Age and sailing?

   As one ages one should gain experience. But as one ages ones body deteriorates and ones cares less about competition. Discuss.
At our club we have a Phantom sailor (in that he sails a Phantom, not that he is a phantom....) who is 76 and super competitive, he is also a bit deaf, which helps him a lot! Another friend and my main rival is 5 years older than me, sails a Lightning and comes complete with a pacemaker and Parkinsons disease. Both of them are unstoppable! In fact the only way to stop either of them would be to nail their feet to the floor...death would never be enough.

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iiitick Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 04 Jun 14 Location: gb Online Status: Offline Posts: 478	Post Options Post Reply Quote iiitick Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Age and sailing? Posted: 13 Oct 14 at 11:09am
	As one ages one should gain experience. But as one ages ones body deteriorates and ones cares less about competition. Discuss. At our club we have a Phantom sailor (in that he sails a Phantom, not that he is a phantom....) who is 76 and super competitive, he is also a bit deaf, which helps him a lot! Another friend and my main rival is 5 years older than me, sails a Lightning and comes complete with a pacemaker and Parkinsons disease. Both of them are unstoppable! In fact the only way to stop either of them would be to nail their feet to the floor...death would never be enough.

iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Oct 14 at 11:29am
	Yesterday, my recently retired work colleague ahead of us in his RS400, reached the leeward mark at the end of the second reach, tacked round instead of heading inshore to beat upwind out of the tide, then proceeded to put his kite up.. No idea where he thought he was going next.. Last week both he and I, despite my having actually laid the course, coming to the top of the first triangle, in the lead, set off on a course to the wing mark instead of going down the run.. (Another Snr moment) I'ts not the lack of competitive mindset that gets you, it's the alztheimers..
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JimC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6662	Post Options Post Reply Quote JimC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Oct 14 at 11:32am
	Sometimes old and cunning beats young and athletic sometimes the other way. Not true of many sports.

kneewrecker Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 09 Apr 14 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1586	Post Options Post Reply Quote kneewrecker Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Oct 14 at 11:48am
	I think empty-nesters and those with older kids have a bit of an advantage actually- sure none of us are as fit as our 18 year old selves were, but then the kids at sailing clubs have all buggered off now, so they don't count- so all that's left is 35+ year olds and a few younger adults who've hung on in there with sailing; despite quite possibly, considerable social considerations to dump it as they went about setting their adult lives up. There's a damn good chance a bit more free time can be put to better usage in the fitness department than someone stuck in an office and then straight home to domestic responsibilities... even pottering around in the garden, or whatever you old boys do for your LWA, (light wind alternative, tick...) is going to involve a bit of sweat and movement. Plus sailing is definitely something that rewards the committed- if you can sail week-in, week-out, you WILL improve- especially if you stick with one class/boat. Just look how well Graeme is sailing in that EPS now, and that's meant in sincerity. Edited by kneewrecker - 13 Oct 14 at 11:49am

Chris 249 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 10 May 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2041	Post Options Post Reply Quote Chris 249 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Oct 14 at 11:52am
	In cycling, the over 60s are notoriously fast because they have lots of time to train. It could be the same in sailing; putting an extra 20 hours of training in a week quickly overcomes a lot of extra years.

RichTea Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 22 Jan 13 Online Status: Offline Posts: 207	Post Options Post Reply Quote RichTea Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Oct 14 at 12:33pm
	Keeping active is the best option, surely us lot who are stuck behind desks all day are at a big disadvantage. Time to find an active job + active sailing = wining races when I am older!
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iiitick Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 04 Jun 14 Location: gb Online Status: Offline Posts: 478	Post Options Post Reply Quote iiitick Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Oct 14 at 4:43pm
	Any club with sporting pretensions that still contains older members will only see the fittest variety of geriatric. I have a number of friends over sixty who still sail on a regular basis. For every crumbly still racing boats or riding bikes there are twenty or more sitting by the fake log burner in plaid slippers watching Crossroads. We see the cream of the crop. I most cases what fades is the determination, the ambition, the concentration. I find myself concentrating on between race tea and cake rather than vicious sailing competition. It only needs an attractive woman to wander on to the dinghy park and what remains of my libido extinguishes what remains of my ability. I wonder how you young lads see your own futures?

Rupert Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rupert Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Oct 14 at 4:57pm
	Something along those lines seems fine to me, iiiiiiiiiiitick. Better than watching Crossroads - especially as it stopped airing decades ago!
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Jack Sparrow Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 08 Feb 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2965	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jack Sparrow Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Oct 14 at 7:01pm
	endurance increases with age... http://posturemovementpain.com/2012/07/19/does-muscular-endurance-improve-with-age-review-of-christie-2011/ http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/age-and-performance
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