A Fine Cut of the Jib

Until this year, the Newport- Bermuda sailing race was not on my radar. It is sailed every 2 years from Rhode Island, and my Alma mater usually sends a boat crewed by midshipmen. This was not enough to pique my interest in the past, yet Somehow, it came to a special place of prominence in my mind. One factor is that Orsted, a major Danish renewable energy company, has become a major sponsor of this race. Offshore wind has been creating many good career opportunities for American mariners, and the proximity to the coastline allows for better work-life balance than traditional deep sea shipping. Another key factor: Friends and their family have been boosting the hype on social media. The parents are old enough to have time to sail, and the kids old enough to have knowledge gained through experience on the water. According to race announcers, this year brings quite a few novices to the race. Relative youth is an advantage: As the starting line emcee put it on Friday. Don’t be older than the length of your boat. That is, older folks should ride in the relative comfort of a larger sailboat. See the contenders' current positions here at: https://cf.yb.tl/nb2024 PS, I'm following Assarain IV.