Sailing Anarchy Podcast

Tempesta presents another fact-free rant, this time on Rule 69, the "Misconduct" rule. As a profane and hot-headed sailor, any ideas on what he thinks of the rule?

He also spends some time talking about.. I don't know, whatever the hell he talks about.

In this week'ss Podcast, I reminisce about how I met Doug Peterson, 40-something years ago. Yes, I've already established that I'm old, but as a total outsider, it was a moment I'll never forget. Enjoy! - ed.

In this episode, Tempesta goes off on the current fiasco taking place at the hallowed house of US Sailing. With Olympic know-it-all Paul Cayard dismissed, ooops, we mean "resigned", along with at least four other staff members quitting, the situation is far from good.

The failed Olympic program is the issue,  what should be done about it, and are there better places to spend that money than the Olympics is what Scot jumps into today.

In this episode, we'll be discussing the America's Cup, a prestigious sailing competition that has a long and storied history. However, Scot will explain why he’s come to hate the America's Cup despite its great moments and legendary sailors like Dennis Connor. 

Join us as we explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of this iconic sailing event.

Scot begins by acknowledging that there have been some truly amazing moments in the history of the America's Cup, such as Dennis Connor's dominance in the era of our Scot’s youth. 

Connor's innovative testing methods and exceptional skill set set a new standard for how to approach a competitive sailing program. Scot reflects on the excitement and inspiration that these moments brought to the sailing world.

Scot recalls the debacle of the giant, monolithic monohull owned by Alinghi and how Dennis Connor outsmarted them by building a superior catamaran. 

4:30 - Scot also expresses his disappointment with some of the less interesting iterations of the Cup, such as the AC72 boats. They are strange, almost bizarre boats that don't resemble traditional sailboats in any way. 

7:00 - Scot wonders whether viewers will be able to see the dashboard on the America's Cup, as the teams are concerned about their proprietary knowledge being revealed. 

Scot acknowledges that the onboard cameras capture the sensations of racing well, and the experience is best viewed on a screen. The need for speed is relative to each other, and the game is always evolving. High-speed racing, including Nascar racing, is a thrilling experience, and it takes skill and expertise to excel in this sport.

9:00 - Scot laments the fact that the amazing tech showcased in The America’s Cup isn’t trickling down into hobby sailing or regular racing. It’s too expensive to be applicable to regular racing. 

12:00 - Scot talks about the incident where Team Frack's 40 capsized, and all the electronics were toast. The enormity of redoing everything and the costs and availability of replacement parts is just incredible. Scot believes that these boats are fragile and their own world, and it's not easy to replace damaged parts.

14:00 - Scot believes that there are some real embarrassments to the whole event, and the boats don't do everything well. They do a couple of things stunningly well, but it's a laugh fest when the wind shuts down.

Quote:  “Stay tuned for the next episode where Tempesta is committed to a mental institution.”

15:20 - Scot then discusses the environmental impact of The America’s Cup. Scot talks about the teams' efforts to hire the best people and have great PR, claiming to do things for the ocean and the environment, while ignoring the amount of fuel they burn flying all over the world. 

Scot believes that if these teams genuinely care about the environment, they would not take sponsorship from companies that are not environmentally friendly.

Quote: “Without clean water and clean air…we're sailing in a cesspool.”
20:30 - Scot says he is not ragging on the teams but rather the direction the sport is taking, wondering where it will ultimately end up. While the development of the sport is interesting, Scot is concerned about the potential risks and unknown future of the America's Cup. 

“I think as you get older, you definitely notice that the things that you used to do, you may not be doing as well. And that's okay! I mean, what's the great saying? ‘I
may not be as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.’”

Welcome to the second episode of the Sailing Anarchy podcast, where we delve into the fascinating world of sailing with our host, Scot Tempesta, founder of Sailing Anarchy.

In this episode, Scot talks about his experience with aging as a sailor and offers encouragement to aging sailors. He emphasizes that although some things may become more difficult with age, sailing is a sport that can be done well past one's prime.

Timestamps:

1:10 - Aging as a Sailor:
Scot begins the discussion by talking about how boats always demand the same mental focus and attention from sailors, regardless of their age. He shares that although he has done well with his current boat, he has noticed that he is not as sharp as he used to be.

5:30 - Choosing the J/105:
Scot shares why he chose the J/105 as his boat and why he loves it.

6:14 - Physical Demands of Steering a Boat:
Scot talks about the physical demand of steering a boat and how it requires a lot of focus and attention.

8:05 - Reflections on Working with Mark Reynolds:
Scot reflects on his time working with Mark Reynolds and how he learned a lot from him.

11:28 - Aging and Sailboat Racing Abilities:
Scot shares his takeaways on how aging affects sailboat racing abilities. He talks about how some things that were once instinctual may become more difficult with age.

14:24 - Encouragement for Aging Sailors:
Scot offers encouragement to aging sailors, saying that it's okay if they're not doing things as well as they used to. He reminds listeners that sailing is a sport that can be done well past one's prime.

15:40 - Sailing within Your Capabilities:
Scot advises sailors to learn to sail within their current capabilities and not to push themselves beyond what they can handle.

18:00 - Sailing Doesn't Have to End:
Scot reminds listeners that sailing doesn't have to end just because they're getting older. He shares that he's trying to buy a J/105 because he loves it, but also acknowledges that it may be his last racing boat. He emphasizes that he's not quitting, just slowing down.

Quotes:

“Boats are always the same in terms of just what they demand from you mentally.”
“And while we've done fabulously well with the boat, you know, I noticed that I'm just not as sharp as I was.”
“It's just an example of the things, you know, maybe it hurts to crane your neck up there and look at the sails for a length of time. You know, maybe you just forget to do some of the things that were just so automatic, so instinctual.”
“I think as you get older, you definitely notice that the things that you used to do, you
may not be doing as well. And that's okay! I mean, what's the great saying? ‘I
may not be as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.’”
“It's not the fact that you're not doing it as well. You're out there doing it and you're doing it to your capabilities.”
“Sailing is a sport that you can do well past your prime.”
“I'm trying like hell to buy a J/105 because I love it. I mean, frankly, I can't imagine not doing it. But I also am at the realization that this may be my last racing boat.”
“I'm not quitting, I'm just slowing down.”

Calls to action:

Any thoughts, comments, or questions, please email scot@sailing anarchy.com

Welcome to the first episode of the Sailing Anarchy podcast, where we delve into the fascinating world of sailing with our host, Scot Tempesta, founder of Sailing Anarchy.

Join us as we embark on an exciting journey, starting with Scot's sailboat ownership history, where he shares his experiences of owning various boats and the pros and cons of each.

We'll explore the different types of boats he's owned and the reasons behind his choices, and we'll hear about the adventures and challenges he's faced while sailing.

As Scot continues the conversation, we'll take a closer look at the J/105, the boat that Scot currently owns. We'll learn about its features, its performance on the water, and the reasons why Scot chose this particular boat over others.

Timestamps:

0:19 - Scot’s introduction to Sailing Anarchy
1:40 - Scot talks about the boats he’s owned over the past 15 years 7:22 - Scot goes into his decision to buy a J105

Links to any resources, products, or websites mentioned in the episode

https://sailinganarchy.com/

Quotes:

“I like to steer my own boat. I like to run my own boat and I like to put the people on the boat that I want, keep the people off the boat that I don't want, and pretty much do things my way.” -Scot Tempesta

Calls to action:

Any thoughts, comments, or questions, please email scot@sailing anarchy.com