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INTERFERENCE: The Press, Spectators on Sailing Courses

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By Sail1Design’s Margaret Boehm
This weekend, top ranked Finn sailor from Great Britain Ben Ainslie was top news,
but not for his sailing. The sailor who is a triple gold Olympic medalist,
found himself among the gossip columns of Great Britain and Australia due to
his conduct with the media after a race during the ISAF World Championships in
Perth, Australia.

 
 
 
 

After finishing a race on Saturday, Ainslie jumped out of his Finn and swam to a nearby press
boat, an inflatable dinghy motorboat. Ainslie boarded the vessel and
communicated to those on board that they were too close to him during the race
and had hampered his race. Photos posted online sparked inquiries as to whether
or not Ainslie had accosted one of the newsmen onboard the press boat. These
claims were later debunked.

After this incident Ainslie was disqualified from both races of the day, making him
ineligible for the medal race on Sunday. 
Had Ainslie been found guilty for gross misconduct by the ISAF, Ainslie
could have faced a two-year ban from the sport.

Ainslie apologized for the row, but said
that he thought the disqualification was a “massive over-reaction.” The
incident this weekend is another example of the media interfering with sporting
events, most notably the media has been chastised for causing accidents during
Tour de France coverage.  

“At the moment the sport seems to be fumbling
its way into trying to make the sport more appealing for television,” said
Stephen Park, British team manager to the Sydney Morning Herald. The behavior
by Ainslie this weekend has been heralded by some and criticized by many online
and through various news outlets. For the believers that all press is good
press, the sport of sailing has gained more followers. “It’s on my
doorstep and I haven’t been following the sailing at all, but everyone’s heard
about (the Ainslie incident),” John Rawlins, an Australian to the SMH.

Sail1Design wants to hear from you. What do you think of Ainslie’s behavior? His
disqualification? Was the press boat at fault?

12 Days of Sailing Christmas

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By Margaret Boehm
With Christmas and Hanukah quickly approaching, Sail1Design is here
to help you find the most useful and creative gift for your special sailing
enthusiast. In honor of the twelve days of Christmas—Here are 12 gifts ideas
that are sure to send any gift receivers hearts sailing!

 

1.     
Wind on DVD-The 1992 movie staring Matthew Modine and Jennifer Grey about a down on his
luck sailor hoping to redeem himself and win back the Americas Cup from the
Australians. Available on at Amazon.com—in a last minute bind? The movie is
also available on Amazon instant video for rent and purchase.

2.     
Unsinkable: A Young Woman’s Courageous Battle on the High Seas-The memoir of Abby
Sunderland, a teenage sailor who attempted twice in 2010 to circumnavigate the
globe solo on her yacht Wild Eyes. Sunderland was infamously rescued in
the Indian Ocean after her yacht’s dismasting. 

3.     
US SAILING VINEYARD VINES TIE: US Sailing Members receive a special $40 off
discount from the famously preppy Vineyard Vines brand when purchased from the
US Sailing online store. The tie, which comes in raspberry and blue, features
the US Sailing logo.

4.     
Pottery Barn Nautical Door Knocker-For the sailing mom or dad looking to redecorate and
add some nautical flare to any front door. The iron door knocker is shaped like
a ship’s porthole and comes with a satin nickel or antique bronze finish. The
item is currently on sale for $60.

5.     
Charlie St. Cloud on DVD-For the Zac Efron fan in your family.
Buy the DVD of the 2010 film. Or for the family bookworm, the novel of the same
name by Ben Sherwood.

6.     
Ebb Tide Bags-Buy one of the Ebb Tide Bags for the fashionista of your sailing family.
Made in the USA from 100% sailcloth and line, the bags come in white and
metallic and are sure to be noticed by sailors and style mavens alike!
Available on etsy.com.

7.     
Reiter8 items on Esty-Another great Etsy find! The Etsy shop has throw pillows, bags,
wallets and luggage tags made out of recycled sails.

