't have the time or interest to just go slatting around the cans...

In my former life, I had pleasure of being part of some pretty great programs. That probably spoiled me. When I moved to the PNW, I was.... discouraged?... to find that there were only a few teams that took things seriously, and pretty much someone had to die to open a spot (think Flash, Glory, DB, etc). There were always openings on 2nd- and 3rd-tier boats (Marda Gras, anyone? anyone?) but half-ass programs with pick-up crews and lots of yelling isn't really my thing. So now I play other games in order to get my competitive fix satisfied.

[Innocent Bystander]

Started Keelboat racing in 1972. Skippered boats and ran programs for others until 1991 and then got my own boat. Cruised while having kids and then got back into racing in 2001. Raced my own boat for a couple of years and then arms race and PHRF politics made me pull my boat out of racing and join a program that was "in it to win it" . Even then, fun meter started dropping between lack of Corinthian behavior on competitors (yeah, I believe you follow the rules whether someone is watching or protesting or not and you do you turns, withdraw or RAF when you violate them), things like "your protest is disallowed because you didn't throw a flag in 0.226 sec", "Rubbin is racing" in 40 footers. Add in I spent one summer racing and my boat left the dock twice as other schedule commitments means sailing my own boat took the hit.

Between work, family and my own boat, it was too much. Dropped the program at the end of the season, did a few "guest appearances" since. Don't miss the assholes and lawyers. Do miss the beers at the bar with the crew, the winter parties, and BBQ's.

[VwaP]

Having children put some serious limits on my racing schedule.....They're getting to the age that either they can join me or they can figure out their own plans without me. I'm hoping that I'll find myself back in Adventureland (the pointy end of the boat) within the next year!

[MoMP]

Sold my D20 trimaran 6 years ago when my son was born. Since then I have really scaled back from racing/sailing 6 days a week to Wed nights and some weekend stuff on a J105 I've been on for years. I've been on the fence hemming and hawing about getting a boat for the last 2 years, but we just bought a house, so I was focused elsewhere. My wife pushed me to start looking. (She must have forgotten all of those years as a boat widow, or she wants them back, not sure...) We picked up a T-Gull 23 a couple of weeks ago and it's time to introduce my 6 year old son to the passion. We'll do some chase races and Wed night stuff while learning the boat. Next season if there's interest on his part, we'll do more. Boat will always be a work in process, That's sort of the point though...

[big chicken]

After 38 straight years, never taking more time off than 3 months, just got tired of it. More hassle than it was worth. Got real low on the fun meter.
Haven't raced in almost two years. Can't see myself getting back into it any time soon. However I won't say never.
Retired now, traveling, into other things that I really enjoy more.

Pretty much this except in my case my numbers are sailing 35 years and racing 34. Still enjoy long races like Mackinacs, just not too excited about the round the buoys stuff anymore. Also size of local racer/cruiser fleet dropped from 50-60 on Wednesdays and 30-35 on weekends down to 25 during the week and 8-10 on weekends. Also my wife and I want to get out and see as many of the national parks and other things this country has to offer while we still can.

[GnarlyItWas]

Business, and as someone else mentioned in the past I was able to race with some fairly high level programs. I then moved to an area with no high level racing and main and Jib PHRF is a bit dull.

That said I still go when I can, nice people, cold beer and a trip out on the water.

[kent_island_sailor]

Because remaining competitive would require way more time and money than it is worth for me. Our boat is a second home and the day has passed when grills and kid's toys were on racing boats.

[jerseyguy]

After 38 straight years, never taking more time off than 3 months, just got tired of it. More hassle than it was worth. Got real low on the fun meter.
Haven't raced in almost two years. Can't see myself getting back into it any time soon. However I won't say never.
Retired now, traveling, into other things that I really enjoy more.

Pretty much this except in my case my numbers are sailing 35 years and racing 34. Still enjoy long races like Mackinacs, just not too excited about the round the buoys stuff anymore. Also size of local racer/cruiser fleet dropped from 50-60 on Wednesdays and 30-35 on weekends down to 25 during the week and 8-10 on weekends. Also my wife and I want to get out and see as many of the national parks and other things this country has to offer while we still can.

My situation is just the opposite. Gave up long distance racing. As a friend of mine says--a bit far between the buoys for my tastes. Been to the Island enough. Enough fudge and the Pink Pony for the rest of my life.

[kinardly]

My wife and I started out club racing and beer canning on our liveaboard sailboat 34 years ago. It was fun, we were young and not too serious about it, we joined a corinthian club and we met lots of interesting people. We moved up to PHRF racing and still had a blast with it although we had a hard time training and retaining reliable crew. We'd get someone comfortable on the foredeck of our 33'er and then he'd (always a he in those days) jump to a better financed (read: "more competitive") boat and we'd have to restart the process. Kids were the game changer for us so we quit racing and got a cruising boat and by the time the college thing was finally over, we had to sell the cruiser. We suddenly had no desire for the racing moneypit/treadmill so I crewed on OPBs for awhile but then even that became a chore. Recently we bought a couple of motorcycles and the two of us spend most of our weekends riding the back country roads around San Diego. Probably this summer we'll buy a two place dinghy or multihull for daysailing but I seriously doubt we'll race again.

