Favorite Sailing: Whatever’s on now

by Carol Newman Cronin
Whenever I mention my chosen sport to a non-sailor, I always wonder if they’re picturing me lounging in the sun on some enormous yacht, sipping an umbrella drink that was delivered by a uniformed crew member. Even after sharing more detail, I usually feel like I’m confusing rather than clarifying; how could high-speed foiling and light-air drifting both be key parts of living my best life?

And if they ask for my favorite sailing activity, the answer will probably seem even less clear: whatever it was I did most recently.

This summer, I’ve been savoring the incredibly wide variety of sailing opportunities that have come my way: everything from leisurely evening sails to heart-thumping race starts. In one memorable week I fit in an evening of Snipe sailing, an overnight in a quiet harbor (bookended by two great sails), and several afternoons of wingfoiling—before capping it all off with a fantastic weekend regatta on a 59-foot classic yacht. Each adventure made me smile, though for a slightly different reason. Is it any wonder our sport is so hard to explain to landlubbers? – Full report