8.     
Gill Pro Race Buoyancy Aid-Finally a one-design life vest in PINK. For the ultimate
girly girl you know. Available in adult and youth sizes on the Gill United
Kingdom online store.

9.     
Henri Lloyd Menswear and Women swear-The beloved brand of sailors in no longer just
for gear. Check out the online shop for stylish and impeccably crafted
knitwear, jackets, polos and pants. Take advantage of the free shipping and 15%
OFF sale.
 

10. Master and Commander: Far Side of the Word
soundtrack: The soundtrack, which features the three Australian musicians who
also collaboratively compose the score is sure to please the classical music
fan in your family.
 

11. USODA gear-Surprise your favorite Optimist
Dinghy sailor with gear and accessories from the United States Optimist Dinghy
Association.
 
 

12. London: 2012 Sports Collection Sailing Coin:
Specially made by the Royal Mint, this 50 pence coin is sure to excite anyone
who is anxiously awaiting the 2012 games. Available online at the London 2012
shop.

Dispatches from an Opti Travel Team Coach: “How much is too much?”

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By Sail1Design’s Elizabeth Dudley

I spent my past two weekends helping to coach one of the Optimist Travel Teams that have sprouted up around the country in recent years.  A good number of Opti teams these days are club specific.  This one in particular however draws kids from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.  Families from New Jersey, Long Island, and Maryland take turns hosting practices to prepare their kids for the major Opti events of each year.

Prior to these weekends, my most recent coaching had been over a year ago in a summer program atmosphere.  As in most summer programs, not all the kids want to be there which then requires a certain
coaching style.  These past two weekends, it was refreshing to have the opportunity to work with kids who truly wanted to be out in their boats sailing and improving.  I could actually talk to them about sailing and racing and feel as if they were ready to absorb at least half of what I had to say.  But on the last day of practice, as we were loading the boats on the trailer so that they could all go down to Florida for the winter, I found myself asking, “How much is too much?”

This question of course is not specific to the sport of sailing.  Be it travel teams like this one, clinics, “fall ball”, or indoor leagues, there are opportunities almost year round for young athletes to be involved in their sport.  But as kids, does a life filled with something you love to do turn in to a chore? Or worse, something you hate?

Obviously the answer to this question varies on a case by case basis.  Speaking with a parent of two children on a travel team, the move to the team was made because of the reliable and consistent coaching that came along with it.  Both kids enjoy sailing and enjoy being successful at their sailing.  As this one parent said, “They are learning that if they put in the work and get time on the water, that their performance and ability improves – and for me, that is more of a life skill than a sailing specific one.”  A travel team allows for the development of this skill.

Travel teams can certainly be an extremely rewarding and positive experience.  With the year round participation and concentration on a sport, a child will learn more than they would by just partaking in the activity one season a year.  The friendships and memories that can be made on a sports team are priceless and will last forever.  Being a part of a group with that level of commitment to one thing is very special and the kids that are truly interested in their sport will thrive in that environment.

But how does a parent handle the day that their kid does not want to participate in a planned practice or regatta?  One that a lot of planning had gone into and had already been paid for?  Speaking with parents and having been in the position of the kids, it sounds as if support is the best thing a parent can give their child.  As one parent said, “Parents really have to listen to their kids and decide what their kids are actually interested in”.

Some kids are genuinely interested in whatever their sport may be, but get nervous or have confidence issues before a practice or competition.  As a parent, this is the kind of kid who just needs a little nudge in the right direction.  The push will help them get over their fears and go out and enjoy the day like they want to.

On the other hand though, there will be kids who genuinely do not have the interest in a sport to want to commit to a travel team, no matter how talented they may be.  In this situation, it is the parent’s job to listen to their child and not push them into anything they really do not want to do.  A kid pushed into a sport will be a very unhappy one.