[hobot]

Other racers who thought each race was the America's Cup, ...No one seemed interested in just having some fun going around the cans then chatting later over a beer.

I guess I'm on the opposite end of that spectrum. I take my racing seriously. I like being part of a committed crew, on a well-prepared boat, and... I like doing well. I don't have the time or interest to just go slatting around the cans...

In my former life, I had pleasure of being part of some pretty great programs. That probably spoiled me. When I moved to the PNW, I was.... discouraged?... to find that there were only a few teams that took things seriously, and pretty much someone had to die to open a spot (think Flash, Glory, DB, etc). There were always openings on 2nd- and 3rd-tier boats (Marda Gras, anyone? anyone?) but half-ass programs with pick-up crews and lots of yelling isn't really my thing. So now I play other games in order to get my competitive fix satisfied.

I was on OZ for awhile, some goodtimes but oh_my_GOD!!

And to answer Gouv's question...Kids, Divorce, started a business.

[hobot]

Sold my D20 trimaran 6 years ago when my son was born. Since then I have really scaled back from racing/sailing 6 days a week to Wed nights and some weekend stuff on a J105 I've been on for years. I've been on the fence hemming and hawing about getting a boat for the last 2 years, but we just bought a house, so I was focused elsewhere. My wife pushed me to start looking. (She must have forgotten all of those years as a boat widow, or she wants them back, not sure...) We picked up a T-Gull 23 a couple of weeks ago and it's time to introduce my 6 year old son to the passion. We'll do some chase races and Wed night stuff while learning the boat. Next season if there's interest on his part, we'll do more. Boat will always be a work in process, That's sort of the point though...

Say Hi to Solo for us!

[Beau.Vrolyk]

Raced from '65 to '84, then had kids and started a company.
No Racing from '84 to '91 focused on work & Kids
Cruised long distance from '91 to '96 with kids, raced in NZ for fun on OPB
Race with kids as crew from '96 to 2005, kids went to college
No Racing to focus on work '05 to '08
Raced a lot on OPB '08 to '10
Race on my boat '10 to now.

Racing goes away when something more important comes up, kids or a job that needs full-focus.

Now, I'm racing about 3 days a week and sailing another two to move the boat around, loving it.

Just learned I'm going to be a grandfather and the kids told me I'm in charge of teaching the new munchkins to sail. YA! Fresh Crew!

BV

[walterbshaffer]

Not being able to commit to the level of a program I would want to run.

Things change.

[hobot]

Raced from '65 to '84, then had kids and started a company.
No Racing from '84 to '91 focused on work & Kids
Cruised long distance from '91 to '96 with kids, raced in NZ for fun on OPB
Race with kids as crew from '96 to 2005, kids went to college
No Racing to focus on work '05 to '08
Raced a lot on OPB '08 to '10
Race on my boat '10 to now.

Racing goes away when something more important comes up, kids or a job that needs full-focus.

Now, I'm racing about 3 days a week and sailing another two to move the boat around, loving it.

Just learned I'm going to be a grandfather and the kids told me I'm in charge of teaching the new munchkins to sail. YA! Fresh Crew!

BV

Congrats BV!.... I'm a long ways out on that still as my young daughters are not allowed any boyfriends until they're at least 25.

[averagehack]

Started building a house a few years back and I am still at it.

On the good side I am now working on a 24'X36' shop. My own monster garage.

Have been actively looking for a new boat for a couple years. Do not know if it is cold feet or something else but I just can't pull the trigger.

[CruiserJim]

Raced from 1973 to 1984. Then started a business, was going to grad school and while there met wife and started having kids. Was somewhat burned out on it anyway with the sea lawyers getting crew and other BS. Guess the whole thing got kinda routine.

Raced 4 or 5 double handed races around Catalina in late 80s to early 90s with a friend. When he stopped racing I stopped.

However just did my first race in 20 years this last April. Drove my friends Wilderness 21 in the 1/2 Konocti Cup. Took the gun and had a blast. We may try this boat in the Delta Ditch Run next year.

[dash34]

...unreliable crew. Had 4-5 major regattas in a row where crew bailed at the last minute (and once again thanks to the Sailing Anarchy crew pool for repeatedly saving my sorry ass). It was getting ridiculous.

Now I just race with the few friends I have that I know are going to show up. Not nearly as often as I'd like.

dash

[kinardly]

I'm starting to get the theme here. Older boomers aren't returning to the racing scene post kids. Sad, that. Hopefully the new blood is still up for it and just can't relate to this thread, hence hasn't posted. Some day one of these hotshots will amble down to the club for a day on the water and see an old geezer who looks a lot like me eying that sleek racing machine. Give an old guy a ride, won't ya?

[Occams Razor]

Funny, divorcing the first wife led to a 10 year love affair with racing international 14s. So Divorce can have a positive outcome!

[DaveK]

Well Fred, I wish you'd just come sail with us in classless fleet!!

Pretty laid back easy going stuff.

[Liquid]

Funny, divorcing the first wife led to a 10 year love affair with racing international 14s. So Divorce can have a positive outcome!

I'll be back to the 14er for sure! Just a short hiatus...

