Behind the Scenes, December 2018

December 2018

We are fans of the wall calendar, and the start of each month welcomes new imagery from our J/Boats, Onne van der Wal, and Sharon Green calendars. Here Sharon shares the behind-the-scenes story from December of her 2018 Ultimate Sailing Calendar.

We wrap up this year with a stunning image of the TP52 Gladiator engulfed in the enticing turquoise waters of Key West, Florida. Since the inception of the Transpac52s – originally designed for the biennial Los Angeles to Honolulu Race – this class has provided a thrill a minute. Keeping pace with innovation and aspiration over their nearly 20-year history, the TP52s continue to be one of the most competitive and exciting classes to shoot.

At this time of year though, there’s a lot of excitement off the water too! This is when friends and fans start to unwrap their 2019 Ultimate Sailing Calendars, and we brace for feedback. It’s a bit nail-biting: will everyone love the selection of images as much as I do?

The 2019 calendar was ‘put to bed’ in mid-Spring, and we can sneak in just a few last-minute tweaks and swaps before it’s sent off to the printer.

Ultimate Sailing is proud to produce this calendar in North America, at the award-winning Freisens Corp. in Manitoba, Can. It’s printed on durable high-quality stock certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which promotes responsible forest management; with environmentally friendly linseed and soya oil-based inks.

So many of us spend hours stuck behind computer screens, in offices or other stifling settings, and dream of our time on the water; defying the elements and testing ourselves when the weekend, or vacation time, comes. It’s what we live for! The 37th edition of the Ultimate Sailing Calendar is designed to inspire you through those dreary moments, ‘til we’re on the water again.

For that reason, I purposefully focused on the drama and excitement of blue-water sailing, in shooting and curating our 2019 compilation. The strength and fury of the sea are palpable in these incredible photographs. So are the strength and determination of the sailors onboard, as they harness the power of the wind, with electrifying results!

You’ll find bundled-up racers challenging the Tasman Sea in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race, while others take on California’s ‘windy lane.’ Even J/70s and Lasers brave the open water in this thrilling new edition of the Ultimate Sailing Calendar. Reactions so far have been phenomenal: thank you. And if you have yet to take a sneak peek at yours, I hope you love it too. Please let me know!

Here’s wishing you all the Ultimate Holiday Season, with a dazzling New Year.