Before saying yes to joining a travel team, parents and children both have to agree that this is a commitment they are willing to make as it will mean making sacrifices in other areas of life.  But just because you are on a travel team does not mean you have to forfeit every other aspect of a childhood.  Especially on a sailing team, while it may hinder your growth as a sailor to miss a practice or a regatta, taking time off is possible.  Perhaps more so than in a more team oriented sport.  Time off will give you the opportunity to hang out with friends, participate in other activities and just take a step back from it all.  The last thing anyone wants is for a kid to get burned out.  Burning out is one of the fastest ways to get turned off from a sport that one could have enjoyed for the rest of their life.

As the parent of two Opti sailors said, “Overall, the biggest thing I can do for them is to let them “drive the bus” so to speak – this is a very labor intensive, time intensive, commitment intensive sport – as long as they are the ones wanting to do it, it is a good thing.  If it switches to the parent wanting them to do it, or making them do it, then it becomes work, and not sport, and not fun.”

Layover Chatter with Bill Hardesty

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By New Airwaves member Morgan Kinney
Congratulations to ISAF Match Racing Champions Ian Williams, Malcolm Parker, Gerard Mitchell, Matt Cassidy and Bill Hardesty. After defeating Johnie Berntsson 3-1 at the Monsoon Cup in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, Williams was awarded his third championship crown.  
While reigning as one of the US’s top match racers, Hardesty has had a successful 2011 winning the Etchells Worlds as well as the Chicago Grade 2 Invitational this summer. I had the privilege of speaking with Hardesty for a quick moment while he continues to catch up with his life in San Diego, CA.

MK: Obviously you’re an accomplished racer. Does this championship
rank as your favorite title, though? 

BH: We did the same accomplishment in 2007 winning both the WMRT and
Monsoon Cup so we knew what it was like.  I think the biggest
accomplishment to date was either winning the Etchells Worlds earlier this year
with one race to spare.  Or winning Key West Race Week in the Melges 24 as
helmsman when it came down to the last race to beat Spithill. 

MK: Do you have a higher goal in mind or do you plan to keep winning
the WMRT? 

BH: I would really like to start sailing on the bigger catamarans.
It’s a tight market and that sort of commitment needs to be carefully
considered.  It needs to be with the right team and in the right position. 

MK: How do US match racing events compare to those held in Malaysia? 

BH: Match Racing in the US is strong with events now taking a more
commercial outlook.  Its about a lot about having a great venue with
public exposure.  The US is close to the level now that Chicago Match Race
Center is running their big events off Navy Pier. 

The biggest difference is where the money comes
from.  In Malaysia it appears the money comes from the government in an
effort to raise tourism.  The business models in the US have little to no
government backing and rely on either private money or money from commercial
sponsors. 

MK: What’s your fav US event?  

BH: In the US my favorite event has historically been Key West Race
Week.  It has a good destination feeling and the competition is fierce.
Lately, that has changed drastically reduced participation. 

Now the Chicago Match Race Center events off
Navy Pier are leading the list of favorites.  CMRC is bringing sailing to
the public without sacrificing the quality of the sport.  There is great
energy surrounding the CMRC regattas and I see a bright future ahead for the
organization. 

MK: What’s your next event?  

BH: From Malaysia, I flew straight to Fort Lauderdale where we are
starting our 2012 Melges 32 Worlds campaign.  Its tough to say how we will
do but it will be a good journey. 

MK: What is your boat of choice in fleet racing events?  

BH: In fleet racing its more than just the boat but also your position
on the boat and the strength of the fleet.  The Etchells is one of the
best fleets in the world with great tactical sailing and is a relatively
comfortable boat to be crew.  The Melges boats are great to drive but the
hiking we developed over the years has made crewing a real chore. 

The best boats have strong fleets with good
racing.  Second factor is a toss up between speed/excitement and comfort
while sailing.  The Melges 20 has found a nice Niche with legs-in sailing,
good excitement, and a strong and now growing fleet. 

MK: Who is your largest personal supporter? 

BH: It’s a close one between my girlfriend Mandi and my Father. 

MK: Do you get to settle down and spend some time on Firefly now?
what’s your plan for the down-time? 