[Red Dragon]

I haven't stopped completely, I just don't care near as much how I do. I MUST have fun sailing or I just can't do it. Life is too short and a great deal of it is too much a pain in the arse to spend time doing things that aren't fun.

I have my boats and I will register and be on the line, but I am never going to worry about my finishes that much ever again.

But to the second part of the question, I work 55 hours a week and go to church on Sunday mornings. That leaves a day and a half a week that I am in control of my own destiny. I own three vehicles, six dogs, numerous cats, a couple of acres and a cabin in a swamp, and all of that stuff has to be taken care of. I own five sailboats that must be maintained. I need to try and spend time enough with my wife to keep us both happy. And one day I hope to be a grandfather. In other words, life. It's life that keeps me out of the boat most of the time. I love boats and I love sailing. I have spent 35 years and most every spare dollar I ever had on boats. I love the sport and always will, but there has to be a return. There just has to.

Good friends and good fun are the return. It IS worth it. Just sometimes it doesn't feel like it.

RD

[U20guy2]

Damn RED - sounds like you need to off load some crap so you have more time to play. LOL

Since double handing with the wife for many years on the U20 - our next 30-35 footer will be 100% designed with the intention of being fully race capable with two on board. Crew is great but as many have pointed out you never want your fun to be determined by no shows.. I really like the newer boats set up to be fully functional with two people heck with practice a double handed rig can be single handed pretty well too!

[sailingk8]

Too far to drive in heavy traffic and I kind of got tired of all the chest thumping bullshit. I've sailed with over 50 Anarchists and met many more. I wouldn't mind traveling for some regattas occasionally as I do miss it sometimes but I live close to the swamp and throwing the kayak into the creek for a quiet paddle into nature is too tempting.

[movable ballast]

Interesting thread, I am a recovering serious racer, raced for 20, god 30 years. I was racing one design and it just became not fun. I was becoming an asshole to people I really liked so I binned it. I got an old 6.5 knot shit box for pennies and now race PHRF with a bunch of other 6.5 knot shit boxes. Some are very competitive and yell and shit and it still comes out in me every now and then (I did say recovering). I used to hate just sailing, now I love it. PHRF racing has become for me a way to get out on the boat and simply do our best, I dont "need" to win any more. If it happens awesome! I take more people out for day sails than I have done ever and we enjoy a day on the bay or in the ocean. I still love racing but it is over rated...

[DtM]

I still love racing but it is over rated...

Cruising with my wife is soooooooooo much better.

[~HHN92~]

Lost job in the latest crunch, lost racing partnership, and have not recovered. Seems like it has also taken the desire with it, since I cannot get back to where I was for the forseeable future. Keep thinking of dragging the old Sunfish out again, but just don't have the heart.

So I chase my fix on here, or enjoy TP52 MedCup (RIP), ACWS, VOR, etc. that are broadcast online. WMRT Korea on until past 2am last Saturday/Sunday am. Went to RC44's and VOR in Miami.

Hopefully things change, I miss it.

[movable ballast]

I still love racing but it is over rated...

Cruising with my wife is soooooooooo much better.

I've owned my 6.5 knot SB for six months, my wife has been on it about 5 times. That's 5 times more than she was on the OD boat in four years. It actually works out well. Now that she uses the boat she does not mind spending a few quid on it...

[B.J. Porter]

Please. None of your speculation about why others don't come put to play anymore. Why did you give it up and how long ago??



In my case, The J-24 cirsuit in Texas very suddenly dropped from each regatta being a 40 to 60 boat event in 1992 and I could not justify spending all that time and effort to sail with a 15 boat fleet.



The Laser events in Texas, aside from my regatta and the Bruce Cup, never were particularly well attended and when traveling to regattas changed socially from a chance to see lots of friends to having to endure being anywhere near those with whom I have very profound personal differences, I decided there were many more fun things I could do by spending the same time and money.

( Those personal differences? I think sailboat racing is a great game and we should do everything we can to make it possible for as many people as possible to come play with us. I think sailing associations Like the laser Class and USSailing are tools for building the game whose resources should be primarily dedicated to building the game. Those with whom I cannot stand to share my world believe those associations were created to define participatants, restrict those who fail the definition from participation, and most of all to give titles to those who want to be in charge of something having something to do with sailing.)



I absolutely love racing sailboats and have many many times over drawn my bank accounts or paid bills late so I could attend an event.

If a fleet of boats pops up where I can regularly compete locally in a 20 boat fleet or travel to sail with a 40 to 100 boat fleet, I will jump right back in.



In the mneantime, I will enjoy sailing with a dozen to 20 Lasers on Wednesday nights, host an annual event, and do other things with my life that do not frustrate me as much as showing up on race day to find only a couple other interested players.

My wife and I had been talking about going cruising for several years, buying something bigger than the 40.7 to live aboard and sail off into the sunset with the kids, raising them on board. The plan we talked about was to buy the boat, then spend 2-3 years getting it into shape and getting to know it then leave - selling the house, quitting jobs, etc.

