MASTering the RIGorous Art of Sailing

Nimble and nautical, the Samo sailing team sets out to sea.This year, sailing has become a trend among Samo students, with an increase in sailors off campus. Students go to the Del Rey Yacht Club in Marina del Rey after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and set sail. With wind in their faces and rushing waters under their feet, the Samo sailors have learned all of the techniques and strategies of the sport. They talk of leaning out of the boat and turning on a dime to keep from capsizing, one of the worst fates in sailing. But, what exactly does sailing entail?For hundreds of years, wind was the main source of energy helping man cover long distances over sea, as those distances proved to be too tough to overcome with sheer muscle and oars alone. The earliest illustrations of a ship with a sail are dated back to Kuwait (West Asia) from 500 B.C. Although sailing has no doubt improved from what existed hundreds of years ago, sailing today still has remnants of the past.Michael Monaghan (’15), Bennet Zemke (’15), Jack Sadler (’16), Rayna Battista (’16), Nina Path (’16), Jessi Thixton (’16) and Sam Weiller (’17) call themselves the “Samo Sailing Team” and represent Samo out on the water.“We get there at around 3:45 p.m. and first rig our boats,” Thixton said, citing the process of making sure the boat is ready to sail.Rigging is a delicate process, involving many steps. It starts with setting up the rudder and tiller, the mechanisms that together allow one to turn, and then attaching the sail to the mast, which catches wind, allowing the boat to move.“Then, we do drills, and practice races to help get better at sailing until 6 p.m.,” Thixton said. “We return to the yacht club, where we de-rig our boats, and have a group discussion about what to work on and what we learned.”Sailing, among many other sports, sparks interest in a wide variety of people. One doesn’t have to be any prior knowledge of sailing before joining; all of the methods are taught after joining.“I started [sailing] sophomore year, because I had a really hard schedule and wanted to do something other than P.E. I thought I’d try it out,” Monaghan said. “Then it turned out I really liked it. My favorite part of [sailing] is the kind of ‘escape,’ I guess. If I’m ever stressed out about something, I can just go sail and focus on the boat and not worry.”Sailing can be very physically and mentally challenging, as well as potentially dangerous, especially at higher levels. In sailing, the boat is powered by wind blowing into the sail and propelling the boat forward, and the rudder, or piece of the boat that is underwater, allows for turning. If the winds are at a high speed, it allows for the boat to go faster, but also makes boats prone to capsizing, or flipping over. Capsizing isn’t the end of the world, especially when sailing close to shore. Flipping a boat right-side up is taught to incoming sailors. The only aftermath is potentially shivering and chattering of teeth.“I sail because it’s nice, calming, cozy and fun, and I feel happy on the ocean,” Battista said. “I recommend it because it is a fun way to hang out with friends, and you also get to meet kids from other schools.”Sailing can be done on a very personal basis as well. If looking for a full-time sport, there are more rigorous programs, which also include regattas, or boat races, where there are competitions against other programs. Trying to position the sail at just the right angle to catch the most possible wind while not losing control of your boat is a delicate balance, but leads to the best results. If however, you don’t want that much commitment, you can also sail as a leisure activity, and just relax and soak up the sun out on the water.“Sailing is a fun sport that is relaxed yet challenging at the same time,” Thixton said. “It sounds cheesy, but when I sail I feel like all of my troubles are gone, and there’s a sense of freedom and contentment.”bkanjo@thesamohi.com