BH: In the winter I spend my downtime I living aboard my cruising
sailboat Firefly.  She is a 1980 Wauquiez Hood 38.  I left Boston in
September of 2009 and we are now through the Panama Canal and headed to Costa Rica.
As a professional sailor it is common to have weeks of downtime so I like
spend them exploring remote tropical islands. 

One Design Sailors, Support Your Sport, Support Your Country!

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Sail1Design is proud to introduce our newest sponsor, McLaughlin Boat Works. What follows is a great success story for the youth sailing community, and for American craftsmanship. Please support McLaughlin and their efforts in the most important arena of sailing: youth sailing!

The history of McLaughlin Boat Works (MBW) dates back to the 1960’s in San Diego California with two passionate sailors, Earl Elms and Herb Shear. Operating under the name Chubasco (storm on the water), Elms and Shear designed the original Snipe mold used to build the famous McLaughlin Snipes that dominated the World Championships for over 30 years. Visit their website at www.optistuff.com.
Eventually, California Snipe sailor and veteran boat builder Mike McLaughlin, who had worked at Chubasco most of his life, purchased the Snipe molds and moved the operation to Tennessee in response to the relocation of the International Snipe Headquarters to Chattanooga. Mike McLaughlin further expanded the company’s success and helped distribute the McLaughlin Snipe on a worldwide spectrum.

Steve Sherman, Indiana lake sailor, and father of three boys (two of whom presently work at McLaughlin) purchased the company from Mike McLaughlin in ‘86. Thus began the materialization of his life long dream of contributing to the sport of sailing and in particular the Snipe class.
Steve’s commitment to innovation and continual improvement combined with his natural curiosity and “hands on” approach led the company to successes in many classes. At one time the company built the Lightning, Day Sailor, Windmill, Highlander, Thistle and Tanzer 16. MBW has always taken pride in pushing the forefront of foam/composite technology, such as being one of the first, outside of the aerospace industry, to use a vacuum bag in performance sail craft back in the early 1980’s. That history of innovation and continual improvement are evident today in our new dust and climate controlled production facility. Beginning in 1990, at the request of families from the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Mclaughlin began a new tradition building its first International Optimist Dinghy.
Today, Mclaughlin specializes in the Optimist and has become one of the leading manufacturers in the World. As Steve Sherman puts it, “the Optimist is the single most important element in keeping sailing alive and healthy in the world today.  From the tens of thousands of children that learn to sail each year around the world will come the sailors, Olympians, instructors, coaches and commodores of tomorrow’s society. My dream of contributing to sailing has come true by a hundred fold.”

Holding true to the original ideas of Elms and Shear, MBW continues as a business run by sailors for the benefit of sailors. You cannot build a successful company without good people. MBW has assembled a group of like-minded sailors who believe that if you provide the finest in customer service and the best product money can buy the rest will take care of its self. This is why MBW is the premiere partner with the United States Optimist Dinghy class organization (USODA) and supporter of the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA).

McLaughlin’s reputation has been built upon the principles of: Customer service, Exacting quality standards and Engineering fast durable racing yachts. Over the last 10 years, MBW has also built a strong financial foundation by diversifying into other product lines in the marine industry such as a roto-molded pram and a line of high quality RIB’s designed for the sailing community.
Please visit us:  

http://www.optistuff.com/

 

Interview with Clay Johnson, USA Team Alphagraphics

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By Judith Krimski
After three years of
campaigning, over 240,000 miles traveled (9 times around the world) Clay
Johnson (now in Perth Australia training for the final Olympic qualifying
regatta) is in the home stretch of his quest to represent the United States as
the sole male laser sailor in the 2012 Olympics. Currently ranked 12th in World
Cup standings, Clay is solidly atop the leader board of Americans in that
category. But his challenges aren’t over – Clay needs to beat Brad Funk by at
least 5 points at the upcoming Perth 2011 ISAF Worlds to earn the berth of
Olympic laser sailor.

When you first meet Clay
you see a tall, handsome and confident young man. One who looks you in the eye
and is immediately interested in who you are. But what has it been like for the
young man who is the quintessential American kid?