In 2005 (my children were 8 & 5 at this point) I was on vacation with my family. I distinctly remember one morning on a mooring in Edgartown- drinking my coffee in the cockpit, watching the ducks and birds just after dawn as the fog was lifting. About as still of a morning as you can have on a boat, barely a sound with the glassy water all around. We'd been having a great week together going to beaches, fishing, exploring. As I thought about it I realized "I just don't do this enough." As I thought about it more I realized that while I loved the racing and enjoyed my crew I was spending a shit-ton of money to spend time away from my family with people that I wasn't actually related to, and not getting the time on the boat with the people that were the most important to me. With the racing schedule the kids rarely got on the boat before July, and we did most of our family cruising in August.

When my wife came up later that morning I said to her "I think it's time we sell this boat and get serious about that cruising boat." After vacation I told my crew this was the last year with the boat and we started looking for the next boat.

So yeah - family, long term cruising plans, new skills to develop (do you guys know those big metal things they make you carry down in the bilge to meet the rules? You can actually use them to STOP THE BOAT and get off someplace cool!), and a whole new direction in sailing.

We leave at the end of this month. (Yeah, the economy stretched that 2-3 years to 5-6 years).

[Test]

I quit racing actively because ....... I got tired of dealing with the clueless self important assholes with no concept of teamwork who seem populate the racing culture- both on the boat and on the race course. I've been racing for over thirty years, and I've got some chip in his/her shoulder cocky know it all tell me how they know all that, and when you hand them the sheet they fuck it up so bad you start grinding your teeth watching the train wreck as knot meter counts down. Then when you explain to them how they might do something better they tell you to fuck off ..... So then I ask myself .... do I go surfing, or do I spend my weekend dealing with this dick? It's a no brainier. So many times I've come off the race course asking myself ...... "How can I possibly get my head far enough up my ass to understand where you're coming from?" Sometimes it's just not worth the pain.

[By the lee]

I'm a party pooper 'cause PHRF don't account for displacement.

[R Booth]

My wife and I started out club racing and beer canning on our liveaboard sailboat 34 years ago. It was fun, we were young and not too serious about it, we joined a corinthian club and we met lots of interesting people. We moved up to PHRF racing and still had a blast with it although we had a hard time training and retaining reliable crew. We'd get someone comfortable on the foredeck of our 33'er and then he'd (always a he in those days) jump to a better financed (read: "more competitive") boat and we'd have to restart the process. Kids were the game changer for us so we quit racing and got a cruising boat and by the time the college thing was finally over, we had to sell the cruiser. We suddenly had no desire for the racing moneypit/treadmill so I crewed on OPBs for awhile but then even that became a chore. Recently we bought a couple of motorcycles and the two of us spend most of our weekends riding the back country roads around San Diego. Probably this summer we'll buy a two place dinghy or multihull for daysailing but I seriously doubt we'll race again.

Can you do me a favor and go find yourselves a $14k Cal 34 to play around with? Best Cali bang-4-your-buck-boat in my opinion.....

[R Booth]

I still love racing but it is over rated...

Cruising with my wife is soooooooooo much better.

I've owned my 6.5 knot SB for six months, my wife has been on it about 5 times. That's 5 times more than she was on the OD boat in four years. It actually works out well. Now that she uses the boat she does not mind spending a few quid on it...

Please get her up to Two Harbors/The Isthmus a few times.

Then get her down to Marina La Salina, Isla Todos Santos, Ensenada or La Bufadora.....

[big chicken]

After 38 straight years, never taking more time off than 3 months, just got tired of it. More hassle than it was worth. Got real low on the fun meter.
Haven't raced in almost two years. Can't see myself getting back into it any time soon. However I won't say never.
Retired now, traveling, into other things that I really enjoy more.

Pretty much this except in my case my numbers are sailing 35 years and racing 34. Still enjoy long races like Mackinacs, just not too excited about the round the buoys stuff anymore. Also size of local racer/cruiser fleet dropped from 50-60 on Wednesdays and 30-35 on weekends down to 25 during the week and 8-10 on weekends. Also my wife and I want to get out and see as many of the national parks and other things this country has to offer while we still can.

My situation is just the opposite. Gave up long distance racing. As a friend of mine says--a bit far between the buoys for my tastes. Been to the Island enough. Enough fudge and the Pink Pony for the rest of my life.

Ahh, but it's the trip that's the goal, not the destination.

[Recidivist]

I came round the leeward mark in my Laser and the mainsheet wouldn't come in. Nothing fouled, just the elbow was f*cked. The other elbow isn't too good either. Right shoulder is a bit troublesome. Both knees are pretty f*cked. Hips aren't good. Retired from Lasers.

After my mate sold the F9 tri we had raced together for many years, we started taking my keelboat out, but the accidental death of their son meant my crew disappeared. So now I just do bigger stuff when it comes along, and I'm looking forward to some more family cruising on the keelboat when I get the latest job list finished.

Oh well, my competitive period lasted 45 years!

[Gouvernail]

Wow. That's a lot to digest.

I wonder how many of those who described therir reasons for wandering off above would have wandered off if someone called and asked "Where did you go?"



And further I wonder what would have happened for these guys if someone had taken the time to attempt to fix the social problems described abvove??


Like the fellow who described burning out becuase he was a harassed organizer...same reason I lost most of my enthusu=iasm.



Would it really be that hard for fellow sailors to notice when people are being landt's and not only demand the landts cut it out but at least publically apoligize and perhaps even be banished??



