the D’yer Mak’er

saw this photo posted on the Dinghy Shop Instagram account and had to wonder:

how can this boat builder not be called the D’yer Mak’er?

When I read the letter you sent me, it made me mad mad mad
When I read the news that it brought me, it made me sad sad sad
But I still love you so
And I can’t let you go
I love you
Oh, baby I love you, oh

1970’s Sunfish sailing comic

I found this great sailing comic posted on Shoreline Sailboats’ Instagram account:

1971-1973 AMF Alcort Sunfish comic book was a 12 page comic highlighting the AMF line of sailboats along with sailing pointers and selling points.

a dinghy by any other name would sail as sweet

big win for the Laser sailboat (or is it the ILCA dinghy?… I can’t keep track), as the Laser has been selected at the men’s and women’s dinghy for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

The Laser has been approved by World Sailing’s Council as the Men’s and Women’s One Person Dinghy Equipment for @Paris2024.

this despite the RS Aero performing better during sea trials, and the Laser being out-voted by the RS Aero by the World Sailing Equipment Committee…

where the [ILCA] dinghies have no name

lots of drama in the Laser sailing world, resulting from major disagreements between the ILCA and the builder Laser Performance.

so much so, that the name “Laser” can longer be used, and the sailboats are now referred to as the “ILCA dinghy“.

that’s a sexy name.

with apologies to the band U2 and their excellent song “Where the Streets Have No Name“, here’s the next great sailing tune in honor of the ILCA dinghy:

I want to sail, I want to glide
I want to sail down the waves that hold me inside
I wanna reach out and touch the flame
Where the [ILCA] dinghies have no name

I want to feel sunlight on my face
I sail until the clouds disappear without a trace
I wanna take shelter from the pouring rain
Where the [ILCA] dinghies have no name, oh oh

Where the [ILCA] dinghies have no name
Where the [ILCA] dinghies have no name
We’re still sailing then gybing down waves
Gybing down waves
And when I go there, I go there with you
It’s all I can do

The lake is a flood
And our chrome turns to rust
We’re beaten and blown by the wind
Sailing in the dust
I’ll show you a place
High on the desert plain
Where the [ILCA] dinghies have no name, oh oh

Where the [ILCA] dinghies have no name
Where the [ILCA] dinghies have no name
We’re still sailing then gybing down waves
Gybing down waves
And when I go there, I go there with you
It’s all I can do

Our chrome turns to rust
We’re beaten and blown by the wind
Blown by the wind
Oh and I see love
See our chrome turn to rust
We’re beaten and blown by the wind
Blown by the wind
Oh when I go there
I go there with you
It’s all I can do

do you like sailing? a test

here is a simple test to determine if you would enjoy sailing:

1. rig up a rope swing in your back yard tree.
2. get two friends to come over.
3. have one swing you back and forth.
4. have the other spray you in the face with a cold hose.
5. rip up a couple $100 bills while you are enjoying the spray.

any questions?!

how to sail a sailboat

this is a great list by Dave Barry:

sailing: the art of getting wet

sailing: the art of getting wet and becoming ill while slowly going nowhere at great expense