Growing up on the shores of
New Jersey, Clay started his love affair with sailing at age five when his dad
taught him how to sail a Toms River Pram. From that point on it was all
sailing. Clay counts among his accomplishments international competition in the
optimist and laser radial before moving into the laser Full rig. In 2000 he was
the youngest person to compete in the Olympic trails—where he finished 19th.
Clay started his most recent Olympic campaign in 2009.

JK: You have tremendous
family support. What is the strength of having your family involved in this
process.

CJ: The great thing
about having my family is they’re sailors to begin with. They know what it
entails. When I came to them in September of 08 and said “Heh, I feel like I
have some unfinished business here. I want to stop working and start sailing.”
At first they were a little reluctant. After I convinced them it was what I
wanted they were 100 percent on board and supported me to the fullest. They
don’t want me to look back at this when I’m 50 and say “Wow I really could have
done that.” Now is the only time I have the opportunity to do this. I’m not
getting any younger or in better shape. They understood now’s the time for me.

JK:
It’s been a long road for you. What are you thinking leading up to Perth?

CJ: It’s kind of
bittersweet because it’s been a long time. Some days I wake up and I’m ready to
do the trials and Olympics and get moving on. Some days I wish I could keep
going cause it’s so much fun. The campaign’s only been two 1/2 years but I’ve
been sailing lasers since 1998. I’m only 27 but I’ve been in the class for 13
years. I’m anxious to get to Australia and finish the trials process and
hopefully have a great regatta. If I qualify a lot of the pressure will be
removed and I can enjoy the next eight months, train even harder and focus on
the Olympics.

JK:
How do you keep yourself motivated?

CJ: It’s definitely
tough. There are days when you wake up and you don’t want to go to the gym.
You’ve sailed for six days in a row and you’re exhausted. I think training with
partners is key—we motivate each other. You have to think about keeping your
eye on the prize the whole time because somewhere else in the world other
people are doing this and if I want to be competitive.

Putting all the time, money and energy into this I have to get up
and have a good day. I always try to do something everyday to better my
campaign. Even on my days off I’m doing logistics or planning or something so I
can look back and say “today was a good day” and my campaign is in a better
place than yesterday.

JK:
What surprised you about doing an Olympic campaign?

CJ: US Sailing Team
Alphagraphics has really changed its layout over the past few years. They used
to give you some money, say good luck this year, and report back and tell us
how you do. Now it’s a different machine altogether. There’s so many coaches
and support. The biggest thing that really surprised me was how much on-shore
logistical work there is. At first I thought you’re just sailing and working
out but I have a boat in Europe, a boat here and a boat in Australia. I have to
plan for the season in advance as to how I’m going to move it all around, what
regattas I’ll do, where I’ll live, how I get to each venue. It’s a lot to wrap
your head around. There are so many good people in US Sailing who can help
point you in the right direction. That’s a big part of the campaign that people
overlook. With the training, logistics and sailing it’s a full-time job.

JK:
What’s the drug testing like?

CJ: I’ve been drug
tested five times. As part of being on the US Sailing team we have to complete
anti-doping forms and we have to tell them were we’re going to be every minute
of the day. If I decide I’m going to the movies or spend a day with my
girlfriend I have to fill out a “Change in Whereabouts” form. I have to account
for every single day and every hour and I have to do it three months in advance
too. If I don’t know where I’m going to be I’ll give them a schedule and when
the time approaches revise the form. Anytime of the day they can show up at
your door. If you’re not there you have an hour to get there. If you don’t show
up you have a failed test. I missed one test in 2009 because I changed my
schedule to train in Canada one extra day. So that was the day they showed up
at my house. Since I wasn’t there I failed the test. You’re allowed three
missed tests in 18 months. If you fail three tests your out of your sport for
2-4 years.

JK:
What does it entail to be an elite sailor?

