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Bob Lockwood, (left), John Rose and P.J. Richardson on Blind Squirrel.Local sailor searches for/nut/amongthe ThistlesBy RENEA NASHStaff WriterBob Lockwood has been racing his Thistle sailboat long and hard. Eventually he, his crew and Blind Squirrel are bound to win, he hopes.“Even a blind squirrel can find acorns if he works long and hard at it,” he says, referring to the name of his boat. “And I’ve been working long and hard (at racing), eventually I’ll win.” Lockwood was hoping that win would come Friday at the climax of the 1987 Thistle national championships hosted this year by the Sandusky Sailing Club.Unfortunately, he did not place.“We kind of hoped along the end,” said an exhausted Lockwood. “There were moments of glory and moments of defeat. But it was fun.”Lockwood qualified for the nationals Tuesday morning after three races of the seven-race contest. At that point he was 37th out of the 45 that made it into the finals.I’m pretty excited to make the cut,” he said Tuesday.A Thistle is a 17-foot racing wooden sailboat that never changes in design — hence it is referred to as a one-design. The emphasis in winning is on boat handling, tacking skills and the seamanship of the skipper andcrew.Nationals are conducted each summer in different regionals on a rotating basis. This year 107 sailors came to test their expertise on Sandusky Bay.Lockwood, 318 Portland Road, Huron, has been racing forabout 14 years but this was his first time making a national finals.Although optimistic, Lockwood was realistic going into the finals because he knows sailing is an intensely competitive sport.Lockwood pitted his skills against sailors like Connecticut racing skipper David Dellenbaugh, who tacked for America's Cup competitor Buddy Meiges.Dellenbaugh went into the finals Wednesday with 42 points. Lockwoods had 64. Here, low man wins.“If you don’t know how to lose, you better not sail,” he said.“If you always have to be first place, sailing’s not the sport.”But Lockwood said he was sailing to win.“I sail every race like I want to win it,” he said. “It’s only fair to the others competing.”Lockwood said he and his crew — P.J. Richardson of Sanduskv and John Rose of Willard — got ready by preparing the boat, devising a strategy and working on boat tactics.They went into the race with the modest goal of making the cut.“And we did it,” he said, smiling.Sailing can be intense, says Lockwood, especially when the waves w-ant to ride inside the boat, boats are capsizing, the wind keeps shifting and you end up eating someone else’s “dead air.”But mostly it’s fun. And when the fun stops, so does Lockwood.“You’re gripped in theGene Deveria (left), Bruce McCutcheon at the tiller and his wife Joyce (hiking out) bear down on a windward buoy They came to the Thistle nationals from New Jersey.Register photos - PAUL UTTERMOHLENThe Thistle fleet sails in close formation coming off the starting line.competitive spirit,” he said. “When it ceases to be fun, it’s time to get out.”Competition started Aug. 15 with the junior and women’s nationals. The big race series started Monday with strong winds.“We could have pulled waterskiers behind our boats,” Lockwood recalled. Racers took the 12-mile course in about an hour.Tuesday morning was slow — very slow.“It was almost like a symphony,” said Doug Wieber of Sandusky, regatta chairman.Racers made it in two hours.Wieber said the club bid to host the class championships more than a year ago. Because they hosted the 1981 ThistleNationals, organizing this one was easier, he said.“This is an excellent site,” said Carol Robinson, a ThistleClass Association officer. “These people really know whatthey’re doing.”Racers and their families camped out behind theSandusky city building next to the Sadler Sailing Basin, stayed• Please turn to B-2.
Newspaper Details
Sandusky Sunday Register
Sandusky, Ohio, US
Sun, Aug 23, 1987
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Massillon P.
OH, USA 01 Mar 2019
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