Does Anyone in Sailing Work Harder?

In Major League Baseball, players always talk about the importance of the guys in the dugout before them and how they changed the game. Gary Jobson is Sailing's guy. We can't think of anyone in modern sailing that works harder or has had a greater impact on the sport.

This weekend, Jobson released his 17th book, a memoir called An American Sailing Story. Somehow, he found time between movies, speaking engagements, serving as spokesperson for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and being the President of US SAILING to squeeze in almost 300 pages of what promises to provide highs, lows and a great perspective on sport and life. The book was also edited by Cynthia Goss, one of our favorites.

At SailFast, we've always said that sailors are generally a bit more journey than destination. What could be better than finding a good berth and taking a ride with America's favorite sailor?!

Gary helped set the stage we now play on. He's seen it all and he's still working harder than all of us - a true inspiration. No doubt, An American Sailing Story will be equally inspiring.

Young At Heart

This summer, SailFast and Gary Jobson teamed up to create a fundraising program for junior sailing. The concept was pretty simple: kill two birds with one stone by promoting junior sailing and also having the junior sailors take an active role in “giving back”. As additional incentive, SailFast vowed to send Gary Jobson to the club that raised the most where he would personally lead a sailing clinic.

The program was launched on the fly and 24 clubs quickly signed on. Not bad for a first effort! And like many fundraisers of this type, participation was stronger among some circles than others. There were a handful of clubs that really got hold of it and were neck-and-neck to the finish. But in the end, the winning program was Noroton Yacht Club in CT. Their junior sailing program embraced the initiative and they were rewarded with a visit from Gary Jobson on a sunny Sunday afternoon in August.

The day was spectacular. Gary started on the water, even jumping in a boat and sailing in some club races with an old friend. Then the clinic moved onshore where Gary went “unplugged” with the juniors, openly sharing a lifetime of knowledge, strategy and experience with our next generation of sailors. To say it was a success would be an understatement. One junior sailor went so far as to have Gary sign their life jacket and is still running around showing it off!

This story of a Sunday afternoon with Gary Jobson and the junior sailors of Noroton also reminds me of what the sport of sailing is really about. You can do it at any level, at any age. The icons - be it a classic design, an annual regatta, or even a legendary sailor – can seamlessly cut across genres and generations. And on any given Sunday at any local club, the new blood can sail alongside the sport’s best, sharing the same experiences and even creating new ones!

Special thanks to Gary Jobson and also to Noroton Yacht Club’s Junior Sailing Program for making this year's fundraiser a success.