School has begun for millions of children across the country. As a child growing up, I always looked forward to the start of school. And even today, I can still recall many of teachers who made a lasting impact on my life. These were the people who not only taught me to read and write and do math, but also taught me how think and organize, explore and dream.
As the sailing year (and my year as Commodore) winds down at EYC, I have been thinking about some of the lessons that sailing has taught me. So with certain apologies to Robert Fulghum, here’s my version of “All I Needed to Know I Learned from Sailing.”
1. Take care of your equipment. A few hours of work in the Spring will pay rich dividends all summer.
2. Make friends with your fellow sailors. Their knowledge, skill, and assistance will come in handy a some point during the season.
3. Get out on the water as often as you can. A boat that never leaves the shore isn’t a boat, it’s a storage problem!
4. A good crew depends on good communication. Giving clear signals, along with generous encouragement goes a long way toward building your team.
5. Keep things neat and clean—both on the water and on shore. Not only will your crew thank you, but so will your friends and family.
6. To get to your destination, you may need to try a different tack (or gybe). So be flexible and creative while keeping your eye on your ultimate goal.
7. Don’t forget the refreshments. No matter how important or serious the task is, we all need to eat and drink. It’s comes down to simple math: Fun + Food = Friendship!
8. It’s always good to check the map. Consult the chart, ask a friend, read a book, search the internet. We can all benefit from the wisdom of others.
9. In end, it’s more about the “journey” than the “destination.” So don’t forget to savor the breeze, splash in the water, and gaze at the sunset.
10. Share the fun. n case you haven’t noticed our sport is growing older. It’s up to each of us to talk about the joy of sailing and invite others to go for a “first sail.”
See you at the club,
Gary Powell, Commodore
11. P.S. It takes a “team effort.” Many thanks to Pat, Janell, and Richard Skeen for a wonderful Jim Skeen UnRegatta. Thanks to Becky Barker and Susan Bloom for organizing the Women’s Cup this year. Thanks to Chris Thomas, Adam Chamberlin, June Chamberlin, and Janell Skeen for their leadership of Youth Sailing. Thanks to Dean Mitchell, Marie Johnson, Rich Johnson and others for a great Harvest Regatta. Thanks to Rich Aaring for many hours helping transition our bookkeeping services following Jo Walder’s death.