CJ: As far as training
and fitness there’s no substitute for sailing the boat. I also cycle a lot and
go to the gym 4-5 times a week. I’ve been fortunate that I haven’t had any
major issues or back pain, which is pretty common. A lot of other sailors take
whey protein or muscle milk to help with their body maintenance to make sure
they’re at the right weight. I’m pretty fortunate that I’m at the right weight
and height.

JK:
Do you have any weird physical changes like “mainsheet thumb”?

CJ: All the hair on
the back of my legs is ripped off from the side of the cockpit and I have a
boot tan that I can’t get rid of.

JK: As you travel around
the world representing the United States what does that mean to you?

CJ: It’s a huge honor
to represent the United States. You see a lot of other competitors who can just
basically go to the Olympics. They’re the top guy from their cou
ntry and they
don’t have any competitors. For us we have to compete against other Americans
and work hard. The first part of our work is just winning the trials. It’s a
big hurdle we have to get over. Going to the Olympics for America is what you
want to do. You’ve represented them your whole life. It’s a great country and
you’ve got a lot of support from the US Sailing Team Alphagraphics. It just
means that much more going to the Olympics representing the United States than
for any other country.

JK:
What were the challenges of the Skandia Sail for Gold and the Olympic sailing
site in Weymouth?

CJ: Personally I
started out the regatta pretty well, followed by a rough stretch. I was too
worried about the other US competitors. In the laser fleet where everyone is
super good you can’t be thinking about where’s Brad Funk or where’s Rob Crane.
As much as you want to race your own race if you see them going right and you
want to go left you’re going to think twice about going right. I thought a bit
more now about how I can mentally prepare for sailing against the other
Americans so hopefully for Perth I can make some changes.

Weymouth is a great sailing venue but it’s also very difficult
venue. It takes a toll on you. It’s freezing cold—60 degrees all the time. It’s
spitting rain all the time. The harbor is huge so you sail an hour just to get
out of the harbor then you sail 2 more miles until you get to the course. So
it’s about one 1/2 hour sail out to the course. It’s windy and wavy and the
race committee has the radials and full rigs on one course so you’re always
freezing and waiting around.

JK:
Do you spend much time with your competition?

CJ: It’s been a bit
interesting with Brad. He started campaigning in 09 with me, had a rough year
and decided to take some time away from sailing so we didn’t see him for a
while. In 2011 he started to get back on the circuit but he wasn’t on US Sailing
Team Alphagraphics so he did his own program. I’ve trained with Rob for the
last three years. He’s on USSTAG and we share the same coach – Mike Kalin. I
sail with Rob all the time. It’s a difficult thing because everyone wants to go
to the Olympics. It’s a tough sport. You’re expected to live and train with
your competitors and work with them closely. At the end if the day only one of
you is going on to the Olympics.

JK:
What’s your starting regimen like?

CJ: It’s all about
efficiency for me. I like to be out about 1/2 hour before the first race. I’ll
sail upwind for a while to shake-it-out and hike at 70%. I like to do split
tacks and some speed testing. Five-ten minutes before the start I’ll start
looking at the line trying to pinpoint the favored end. Usually they do a
really good job of setting the line so it’s pretty square. If that’s the case
I’ll spend a lot of time in the middle of the line between 5-3 minutes to try
and decide which side is favored. I can easily get to either side from the middle.
The hardest thing about starting in the laser fleet is everyone is so fast. You
have to win your start with the 3-5 boats around you. You’ll see 75 boats go
off the line with about 10 boats punching out. Then after a little while you
see 5 boats punch out from those spots. You have to be really confident in your
game plan. After the start your head is down the whole time hiking as hard as
you can just trying to beat those 2-3 boats around you.

JK:
Are there any marshmallows in the fleet?

CJ: Starting in the
laser fleet is one of the toughest things to do and also one of the biggest
hurdles that newcomers have to face when they come to the fleet.

Most of the time I don’t look at who I’m starting next too. If
there’s a big hole or a tight hole and I see Tom Slingsby (AUS) or Paul
Goodison (GBR) lining up there I’ll think twice about it. Besides those guys I
just try to get the best hole I can and try to win that zone. You have to have
a really good game plan because there’s not time to change it up once the race
starts.