What kind of social group lets one member thoroughly trash another member without DEMANDING facts sufficient to justify the attacks?



Other peoplke complained about lack of fun because of behaviour of other competitors.



For those who suggested children blocked your participation?? I once again suggest the social scene is screwed up. I know my parents TOOK UP RACING with kids aged 10, 7, and 4. The four year olkd was wimming and racing at age five ...with his peers.



There is no better place for kids to hang out than a sailing club. The social scene is broken if your children are doing anything but enhancing your reasons to go sailing.



Sailing is above all a social sport. Either we make an effort to treat each other as friends or the sport will have no participants.

[By the lee]

Sailing is above all a social sport. Either we make an effort to treat each other as friends or the sport will have no participants.

Yeah Div 7 was pretty good that way.

Bigger the boat = higher probability the owner's a dickhead.

[DRIFTW00D]

I quit once to get married. I quit again to stay married. Still at it as red wool tell-tales on the cars antenna are not the same..

[saltyokie]

Started Keelboat racing in 1972. Skippered boats and ran programs for others until 1991 and then got my own boat. Cruised while having kids and then got back into racing in 2001. Raced my own boat for a couple of years and then arms race and PHRF politics made me pull my boat out of racing and join a program that was "in it to win it" . Even then, fun meter started dropping between lack of Corinthian behavior on competitors (yeah, I believe you follow the rules whether someone is watching or protesting or not and you do you turns, withdraw or RAF when you violate them), things like "your protest is disallowed because you didn't throw a flag in 0.226 sec", "Rubbin is racing" in 40 footers. Add in I spent one summer racing and my boat left the dock twice as other schedule commitments means sailing my own boat took the hit.

Between work, family and my own boat, it was too much. Dropped the program at the end of the season, did a few "guest appearances" since. Don't miss the assholes and lawyers. Do miss the beers at the bar with the crew, the winter parties, and BBQ's.

Started racing in 1970. Had some leg problems which put me on the beach. Still doing re-hab but able to get on the boat.With a 38 footer - need crew of 6 to fly chute since all I can do is drive.Raced once in last 2 years due to crew problems. (trophied) Boat not sexy enough to attract young crew we need. Sailing this sunday with 3 people I have trained. Will have fun but miss racing.

[Elegua]

For me it's purely location driven. In Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore I could race every weekend all year round with the family in one designs, Weta, Dragon & SB3. In Taiwan there is no sailing to speak of so I am a very average windsurfer.

Beijing is the worst because there is sweet FA in terms of sailing. In any case I'm out of here soon. Yay.

[soling2003]

Cant say as I have ever stopped racing. NOT in my blood. I bought my current boat as soon as I got divorced! I did slow down when the kids were little, just cruised some, but never stopped. Of course how could I say no to my dad to go racing with him, which I had done since I was very little.

Sailed about everything, ready to try the RC route too now that I'm retired. I hope to have some free time finally to get all the little things done on the boat that have taken me 12 years so far!

As far as the other peoples complaints about crew.....if you are the BO, then you have control over who you take out as crew. We have not invited a few over the years after just one trip. And I really could care less if someone else is an a$$ hat, we just ignore them, there are too many other great owners and crew out there.

It is getting expensive and the numbers are way down. I miss the big classes. We used to have 20 boats in each class in the 60's and 70's in the big boats, but now only that many half the time for each course. And the Dragon and Soling fleets out here have all but disappeared.

But I'll be out there till I can't. Friend of mine is still sailing his Peterson in his 80's and one is still sailing his Tbird.
I hope to do the same.

[Swanno (Ohf Shore)]

Started actively big boat racing back when i was 10 (18 years ago). I suppose kids will slow down the racing when that happens. Been a while between offshore races (2007 to earlier this year) but i still do a fair bit of inshore stuff.

[Code 2]

Because I lost my ass in real estate. What a pisser.

[mustang__1]

havent stopped yet.... i sail/race/practice 6days a week on average during the college season, do 1-3 outside-of-college dinghy races a year, and a fair bit of inshore/offshore racing during the summer/winter to keep me fairly busy, and mostly all decently big events. I usually dont do that many beercans though i did do a few last year towards the end of the summer. As i look "forward" to entering the real world i anticipate not doing nearly as much sailing. There are so many race weeks and offshore events and i just cant imagine getting 2.5weeks of vacation time a year to do them.... gonna miss college.

[T.O. Joe]

Great Candid Thread....some of the very best of SA

[Evo]

haven't quit....just couldn't care as much anymore after 47 years with only a couple short breaks. While there's a few reasons to feel that way. (major leg injuries being one)...a big part of it has been the cheating i've seen...even at the highest level with the so called elite sailors. I don't mean ignorance of rules i mean outright cheating. You fucks suck for that and each and every one of you knows or knew it.

what's that? protest you say? Well I say yer damned if you do....damned if you don't. Once that becomes apparent what is the point? Sailing is fun and that i can do with my missus and no racecourse

as an aside and for no particular reason.....the worst of the cheaters have died or become ill. odd that

[rgscpat]

In our area, we lost most of our best racers... age, health, death, moving out of the area, moving from racing to cruising with families, commuting to boats far away on the coast, losing jobs, and other distractions devastated our fleets, Unfortunately, some of the people who were left behind "don't know what they don't know", have limited skills, and limited interest in learning the racing rules and how to run races well. When most of the best racers disappeared or became inactive, instead of being challenged and having lots of good people to learn from, we were faced with dodging random weirdness, so it became less fun. So now I'm looking to try out racing and cruising in some different, if less convenient, places, along with race management volunteering. And, yes, getting crew is a bitch.

