Promoting Sailing Amid Championship Competition

J A Booker, PRO for the 2016 US Optimist Class Atlantic Coast Championship, responds to the report by Thomas Sitzmann, Big Fleet Opti Sailing: Too Much of a Good Thing?

While I am flattered by much of Mr. Sitzmann’s account of my Sunday competitor’s meeting at the USODA Atlantic Coast Championship this past weekend, regrettably, I’m not a member at Seawanhaka Corinthian. I’m also afraid he was far too generous with his interpretation of my subtle messages to the competitors.

In point of fact, I was simply teaching children about sailing: the history, the traditions, the Corinthian Spirit, and a little bit of starting line strategy. (I’m afraid he missed the bit reminding kids about the effect of current on your position on the starting line.)

Some readers have suggested solutions and some of those details were not included in the story.

• “Use starting penalties.” P, Z, I over Z and U were all employed to manage the line.

• “Penalize the offenders.” 20% of the group were scored UFD in one race.

• “Initiate third party protests.” A hard sell for those of us who believe that it is better to teach children how to behave than to punish them for their inexperience.

• “Make smaller divisions so fewer boats are on the line.” The only way this works is to limit registrations.

Keep in mind, above all things USODA is a teaching organization charged with getting kids involved in sailing. In my tenure on the executive committee, I often encouraged Board Members and parents alike to think of USODA as a green fleet organization that holds some championships every year. The result: large numbers of kids want to be involved. USODA built it and they come; by the hundreds. Telling kids they can’t sail is contrary to the mission of the Class.

So what we are left with is an imperfect system that gets a lot of young people excited about sailing and a few adults overly concerned about results. I believe the Class has made the right choice.

Seawanhaka did a fabulous job managing the logistics of this event. There were more than 100 volunteers and club staff involved in making it work. Thirty five of those were charged with the safety of the competitors from the moment they had their name tag scanned as they launched to the moment they scanned back in in the afternoon. I am confident that someone knew where every competitor was at all times.

The Oyster Bay Constable was on the race course from start to finish both days. There was a paramedic and two physicians on the course and a point by point safety plan briefing for all of the spectator and coach boats. To suggest that this was an accident waiting to happen is ill-informed and unnecessarily inflammatory.

Still, Mr. Sitzmann has a point to make: bad behavior can be learned and practiced with some measure of anonymity at big events. Fair statement, but one that disregards the fact that the 17 USODA Championships each year account for a tiny fraction of the Opti sailing that happens every weekend throughout the year. Those who engage in bad behavior establish that reputation and it carries well beyond their Opti years. Smaller USODA events won’t change that. Adults teaching kids how to behave changes that.

I was proud to be asked to serve as PRO for this event and proud to serve with such an amazing and dedicated team of volunteers. I’m a volunteer who flew up from Florida to help out.

J A Booker, PRO
2016 USODA ACC Championships
Past VP of USODA, Regatta Committee Chairman and Board Member
Member of Davis Island Yacht Club, Tampa Florida