Do you remember your first
big regatta when you were set up next to a laser legend. What was that like?

CJ: I did a World
Championship in 2001. I was 16 years old at the time. I didn’t know who anyone
was. Early on in the regatta I set up next to Robert Scheidt (4-time Olympic
medalist) and it didn’t go well. He rolled me in two seconds and I tacked out.
Afterwards I was like “Who the hell was that guy?” My coach told me that was
Robert Scheidt – the greatest laser sailor ever. I got a lesson pretty quickly
to avoid him.

It happens all the time now. You’ll line up next to someone and
you’ll get rolled or you’ll roll them. It happens to everyone. You see Tom
Slingsby or Goodison get rolled. It’s just a testament to how good the laser
fleet has become that everyone is so fast. There are no marshmallows out there.

JK:
There’s no guy from Country X that you want to set up next too?

CJ: Exactly. And if
there is you don’t want to set up next to him cause he’s so unpredictable. At
150 boat regatta, and that’s what they always are—there’s five to eight guys
who aren’t that great and you don’t want to set up next to them because their
unpredictable. The other 145 are all the same speed and all really good.

JK:
You can never rest.

CJ:
Yah. Never. It’s full on the whole time.

JK: When you have a tough
moment in a race like the collision you had a Skandia Sail for Gold how do you
overcome those moments?

CJ: You need to have a
really short memory. You have to say “That race is done, there’s nothing I can
do about it.” And just try to get back on track as quickly as you can. It’s
hard do, especially when you only have a three race day and your first race was
bad. It’s something that we can all do a lot better at. We just started working
with our coach Mike Kalin in January and he’s been a big help in the
psychological end.

There aren’t too many coaches who are going to come in and change
your technique in the laser and make you faster all of the sudden. Leading into
the games you need a guy who can talk you down when you’re having a rough day
and keep you focused when things are going well. Someone who can help manage
you mentally. Helping you learn, stay on track and have fun – that what a great
coach does.

JK:
How do they interact with you during race day. Do they get to coach you?

CJ: Absolutely. We
start our day meeting down at the venue and we discuss weather and what’s going
on for the day. The coach can drive around the course and take observations and
update us on weather changes. It’s super important to have a coach out on the
water because the days are so long. To give us food, advice and som
eone to
bounce ideas off. We’re out for 8-10 hours sometimes so the coach boat is
vital.

JK:
Any thoughts of America’s cup or pro-sailing after all this?

CJ: I’m pretty sure
this will be my last campaign. I could see myself doing the trials again. I
definitely want to sail the Melges 32s and E-scow sailing—that’s been in my
family for a while. I kinda just want to settle down for a little bit and not
live out of my suitcase.

JK:
What’s your advice for youth sailors?

CJ: The best thing I’d
say is that if you want to see big improvement early on emulate the top guys.
There’s a reason why people are setting up the boat and sailing one way. The
way you’ll see marked improvement from the beginning is to start doing that.
That being said, once you get to the level where you’re feeling fast and seeing
improvement don’t be afraid to think outside the box.  Watch someone like Brad Funk who is great in
any boat. And one of the things he does really well is he’s totally willing to
try different stuff. He’ll say “let’s standup in our boats downwind, or try
sailing backwards.”  He’s so good at
feeling how the boat goes fast and understanding its capabilities. That’s one
thing I’ve preached to the kids I’ve coached. Don’t be afraid to make changes
and try new things.

THANK YOU CLAY for your insights into the world of Olympic laser
sailing. Good luck at the ISAF worlds.

Clay will be competing at this Year’s ISAF Worlds starting
December 12 along with fellow America sailors Rob Crane (WR #26) and Brad Funk
(WR #66). Follow all the action at http://www.perth2011.com/

To learn more about Clay Johnson go to www.claysails.com/

Interviewer: Judith Krimski, Sailing Coach and freelance sailing
writer

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