[willsailforfood]

Had a kid and realized that having her grow up in a room of angry half drunk people flinging vulgarities and insults at each other was a lot different that the corinthian environment I was lucky enough to grow up in.

After that realization it was an easy choice to refocus on sailing a few big regattas with people I care to sail with who can keep themselves above the fray and sail like gentlemen instead of mud wrestlers and spend the rest of the time cruising with my family so they can experience sailing in an environment that's more likely to develop an affinity for it rather than disgust.

[kent_island_sailor]

The kid thing - I grew up racing boats. Kids were a PLUS back then to racing participation. My buddies were on my boat and the other boats.
I guess what some us saw as normal - the 60s to 80s era of racing - was an anomaly. The confluence of fiberglass boats that were not yet specialized into all out racers or dock condos and a middle class with money and free time seems to have been a one-off thing.

[dputnam36]

At this point in my life I'm just not able to make it a priority.

Changed jobs and moved halfway across the country and now work 6 days and 60+ hours a week during the sailing season. My wife isn't a huge sailor and we just have so much else going on this time of year it's tough to find time on the water period....let alone time for racing.

Not to mention that I seriously injured my back and spent two days in the hospital unable to even roll over and am terrified of hurting it again.

Went beer can racing for the first time in two years last night - had a blast and was even able to get out of bed this morning. Not sure if I'll be asked to crew again or not, or if time will allow, but was happy to fit it in last night.

[hyderally]

This is a very interesting subject and one that has been going through my mind as my own racing seems to have dimmed somewhat in the past few years (though my wife would disagree).
To be completely honest,, one reason is that the consequences of spending too much time on boats and too little on "real" life are coming home to roost. I race for fun and proficiency and feeling guilty afterwards and falling behind in family, house and finances now occasionally intrudes on the single mindedness necessary for serious racing. I fine great peace in the ability to focus on a single thing - racing my boat - without the distractions of "life". I feel like I am not able to do this as well now.
The other reason is that I now feel at odds with seemingly most of the racing Community. So much seems to be about money and "intensity". It simply has gotten hugely expensive. Not only that though. The whole level of discourse and intensity seems somehow inappropriate for what at base is really a sport. There is too much attention paid to winning and less on playing. Maybe this is just resentment on my part. At any rate, it's real to me and though I still enjoy my racing, I can say I'm more interested in the total experience that "winning". Why we do what we do, the beauty and feel of it and the common bond between my sailing friends, all means more.

[Presuming Ed]

Not only that though. The whole level of discourse and intensity seems somehow inappropriate for what at base is really a sport. There is too much attention paid to winning and less on playing.

Not sure if this is unique to sailing. When I was rowing (> 10 years ago now. Wow), as club oarsmen we were training about 20 hours a week. I dread to think what's expected now - I doubt a job of any seriousness and rowing now mix. It's not surprising that upper level club rowing is a shadow of it's former self, and that the fall off after people leave university is even bigger than it used to be.

[Jem]

... because I kept running out of talent half way up the first beat.

[oioi]

i spent about 15 years racing seriously. Raced with some great people, did some good races, went to some interesting places. In the end it got old, a bit boring, bit stale, some of the atmosphere went, the dynamic changed. At the end of one offshore race, after yet another crew argument in a bar, i walked out, got on a plane and flew home. Didnt go sailing again for another 3/4 years.



The itch came back. bought a 4knsb. local races with some mates. its a blast and i love it. Took the family (two boys, 4 and 2) and wifey out last weekend. they really dug it. caught wifey googling swans yesterday (I wish...). plan to slowly tease them into it. I will go back and do some more offshore races in a few years time, but it will be on my terms and i will make sure it is fun, cos when racing is good, its absolutley the best thing in the world.



sailing will always be my first love, but my enthusiasm will ebb and flow, I am not sure it is possible to maintain a high degree of intensity for years.

[Glitter In The Eye]

I'm 42, sailed and raced for over 30 years. Marriage did not slow me down it was 1 kid, the joy of watching other sports live, tailgaiting with friends and family.... Then divorce, but the kid still is here and hampers any out of the house activities without him. I still race a few times per year, maybe 2 regattas and 2 distance races but I hardly race local anymore. 52 weekends per year now seems very hard to fit it all in. I now prefer my vacation days to be spent on beaches looking at people and drinks. I also moved to waterfront as well 4 years ago and have multiple water toys to play with, even the dreaded jetskis for the kids....as I'm typing this I just received an invite to race tonight, I wish I could but I have my sons baseball practice at 5-6pm then happy hour with my neighbors.

[Albatros]

because I never started to race and don't intend to ... gee wizz, why do so many people feel they have to explanify all those why's and why not's , live and let live, and then you die

[knuckles]

Found out that golf take a lot less of my free time and is easier to squeeze in around other family activities. I foresee a reboot in about 5 years when the kid is old enough to do some sailing.

