By: Capt. Suz Wallace

Capt. Suz Wallace — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:10:50 +0000

I have always expressed to my sailing students the significance of “my” taking the helm of my own small boat, and THAT was truly the beginning of my education. Only one other brother took to sailing like myself, the rest don’t care for it. So although it was a blessing in my life, there was also an “internal” switch that turned me on…that is another story~
One of my most significant mentors was a sea-lawyer who raced one-design fleet boats at the local yacht club. He contacted my college sailing team looking for crew for the racing season and I signed up,,,our 4 person crew went all the way to the Nationals that year. I learned more about the technical, strategic side of sailing in that one season than in years of cruising. So when my sailing students ask where to go after lessons…I ALWAYS highly suggest, get on board a racing boat and your learning curve will skyrocket!
I believe in mentors, no matter where they come from. But a little girl will always want her father to be proud of her~

By: Gwen Hamlin

Gwen Hamlin — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:41:23 +0000

What a beautiful tribute! I’m always a little envious when I read about people who grew up sailing, and it’s particularly true when the mentor is a wise father. I had a wonderful father (whom I miss poignantly on Father’s Day, especially because his birthday, the 21st, often is the same day), and he always supported me in whatever I wanted to put my mind and soul to. So he would have been very proud to see my accomplishments in boating, even though he never had a part in them and I had to find other mentors along the way.

Comments on: The Captain’s Father

By: Capt. Suz Wallace

By: Gwen Hamlin