Sailing

On a sunny Sunday morning, I was invited to go sailing with Laurie and Sue. I was happy and excited to have the opportunity, because I have never sailed before.

This wasn't just any sailing. As it turned out, it was actually a sailboat race. The race was organized by the Whangarei Cruising Club. The participants were sailboat owners from around Whangarei. It wasn't a professional race, but more of a recreational hobbyist race. The first prize was only a bottle of wine. This was fortunate, because I didn't know anything about sailing, and was a liability to the team.

Whangarei Cruising Club

Sailboats at the club's dock

Our team consisted of five people, excluding myself: Laurie, Sue, Frank (the neighbour who helped with the pig), and two other friends. I was the odd one out, in 2 ways. First, I was the only one who didn't know how to sail. Second, I was the only one who was younger than sixty years old.

Our team: Frank (front of boat), Sue (door to cabin), Bret and Mid (looking at the camera) and Laurie (looking away from the camera)

Me on the boat

Laurie was the captain, or skipper. He shouted instructions such as, "Genoa to the left!" and, "Spinnaker up!". Everyone else followed his instructions to adjust the sails. (Genoa and Spinnaker are the technical names for the different sails on a sailboat) My role was the backup. I just sat in the back, trying not to get in the way.

During the race, all sailing must be with wind power only. We were not allowed to use our engines. . The goal is to maneuver the boat and adjust the sails, so that they are receiving the maximum push from the wind. I realized that sailing is a very technical sport, and the experience of the captain and the crew is crucial to victory.

Unfortunately, on the day of the race, the wind was very calm. This was bad news, because no wind = no sail. We sat for 2 hours, waiting for the wind to pick up. The boat was hardly moving. The wind affected all the other ships too, so they were just as slow. It was pretty boring, kind of like watching tortoise racing.

Other participants

Boats moving slow due to calm winds

I was almost bored to death. After 2 hours, we were only at 1/4 of the course. Then, suddenly a strong wind came in. The sails filled up, and the boat started to move. We picked up speed. That burst of wind allowed us to complete the remaining 3/4 of the course in only 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, due to a technical difficulties, the result was not announced on that day. So I never knew our position, though I'm sure we didn't win. Anyway, the race is more for fun than competition, so it doesn't really matter.

I had always thought of sailing as a rich man's sport. I asked Laurie how much does his boat cost. He said about NZD30,000 dollars. (I think it's a used boat). That's cheaper than some new cars. On top of that, it costs around a thousand dollars a year for maintenance and parking. That's probably within reach of a middle class family in New Zealand.

Laurie also mentioned that he used to have a bigger boat when he lived in Auckland. That boat cost NZD80,000, which would have been less affordable to middle class. Laurie and Sue have always enjoyed sailing. They own a boat because they love sailing, not because of status symbol.