[bgytr]

Been sailing and racing for almost 50 years now, started as a toddler with the family. I have taken a season or two off to recharge, but always come back. Will likely be that way until I die, or I get so incapacitated that I can't get on a boat.

[ribber]

... because I kept running out of talent half way up the first beat.

I am there too. I haven't stopped, I'm still in it, still going out there, still putting in the time, but if I can't scrape up some marginal improvement within the next year I am real tempted to cut back on the effort. Yeah, I shouldn't expect miracles but I feel like I'm doing 75% of Things That Will Improve Our Racing and it's resulted in 2% improvement.

[kent_island_sailor]

Racing isn't all of sailing. My son has spent 10% of his entire life on our boat starting at age 0. At age 30 days he was already in for 4 nights aboard.

Found out that golf take a lot less of my free time and is easier to squeeze in around other family activities. I foresee a reboot in about 5 years when the kid is old enough to do some sailing.

[Jem]

... because I kept running out of talent half way up the first beat.

I am there too. I haven't stopped, I'm still in it, still going out there, still putting in the time, but if I can't scrape up some marginal improvement within the next year I am real tempted to cut back on the effort. Yeah, I shouldn't expect miracles but I feel like I'm doing 75% of Things That Will Improve Our Racing and it's resulted in 2% improvement.

actually, me too... but our races are won by a 1% margin, if that.

[pmw]

In 1995 we moved away from the coast to an interior lake. I was a little burnt out from one design racing and didn't think that I would enjoy sailing on a lake after 22 years of coastal racing. A few years later, I was watching the America's Cup on television (when it was actually televised) and started to get the itch back. My wife encouraged me to go down to the local yacht club and hitch a ride.

I have been racing ever since and enjoy every moment. I think stepping away from it for a few years made me realize how much I need to be on the water, involved in competition and spend time with great people with common interests. I just bought a boat and plan to teach my kids so that we can hopefully go racing as a family. Whether or not this is something they want to continue with will be totally up to them but I just want to make sure that they have the same opportunity that my dad gave me.

['No.6]

Pretty much stopped W/L racing. It made me dizzy going around and around. Just found it boring having to master a 1.5 mile race course.
Still race distance races and offshore whenever possible.

[From the Helm]

This is a great thread. If I quit, I will miss the time with the crew, the Mac race and the nights on the water. Then again if I quit I can go to Santa Fe and have a burrito at Tomasita's and I can drive a convertible to Seattle and I can take a week to go sailing instead of spending more money to take a week off for 2 days of racing.

I like to competition, perhaps it's time to get a trailer racer and a powerboat for cocktail hour.

The timing of this thread is crap, spent the weekend getting my ass handed to me by two boats that are sailed by great sailors with great programs. If I want to win I have to dedicate my life to winning again, spend stupidly on sails, software, line, blah, blah blah, just not seeing the value proposition anymore.

[Mr. Fixit's brother,, Mr. Fixit]

I spent the last eight years vicariously bringing my oldest up through the Optimist class. He did pretty well for not living where he can sail and train every day. Just moved him into a Laser Radial and he's tickled pink. LOVES racing sailboats and anything else on the water. I am having more time available now so plan to start back doing some racing again.

[knuckles]

Racing isn't all of sailing. My son has spent 10% of his entire life on our boat starting at age 0. At age 30 days he was already in for 4 nights aboard.

Found out that golf take a lot less of my free time and is easier to squeeze in around other family activities. I foresee a reboot in about 5 years when the kid is old enough to do some sailing.

The thread is about racing actively.

[kent_island_sailor]

True dat, but racing and sailing seem to be used as synonyms when they are not.

[TooTall]

I was starting to poop out of the whole one design thing and the same old W/L racing - so I have refocused the boat on more PHRF round the government marks stuff. In our area it is a better bang for the buck.
The biggest infusion of fun-factor for me is when one of my three daughters showed interest in sailing double handed races - nothing better than racing with the family - and she forgives my lack of talent.

[Madmax]

Kids.

[arcsine]

I was lucky to be able to race on a great boat, with great owners and consistently good crew and if I was still living in Seattle, I'd probably still would be. Now that I'm in Bellingham, I'm not finding the same level of racing that I'm used to. When I approached the fast boat here (an ID35) about a ride or even getting on their crew roster, I was not-so-politely told to go away and don't ask again. I guess 15 years of racing in the sound on a boat that consistently is rated in the top 25 does not matter much here. Or maybe I was a jerk for even asking. This was after racing on another ID35 in Bellingham where the owner was fabulous but ended up selling it.
But with travel to Seattle (or elsewhere) to do races a pain and a young kid, I've allowed other activities to fill my free time. I miss it and hope I'll be able to again though.

[Innocent Bystander]

Great thread.

Interesting that something drives the fun meter down and then we don't make the time for racing a priority. I think the move to intense racing is part of it. W/L pulls in a different dynamic than random leg or day long "distance" racing. Even the move to purpose built race boats compared to the "race the family cruiser" approach of years ago. Now you are either a racer with a huge budget or a cruiser. For many of us the emphasis on winning over sportsmanship or other factors appears to have taken the enjoyment out of it.

Pretty sad actually.

