Jerry Kirby: My Ultimate Sailing moment

Photographer Sharon Green, in her newly released coffee table book 30 Years of Ultimate Sailing, sought out the leaders in the sport to share their Ultimate Sailing moments. Here Jerry Kirby provides his…

What is ultimate sailing? The question brings to mind a million different thoughts and memories. Winning the America’s Cup. Going around Cape Horn. A moment in the Southern Ocean when you’re clutching the top of the mast trying to un-strop a kite in 50 knots; or going down the Molokai Channel with Roy Disney. Then there’s the time I jumped off the Newport Bridge to go racing – I was late and the boat had left the dock, so I got a friend to drop me at the bridge, I leapt off and splashed right in front of the boat, they picked me up, and off we went. That’s when you know sailing is something you’re passionate about!

But the things I remember most are really the people. The relationships and interactions that happen on the boat. Even as you go about your day-to-day activities on land, if you’re a lifetime sailor, there’s a total bond that transcends all other relationships. It’s like being in a club that you can only get into if you go sailing. The relationships that develop are unforgettable and those memories – of all the fun stuff and hard stuff and in some cases, of friends who have died – span a lot of emotions. You can take a group of friends you’ve sailed with, separate them for 10 years, then put them in a room, and they’ll act like no time’s gone by whatsoever. That’s the magic of sailing.

Click here for information about Sharon Green’s 30 Years of Ultimate Sailing.