Page 6. MAINE COASTAL NEWS April 2010
CASCO BAY SAILING PERSONALITY: STEPH HELMS
SE: Would you describe yourself as competi- SE: Where do you live? wind and waves, the current, the trim of the SE: What then?
tive? SH: In Freeport; I live in the Patch. It’s a little boat and the sails, all while playing a game! SH: After college, I moved to Maine and
SH: Yes (with a BIG smile). I’m competitive area right in the middle of town behind the fire There are additional challenges in racing, like worked for Peoples Regional Opportunity
within the context of a game. I wouldn’t station off of West Street. knowing where the other pieces (boats) are Program (PROP) an economic development
describe myself as type A; I just like to do on the game board, but paying attention and agency in Cumberland country, restoring a
things well. SE: Do like living there. being in the moment is a key part of success- building on Newbury Street in Portland. It
SH: Yeah, it’s fun and Freeport is an interest- fully navigating the race course. Even cruis- was once the home of the Congregation
SE: What sailing accomplishment was the ing town. I live within walking distance of ing the boat wants to go fast, whether it’s a Shaarey Tphiloh. We led the restoration for
first that was important to you? town and Bow Street. You’re in the middle of Pacific Seacraft or a J24. Even the agency’s use, and as a new focal point for
SH: They are all important, obviously! The town, but there are trails in the back of my Ensigns…wonderful boats to day sail! Be- the neighborhood. There was a food co-op,
first Marblehead to Halifax race I sailed was apartment and you can get out and walk in the cause if you want to race an Ensign, well – it’s and a crafts market established. This was
great and just being part of that team was a woods. extremely painful – the cockpit coming gets back in the late seventies, and the Old Port
privilege. you…it’s like “HIKE”…Ouch! DO I have to! was just coming into its’ own. It was a bit early
SE: What are your favorite hobbies? for the retail momentum to jump the Franklin
SE: How “young” are you? SH: My favorite hobby is obviously sailing SE: What is your passion? Arterial, so the markets didn’t pan out. Later,
SH: 56, Born on November 30 and sailboat racing, which I think are differ- SH: Yeah well, I hate to be a one note Nellie it was sold to a private developer and redone
ent. Sailing is different from sailboat racing. – what my passion? Hmm (Steph thinks about as just office space. Points East used to have
SE: What’s your Astrological Sign? Sailing is the most zen activity that I’ve ever it.) I don’t know if I can come up with a an office there. At least, we saved the build-
SH: Sagittarius, I share a birthday – with experienced. You have to practice living in definition. I’m an evangelist for sailing as a ing from becoming a ruin. I’m still proud that
another local sailor, Tom Crotty. He’s 20 the moment when on a sailboat, and you can sport and as pastime that offers personal it stands as a legacy of the neighborhood’s
years older, but another late November Sag. never be certain of what’s to come. Sailing rewards. It’s the zen nature: a funny contem- former strong Jewish community and as a
Tom is an old friend of mine. We played teaches you humility. Also I enjoy the out- plative deal! new anchor for the area’s renaissance.
together sailing, and worked together on his doors: walks, snowshoeing and cross-coun-
web site for a fair bit of time. Winston try skiing. SE: So, how did you get into sail making?
Churchill is November 30 sag too! SE: Where is your hometown? SH: Well, the project funding for my position
SE: Do you like cruising? SH: I was born in Boston raised in Watertown came to an end. I was casting about to find
SE: What’s a Sagittarius all about? SH: Love it. It’s been ages since I’ve taken the and graduated from Lexington High School. something to do. Graham Stone was looking
SH: Sag’s are supposedly adventuresome, boat up the coast, mostly for lack of time. I’ve for sail makers at Atlantic Sails, then on the
open-minded. They’re a fire sign, if you be- sailed Returns [J/24] up to Quahog Bay and SE: Did you learn to sail in MA? corner of Silver and Middle Streets. Graham
lieve all that stuff. It’s fun having a birthday dropped the hook for a night, more than once. SH: Learned a bit in South Athol on a small was a veteran of Hood sailmakers and Rolly
in November. It’s fun having a birthday any Maybe next season’s the time for another lake. During my early teens I sailed a Sailfish. Tasker. He was an OEM guy, primarily sup-
old time. I don’t believe in it. (We laugh out camping trip. I love a quiet day or evening sail No racing involved. Rigged it up and sailed all plying O’Day. The sails were, shall we say,
loud as Steph googles Sagittarians and around the islands though, and do that often. the way down wind into a marsh. Then it took unsophisticated in their design, but we built
reads) Apparently, I have a good sense of several hours to get back up wind: constantly them quickly. We cut them out the old fash-
humor, intelligent, am impulsive, and I’m hot SE: I’m surprised to hear this. flipping, no formal instruction. I was 13 years ioned way on the loft floor, rolling fabric back
hot, hot! SH: Well, really, I mostly race. The sailing old and stupid. Sailing wasn’t a major part of and forth for 10 hours a day. I was a sail cutter,
thing is all about a sense of being in the my life. I got back into sailing in 1977 after and still have those 12” Wiss shears I bought
SE: So you are like a Sag? moment and having the tranquility and peace graduating from Brandeis University with a for the job. There wasn’t a great deal of
SH: I could look up another sign and find and joy of nature. That doesn’t go away when degree in History.
resemblances there also. you race, if you’re doing it right. You need the
ability to appreciate what’s going on with the
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