BW wrote:
I have been a little confused, but I now see where I made my mistake.
Whilst doing background research into the group rec.boats.racing it
included the sub group rec.boats.racing.power. Most of articles I read
were about the thrill of powerboat racing. I subsequently posted my
power boat query into rec.boats.racing which I now know is about sail
boat racing.

Again, please accept my apology.

In my view, not really necessary.

But as my research is still about thrill, sailboat racing is JUST as
interesting. I am revising my question to "what do you find thrilling
about sailboat racing"?

Any comments...

Brendan


Hmm... not sure "thrill" is quite the right word. When you're speeding
across the water at 2mph on a light day, trying to find the gusts and
shifts, watching what the opponents are doing, "thrill" is not the word
that would spring to mind. However it is the kind of thing where you
cannot be thinking about anything else. You just have to "switch off"
from the world of work and concentrate on what you're doing.

Then there was yesterday, where thrill might have been the right word.
Like the end of one race where i was hanging off the side of the boat, 6
inches off the water, with the bow wave from the next boat trying to get
down the back of my neck (after an hours racing we were that close -
shame we weren't winning....) and concentrating absolutely on what I was
doing.

Then there's the fitness side of it. Today I can hardly climb stairs,
my quadriceps muscles are so stiff... There are few sports which engage
your mind and your body, keep you fit with little risk of injury, and
which are suitable for anyone from 5 to 75. Though I must admit in the
wind the age range was down to 10 to 60.

HTH

Andy