Creative Break

What is your Muse? What inspires you on a down day or breaks you from a rut in the work day? One’s object of motivation is a powerful tool in reaching goals of many levels.

Recently I was in need of creative break on a few writing assignments. It doesn’t seem to matter what I’m researching or writing about, catching up with a fellow sailor is my best practice to re-inspiring the head: keeping the words flowing. If I can not go sailing, talking about sailing is not a bad fall back plan.

This day I was working on a piece for a web magazine called Suite 101 when a call came in from fellow racer Tom Loughborough and one of the founding members behind the American Sailing League. We had got to chatting in Newport a few months back and with a common passion for more spirited sailing, became an easy conversation and has not stopped since. He rang for a chance to keep the chatter going with the addition West coast heart and soul behind the operations: Chad Freitas, one of two directors behind the San Francisco based Skiff Sailing Foundation and contributing force in the ASL.

Needless to say my work for Suite 101 was pushed aside for the moment because talking with these two passionate sailors about skiff sailing and their goals for the American Sailing League was just plain cool. The hour conversation, sadly cut short by technology’s inability to keep up with the three of us, left heads full of ideas, all which will be but a tease to those who read this - sorry!

Yes, a tease. That is exactly what the ASL did to the guests of San Francisco’s Pier 39. They teased spectators with a spirited display of 18 foot skiffs racing about in front of the pier. Add in live music, commentary, video and any means possible to share the sport. This included a fully rigged 18 footer on display, very nice!

The success of these events sprung from passion and a strong motivation to succeed. The folks of Pier 39 were pleased and the skiffs will return in 2009 to dance for the waterfront guests. The American Sailing League is just warming up and the time to listen and talk with them cured the writer’s block!

Now day dreaming about racing a skiff. Which is right up there with the day dream of catching a ride on a V70. This all leading me to remind folks of the upcoming start to VOR 2008 and that V70s are basically skiffs on steroids. Noticing a theme?

The Volvo Ocean Race will be something like no other sailing event for 2008-09. How so you may ask. Well, for starters, they are pulling all the stops on telecommunications and surely there must be a sudden job market for IT staff in the world of sailing.

Now, I’m not naive to the motivation for VOR to flood the senses with news and scoop, meeting the exposure demands of high paying sponsors is no small feet. But please fall victim! I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of those boys who like riding waves on 70 feet of carbon.

These guys know what they are getting into, are true athletes and great personalities for the sport of sailing. I hope you’ll bookmark the VOR website, take many coffee breaks and watch the action.

NOTE: On-site blogging begins once I get settled on or around September 29th. Aside from off-topic reports, event specific posts will be on my Sailing World Blog thru October 11th.

Cheers!
Jenn