I have raced every Newport Bermuda Race since I was 22 except for two times when I was sailing to Europe. I have raced on six different boats including skippering my family’s 38-footer Selkie to second overall in 1994. My father raced to Bermuda every two years for forty years. There must be a good reason.
Why do I race to Bermuda?
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I am competitive, but there are ample opportunities for sporting contests near shore.
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I am intrigued by the logistics of boat preparation that improve the odds of success well before the start, but I could organize other aspects of my life better instead.
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I am drawn to the sparse simplicity of life on the ocean, but there are easier ways to venture to sea.
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I love the teamwork and friendship of the crew, but 100 hours of steamy, close-quarters living may be excessive.
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I love weighing the strategies and tactics that would serve my boat and crew best in the changing weather patterns and currents of the course, but I could develop a video game for about the same cost and stay dry and well rested.
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I love seeing Bermuda rise from the horizon on a starry night or pink morning, but jets get there quicker.
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I love the fleet converging in a sprint to the finish after days of solitude, but I could do finish line duty.
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I love the stories of triumph and excuse at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club as the fatigue and frustrations of the race wash away with the first shower and cold drink, but I could stay up all night and reread very similar stories from 2004 or 1932.
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I love the reunion in Bermuda of sailors and families of all generations whom I have known for decades and see too seldom, but I could pick up a phone or drive down the highway instead.
I have no definitive answer yet. Maybe I’ll know after the 2008 Race. Come by Selkie at the RBYC, and I’ll tell you then.