With waves reaching heights of 10 feet, freshman Matthew Ward and the Glenbrook South sailing team worked to return to the shore at the Cressy Qualifier regatta on Sept. 17.
“In that situation, we all just had to get back into the harbor, ” said Ward. “A huge aspect of sailing is not being able to control everything. You just have to adapt to it.”
The team practices two to three times a week at Sheridan Shore Sailing School in Wilmette. The weather on Lake Michigan can create unpredictable conditions on the water that sailors have to prepare themselves for.
“Sometimes our kids will be out sailing in like three, four or five, six foot waves during practice, so it’s definitely not for the faint of heart,” said head coach Katie Tinder. “You really have to have a sense of adventure to want to participate in that and put yourself through that.”
Sailors must also be able to manage equipment aboard the boat while on the water.
Sophomore Audrey Yen’s outhaul, the rope that controls the movement of the main sail, came out during a race at the Dusty Waters Regatta on Oct. 7 in Pewaukee, Wis.
“If [the outhaul] comes undone, your sail’s just going to start flapping,” said Yen. “It slowed us down a lot.”
There are two people on a boat at a time. The skipper guides the boat, and the crew handles the boat’s speed and adjusts its sails.
“The skipper is definitely the decision-maker in the boat, but the crew is oftentimes feeding the skipper information that will contribute to that decision,” said Tinder. “It’s all about teamwork and making sure that there’s a good dynamic in the boat.”
Consisting of students from both Glenbrook North and GBS, the sailing team competes in regattas against other high schools. Most regattas have eight races per day, beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and lasting until 5 p.m. or later.
Getting up early and instantly climbing aboard a boat can be difficult, but being out on the water makes the mornings worth it, Ward said.
“It’s very freeing,” said Ward. “You feel in control. That whole body of water, the world, it belongs to you at that time.”