Hello Sailor by Michael Hutchinson

[doug748]

I came across this paperback in a marina office last season.
Can't say I found it a great read but it does draw you in:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/categ...ess-hello-sailor-by-michael-hutchinson-35577/

Hutchinson is a super fit ex pro pushbike rider with a love of sailing, he decided to spend a couple of seasons to see if he could cut it at the top of the sport. I won't give it away but it does illustrate the void between top sailors and those that are merely good.

Apologies if this is well known and old hat.

 

[Boo2]

...it does illustrate the void between top sailors and those that are merely good...

So what do the world's best sailors do that the also-rans don't ?

Boo2

 

[Birdseye]

So what do the world's best sailors do that the also-rans don't ?

Boo2

Win?

 

[Keen_Ed]

He Sailed the Fastnet this year. Writes (mostly for cycling mags) as Dr Hutch.

 

[doug748]

So what do the world's best sailors do that the also-rans don't ?
Boo2

As I would be flattered to be called an also ran, I have no idea.

I don't think Hutchinson does either. But I recall one anecdote:

During a hiatus on one race he was momentarily handed the helm. He swears it was no longer than three seconds. The tactician's voice floated up from below:

"Get that cu*t off the helm and put someone on who knows what they are doing"

 

[flaming]

He Sailed the Fastnet this year. Writes (mostly for cycling mags) as Dr Hutch.

He was on Flair then?

 

[Keen_Ed]

No.Elixir

 

[roblpm]

For anyone looking for this it strangely seems to have changed its name to "Missing the boat". Available on Kindle.

I bought it second hand off amazon for a couple of quid and read it in a few hours.

I actually enjoyed it and found some of it a good outsiders insight in to the racing world a step up from club racing. Put paid to some of my fantasy ideas which is probably a good thing!!

 

[Quandary]

Thanks for the heads up, I have read about half of it so far and it is a hoot, a lot of suppressed giggling going on. He has a great feel for the pretentious silliness that we all take part in.
My background was similar though a good few years earlier, even to starting in a Mirror and later racing every winter on the UKs biggest puddle called Lough Neagh. I also crewed in a couple of races including a Tomatin Trophy (Scottish Series) on Comus with the late Norman Frederick, where you could get your hair trimmed after races before going to the bar. We returned to Carrickfergus after that one via Gigha and Portpatrick, you needed to have time to spare.
I am still a proud member of Carrickfergus, the working mans sailing club.
If his writing on cycling is as good it might be worth trying.

 

[Keen_Ed]

His book about the hour record is pretty good. But yes, some interest in cycling is necessary.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/jun/17/featuresreviews.guardianreview9