Every year on Boxing Day in Australia the Sydney to Hobart yacht race receives far too much airplay. Unless you are a sailor, I cannot understand how you could be interested in this sport. It offers absolutely nothing from a spectator’s perspective. Watching a couple of guys putting a sail up and down is not my idea of entertainment.
There are several reasons why I don’t like yacht racing. For starters, it can only be enjoyed by the very rich. You have to have plenty of cash lying around to even consider purchasing the required equipment and anyone who owns a yacht makes me think of a spoiled kid who owns a pony.
Technology has become the most important factor in the sport. Every year the America’s Cup is won by whoever owns the best-designed equipment. Don’t be fooled by the notion that it comes down to the skill of the sailors. The more money the better the boat and the best boat wins. Some people will argue that they race in divisions and under handicap conditions, however, no one cares about these details outside of the sport – line honors are what really count.
The people who sail these yachts want to be heralded as brave combatants of the elements. If you want to take a small sailboat out into the ocean and a 10-meter wave crunches you, I would call that stupidity not bravery. Sailors in the Navy are brave, but rich boys with toys should be prepared to live with the decisions they make.
