Act III: In It For The Long Haul

Enduring one design classes are less about the boat and more about the people, and for the Snipe Class, one of those people is Alex Pline. In this report, he looks back on his journey:

We recently sailed the Snipe US Masters Championships on Mystic Lake in Boston, and after some discussion about getting people to go to regattas, I started thinking about our history in the Snipe and why we go to regattas.

It seemed the appropriate moment to reflect on the next act in the Snipe Sailing Saga so I revisited my last piece on the subject from 2015 – Snipe Sailing Act II: Waking Up From A Long Winter’s Nap – and I now realize the curtain has set on that act – reentering the sailing scene after a number of years off due to kids and some health issues – and the curtain has risen for Act III: In It For The Long Haul.

As our perspectives on life change and we have more time to travel to regattas, we are thinking about why we spend so much time, effort and money on this endeavor. Obviously, it’s not because we are always winning trophies at regattas, given our middle of the pack finishes in the last few years at major events. Nor is it because the Snipe is the fastest, coolest or newest thing to hit the sailing community. We take a more holistic tack. – Full report