Rob Weiland
End of season pondering
Classes and owner associations can be hard work, rewarding at times, eating all your energy at others. Part of the energy will go towards trying to create understanding between members who ‘race to win’, not rarely adding ‘at all cost’, and those with a more ‘Corinthian approach’, seeing themselves foremost out on the water to enjoy
their sport while living up to principles of fair play and gentlemanly behaviour at a budget they feel comfortable with. Outspending each other is certainly not what Corinthian yacht
racing is about. Then again, it certainly also is not the essence of racing with professional crew. In both cases, however, discussing the ideal mix of effort, result and fun we soon end up discussing budgets… Money certainly is part of the equation and, yes, to some extent success can be bought and indeed some enjoy spending and optimising more than others. Discussing budgets is also easier in a box-rule or one-design context than, for instance, at maxi racing level, where a new mainsail for a 60ft yacht can be US$60,000 and for its 140ft neighbour half a million. But while talking budgets is one thing, deciding on budget limits
is another; limits which rarely go further than setting a maximum on the number of new sails that can be buttoned each year. And buttoned is not the same as bought. Many clubs and owners’ associations in their bylaws still refer
to Corinthian sailing, and mention ideals such as ‘the encourage- ment of amateur yacht racing and organisation of Corinthian sailing’. Up until the second part of the 19th century yacht racing was
primarily for the upper-class elite and often entirely relied on paid crew. The term Corinthian was then introduced to indicate a break with this approach and the desire to promote owners sailing their boats themselves, and bringing unpaid crew along for the ride; ‘the encouragement of amateur yacht sailing’ as we, for instance, read in the 1873 General Rules of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club (UK). Mind you, this is sailing not racing; ‘the acquirement of nautical
42 SEAHORSE
experience through participation in and love of the sport of sailing’. Over the following decades the term Corinthian got further defined
in the sailing world towards the ideas of Pierre de Coubertin: that participation (referring to the Olympic Games) is more important than winning… and then rather later, that the complete crew shall be amateur. The latter did not last very long in practice or maybe it never even existed at the top-end level. It is wise to avoid rules that cannot be enforced. Nowadays Corinthian sailing, certainly at serious regattas, effec-
tively means owner-driver sailing, which certainly adds enforcement options. In the year 2024 I very much doubt that there is a fully amateur-crewed maxi to be found racing anywhere, nor box-rule or even one-design or rated sailing in larger yachts. So why not say so instead of clinging onto a term that can only cause confusion? Clubs and associations should have a look at their bylaws, and
purpose, then discuss with the members whether it’s time for a rewrite. It is good to have a clear purpose, as well as to give both ‘what we do’ (mission) and ‘where we want to go’ (vision) a regular refresh. I can imagine replacing a text like ‘The encouragement of amateur yacht racing and organisation of Corinthian sailing’ with ‘The encouragement of owner-driver yacht racing and organisation of owner-driver races and regattas’. Not that any association is home and dry once purpose and
activities are streamlined again. Where and how to race and with what equipment then needs to be defined, preferably to the approval of the majority of members. This is a neverending process but the trick is to involve the members and together try as much as possible to enjoy the process… easier said than done. Nowhere will the process be more complicated than in associations
of wildly different boats scored on handicap and with wildly different budgets. Permanent irritation around the corner; no rating is ever right, no class split ever correct, no racecourse perfect for all boats etc, etc. But those complaining have a point, it never is perfect! Only problem is it never will be either. I feel the best course then is to
RICK TOMLINSON
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