[DaveK]

Great thread.

Interesting that something drives the fun meter down and then we don't make the time for racing a priority. I think the move to intense racing is part of it. W/L pulls in a different dynamic than random leg or day long "distance" racing. Even the move to purpose built race boats compared to the "race the family cruiser" approach of years ago. Now you are either a racer with a huge budget or a cruiser. For many of us the emphasis on winning over sportsmanship or other factors appears to have taken the enjoyment out of it.
Pretty sad actually.

I think you've got it. It's just a hobby that some people become obsessed with and then hate it. I hated it when I was a kid racing for my dad. He was the type that threw beer cans at me when I fucked up when I was 12. I didn't race much after high school until I was 40 and went to small low maintenance boats. I also only race once a month or so and could care less if I win. It's all about the camaraderie in our small little group.

[MoMP]

To summarize, in no particular order the reasons are as follows:

Kids, cost, lack of sportsmanship, jobs, divorce, burn out, all or nothing boat style choices, ability to maintain crew, boring courses (W/L),not particularly liking the racing sailor (self proclaimed rock star), wife/significant other has little or no interest, kids have little of no interest, arms race, economic down turn=less boats on the line, physical ability (age, pain, etc),.

I'm probably missing some regardless it begs the question. For the masses, what can be changed to bring people back? Economic recovery is probably the largest factor. It influences; cost, divorce, arms race, less boats on the line, little spouse/child interest (they can have their own hobbies )

[TooTall]

Pretty much stopped W/L racing. It made me dizzy going around and around. Just found it boring having to master a 1.5 mile race course.
Still race distance races and offshore whenever possible.

That sums it up for me. W/L blah blah blah.

[Licorice Stick]

Two reasons: 1. Mostly because of the W/L courses. Why an entire sport would eliminate the fastest part of racing is just plain stupid.

2. Because I found it impossible to constantly take time off from work to atternd regattas located states away and because the aforementioned was ungodly expensive even for a 17' boat. The manufacturers assume those that buy the boat can also afford to race and race often all over one half of the country. Those people live in a differenct socioeconomic orbit than I do (as most of us do?) Club racing might be the answer but so few clubs have a class for your particular boat and PHRF is a nightmare. I have a seventeen foot boat and a fifteen foot boat. These days, I'm singlehanding or with my wife who doesnt' care about perfect trim (or a perfect owner-driver!)

One more observation: I've noticed that too many sailors are young or are approaching-middle-aged smartasses. Creeps. Jay Z and Kanye's attitude toward life (all fake and mirrors and the preening of sorority girls) has invaded sailing and it's pretty sad and silly to see. Screw 'em. I don't have time for that and don't want to be around them. I was in one regatta where a newbie sailor asked why there were so many holes at the mainsail clew. I watched as an experienced sailor who was asked and who knew but didn't help educate the newbie. I walked over and told the newbie about heavy, medium, and light air and suggested a setting for that day's races. There was a time when everyone shared knowledge. That isn't so prevalent these days with jocks who hoard tips and tricks or basic sailing education for their own benefit. Congratulations. You beat the newbie who couldn't tune a main. Big man. I wonder if Ellison was like that? Sorry. Can't help but wonder.

Sailing is in thin water these days because so much of the country is polarized toward one of either end of the wealth scale for whatever reason or circumstance. Many on the lower end decided long ago to have fun by themselves.

[U20guy2]

To summarize, in no particular order the reasons are as follows:

Kids, cost, lack of sportsmanship, jobs, divorce, burn out, all or nothing boat style choices, ability to maintain crew, boring courses (W/L),not particularly liking the racing sailor (self proclaimed rock star), wife/significant other has little or no interest, kids have little of no interest, arms race, economic down turn=less boats on the line, physical ability (age, pain, etc),.

I'm probably missing some regardless it begs the question. For the masses, what can be changed to bring people back? Economic recovery is probably the largest factor. It influences; cost, divorce, arms race, less boats on the line, little spouse/child interest (they can have their own hobbies )

#1 Get the fucking industry people like sail makers out of the classes which are 99% real people with real jobs who are weekend sailors. Nothing worse than spending your entire year sailing against friends who have a family - job etc - making a big commitment to do a nationals etc against other like minded people who work, have families etc and are weekend sailors also. Only to have sail makers come and piss all over everyone on the race course with the idea that they are justified because they offer free sail trimming training and have worked sooooooo hard to make GREAT sails for your boats.

I'm not talking about A Melges 24 class here or an Olympic class boat - or even a high performance rig like the Viper which I think is a cool boat with lots of great people sailing in the class.


#2 Re-set the concept of Beercans back to the original intent. Free or virtually free gathering of boat people during a week day after work for a quick parade ie chase fest around a short course and back to the club for drinks dinner and some socializing.

WHO THE FUCK came up with the idea that Beercan events had to be serious balls to the wall aggressive racing? And no the excuse that it is the only event your club hosts does not justify treating it like Nationals qualifier.

Those two things right there would bring a whole lot of old people back to the sport and introduce a whole lot more new people to the sport. Seems pretty damn simple to me.

[U20guy2]

And before we get sail makers pissing on this thread - let me remind you who pays your bills- correct the boat owners who buy your sails.