Jim Kilroy: Sailing is like life

Inducted into the U.S. National Sailing Hall of Fame, Jim Kilroy’s ocean racing yachts, all name Kialoa, amassed a record of victories that remains unrivaled in the highest levels of Grand Prix racing. Equally successful in business, Kilroy’s autobiography Kialoa US-1 – Dare to Win provides the no-hold-barred, behind the scenes story of commerce and competition. Here’s an excerpt…

While at sea, there is much time for reflective thought about life, about family, about business, about the future and about your true objectives. It’s an environment that cultivates fresh ideas about how to approach problems and issues, and above all, to sort out which are the important matters and which are the non-issues.

One cannot enjoy the sea aboard a racing sailboat without being a participant. It is not a spectator sport for those onboard. And one cannot be at sea on a racing sailboat without understanding the essential mutual interdependence of your fellow sailors.

At sea, life becomes elemental. You become one with the simple beauty of the sky, of moonlit clouds, of the ocean’s rhythm, of reflections on the water, of phosphorescent waves. You are part of that beauty, and yes, you are sometimes engaged in the violence of nature, as well. In coping with extreme conditions, two things are essential: teamwork, and facing reality. Sailing is like life. It teaches the essential necessity for humility in mankind.

The book, Kialoa US-1 – Dare to Win, can be found HERE