Dear Friend of CHARIAD:

This past week and weekend were warm, sunny days with great sailing wind. Instead of being on the water sailing, the CHARIAD crew was performing the fall ritual of getting the boat out of the water and preparing her for winter. Contrary to all our senses, we know the season is changing. Winter is coming. Like squirrels storing acorns and ducks flying south, we delivered the mighty CHARIAD to Beverly last Thursday. The boat was put on the hard Friday. The engine was winterized and sails and instruments were taken off the boat.

When I go to San Diego or Marina Del Ray in Los Angeles, virtually every day is sunny. Hundreds – thousands – of boats are on the docks with no one on them and almost none leaving the dock. We have a six month sailing season in New England. By the end of October, I am OK with pulling the boat out of the water and celebrating our change of seasons. We make the most of each season and do not take the sunny days for granted.

The mast is off the boat for the winter. Marblehead Trading will examine the mast and rigging over the winter to make sure everything is safe for next year.

Meaning of this Sailing Season

You could say the CHARIAD’s 2107 sailing season was “the best of times and the worst of times.” We won the most challenging regatta we have sailed in for several years. And the boat was out of the water for the whole month of July because of carelessness by another boat that collided with us. We came ready to race, but there was no wind for the last three races of the season.

Rick Williams at helm with CHARIAD friends for social sail

What we remember about this season is up to each of us. We have a fast and competitive boat. And we have a crew that is able to sail the boat at the highest level of our competitors.

Farr 37 sailboat CHARIAD crew racing

I will remember the guns when we crossed the finish line. I will remember the energy, discipline and toughness of the team. The CHARIAD crew was not cruising around a race course. They showed up on the water to win the race and expected everyone on the boat to have the same goal and determination.

I write occasional “thought leadership” articles with a CEO and board perspective on how to make companies more successful. When the pieces are published across the US, I send a link to the article to my professional mailing list. After we won the Ted Hood Regatta hosted by Storm Trysail, I included the following in my note to about 2,000 business leaders.

Teamwork at the Core of Success

 

Ted Hood Regatta Chariad crew 2017

Leaders are only effective when their team is effective and successful. The team, working together and with the leader, creates a successful organization.

My Farr 37 sailboat – CHARIAD – won the Storm Trysail sponsored Ted Hood Regatta in Marblehead Massachusetts this summer. Ted Hood won multiple America’s Cups while based in Marblehead. Ted Hood’s son presented me the overall trophy, but the team – the CHARIAD crew – won the regatta.

This is how I will remember CHARIAD’s 2107 sailing season.

Rick