The Spirit Of Laser Masters Sailing

9:29 PM Sun 26 Oct 2008 GMT

'Wait! which way did you say you were going? Sprague and Meech' Samantha Hillier Click Here to view large photo

What is it about the Masters regattas that seems to be missing from Open or even Youth regattas?

Why is it that more and more, the Masters like to keep to them selves rather than joining the open fleets where they can and would sail just as well when it comes to regattas?

Sitting around having drinks after racing on Saturday I was surprised to find out just how many people from our club are heading down to Jervis Bay to battle on round two of the Masters titles.

I thought to myself, why are they all so keen to get together and travel all the way down to Jervis Bay to this regatta when most of them didn't want to venture just up the road to the 'Coasts' only a few weeks back?

It wasn't too long before I got my answer. 'It's just a bit of a social thing' as one sailor replied. It led me to thinking ... have we all got a bit too serious about sailing?

Did the 'fun police' turn up and tell a bunch of people that we couldn't have fun anymore? Some of the language on the race track could certainly be proof of that.

For me, I like to show boat (excuse the pun), it's not that I like getting attention, but I like to have a laugh and a good weekend. I'm a little off ever winning a race but every weekend I like to pretend I can, otherwise for me it wouldn't be interesting.

Social aspects of regattas such as 'The Saturday night gathering' are a highlight. It's good to get together and point fingers at each other and 'pull the pistachio' out of fellow competitors.

I believe that this is what makes a good regatta, not the sailing, but the social atmosphere. It's been missing from big regattas but the Masters have it, and they love it. What's more you're not allowed to be apart of it until your old enough ... and they love that.

Once again I find my self wishing I were older. How does that work?

Maybe 'we open' sailors need to pull our head out of the sand and stop being so serious, maybe then it will open the ranks up to a whole new group of sailors who would like to sail for enjoyment, not seriousness.