Over the course of the past almost two decades that we've had our boat and the thirty years that our boats have been around, we have had the pleasure of having our own Catalina 34 one design class/starts in both the six race summer & winter racing series run by yacht clubs, as well as our own Catalina 34 Fleet 1 San Francisco Cup two day race series with cruising and racing divisions, and occasionally our C34 National Regatta. We have a strong racing presence on The Bay, as well as a great cruising schedule each year.
Like many one design fleets, we have the "old timers" (I guess I can include myself in that now
) and some new skippers, some of whom have purchased and now race boats formerly owned by other skippers who had raced and some new boats.
A few years ago a new skipper bought a C34 and joined the racing fleet. He did back-of-the-pack the first year or so, even though he had a mouth that would convince you he won, he knew everything and no one else had a clue.
As time went by, his boat climbed in the standings to a usual second or third place consistently during the course of the seasons. Then last year he started dropping down, just as consistently. He, like many others, had a stable crew who sailed together often, if not always. None of them accompanied him to the yacht clubs after the races, though. He was also the first skipper to get himself into situations where a protest was even considered and most of the times initiated by him. He lost them all.
During one memorable skippers meeting after a race series, this fellow asked, "What can we do to get more boats from the cruising division into (hard core) racing? Why can't these jerks (his words, not mine) just pony up and get the folding props, new sails, whisker pole gear and full crew all the time so they can race I can beat them, too?"
The stunned silence that greeted this outburst was deafening.
What a way to encourage participation!
For some reason, like maybe human nature, any group may end up having a jerk or two within it.
We're fortunate, 'cuz after 30 years, he's the ONLY one!
Doesn't mean you can't have fun. But knowing the idiots to avoid is part of the fun.
Play nice together, it's a lot more fun.