My Crew

My crew! On the race course I expect them to do the right thing, all of the time and without question. I also know that they will tell me when I  do something wrong and question everything. I also know from past experience that when the lifeline breaks, they will grab me before I fall overboard. Thanks!

Kittiwake normally races with a crew of four. I wish to thank those who have filled this fourth position over these many years (1968 to 1976 in Southern California, and 1977 to the present in Puget Sound. I have learned a lot from all of you.

My daughter, Kim, is my genoa trimmer. She is strong yet light weight, and doesn't mind the spray in her face when trimming the genoa on the lee side. She is very good reading my Tuft system on the genoas but is still nice to me when I am not sailing the boat in the groove by commenting "Is that you or me." I think she likes boat speed when I want to point high.

She also is helpful by warning me when a 50 footer is hidden behind the genoa and on a collision course with us.

Pat, who would rather be hiking or climbing in the mountains than sailing, has put up with a dismasting, rough weather at sea, long hours trimming the spinnaker, and my port tack starts for all these years. She is at her best when things are tough.

Without her, much of what I have written in articles and newsletters in the past would be pure gibberish.