How Sailboats Win or Lose Races

Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I came across this tome, How Sailboats Win or Lose Races, by William Smith and published in 1964. How how the world has changed!

Under the section titled "Pretty Women Make the Best Amateur Crews" it says

Pretty women are more experienced than plain women. They are also more intelligent. This is simple heredity; for successful men marry the prettiest women and soon pass brains down to their better looking offspring.
Also
Married women have better understanding of complex operations. They are more docile and willing to learn

And when it comes to heavy weather sailling
Ladies do not like storms. They get wet and their hands hurt holding sheets.
madness!
 
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Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
You should be scorn for even reprinting such sexually biased BS......... WOW that is incredible stuff there, is that really how the male species was thinking back then? I am completely into a pretty crew but certainly not for the reasons stated
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
"This is simple heredity; for successful men marry the prettiest women and soon pass brains down to their better looking offspring."
:laugh:

I think that the comedy "Idiocracy" got closer to the truth than Mr. Smith has described, but a pretty crew should help to distract competitors, no?
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I think that the comedy "Idiocracy" got closer to the truth than Mr. Smith has described, but a pretty crew should help to distract competitors, no?
I have a PERFECT picture to prove that point, but is NSFW and not for the very easily offended. Don't click if you fit into either camp.


nice boat.png
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
You should be scorn for even reprinting such sexually biased BS......... WOW that is incredible stuff there, is that really how the male species was thinking back then? I am completely into a pretty crew but certainly not for the reasons stated
I'm not too worried. Everyone that knows me knows that I race and sail with high percentage of woman as crew. Most of them I've trained, and because they are rock-stars at what they do. Pretty is a bonus!
 
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Apr 4, 2016
201
Newport 28 Richardson Marina
There's another advantage to pretty crew. During a regatta we were tied after 7 races with another boat, our fore deck dropped her bikini bottom and flashed the young trimmer on the other boat causing him to blow the tack gaining us a couple boat lengths for the win. A fond memory.
 
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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
LOL - a sailing pic with boobs and only two comments. I shouldn't have posted it in RACING, or called the thread HOW BOATS WIN RACES! :)
 
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weinie

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Sep 6, 2010
1,297
Jeanneau 349 port washington, ny
I want a poster size picture of that boat for my office.
 

LuzSD

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Feb 21, 2009
1,009
Catalina 30 San Diego/ Dana Point, Ca.
Thanks Jackdaw, I'll let my all female crew know about this when we practice today for the Ensenada race next weekend. The unmarried two will have to work on their temperament.
 
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Hafa

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Jan 24, 2017
28
Hunter 40.5 Saipan
Thanks Jackdaw, I'll let my all female crew know about this when we practice today for the Ensenada race next weekend. The unmarried two will have to work on their temperament.
I smell mutiny...
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Thanks Jackdaw, I'll let my all female crew know about this when we practice today for the Ensenada race next weekend. The unmarried two will have to work on their temperament.
Keep me out of it!! ;-)
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I had a all-lady crew flash another boat in a fun-race last season. Interesting tactic!
 

LuzSD

.
Feb 21, 2009
1,009
Catalina 30 San Diego/ Dana Point, Ca.
I had a all-lady crew flash another boat in a fun-race last season. Interesting tactic!
Well, being an all girl crew, our competition for the AF trophy is ...ah, all girls too! so I doubt they'd be knocked off their game much! But it's an idea if we find ourselves influential with our class competition!! :)
 

Rick D

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Jun 14, 2008
7,131
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
Speaking of N2E, it was traditional many decades ago that one of the boats had a couple of topless (female) crew working foredeck at the start. There was another boat where the crew started all in tuxes. I think they might have had more fun those many years ago.
 
Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
I wish I had recorded the crew for a catamaran next to us in Treasure Cay. Father, mother, and three daughters about high school/college age leaving the slip from the finger docks with pilings. Many discussions from the girls on the bow about starboard and port then the question back to dad at the helm. He answers "Port on the left" and then it starts-----"I'm confused, you said left. Why don't they mark it left? You have the wrong side. Turn around. Why don't you say rope? I don't have any lines on my side."

Now nobody is releasing lines but a heated discussion about who's right. Mom comes out on the bow to settle the argument but gets it wrong. By now I've crushed my beer can trying not to laugh out loud. Dad is trying to be calm but the situation is deteriorating. Three girls who just spent the week shopping and sunning are ready to do war with boat hooks and hand to hand combat. Finally everyone drops lines in the water and the boat twists away from the dock rubbing pilings on the way out.

Dad must have said something because the next round of comments were directed to him about his rules. Mom goes below, two of the girls go back to sunning themselves, and the last daughter (youngest) decides the lines can drag until they get to Marsh Harbor or where ever and confronts Dad again. He leaves the helm, picks up lines, and returns without comment to continue out of the harbor. I could still hear them as they went around the bend.

I grabbed another beer and enjoyed the solitude.

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