Let’s not forget the younger expat sailors

PHUKET: There are plenty of young expats around that bring their own passion into the Southeast Asia regattas and races.

Want a few names?

Elizabeth Schoch, known as Liz to most, and her boyfriend, Alfie, who often crew on competing boats. They are true enthusiasts and communicate their passion for sailing with great vigor.

How about Mig Wehrle and Meike Lange? Owners of Aqua and both from Germany, they join all Phuket Yacht Club (PYC) Sunday races and crew multihulls such as Blue Nose, for Meike, and Hurricane for Mig at regional regattas.

Last, but not least, three young fellows I met last December, Jasper Touchant from my home country Belgium, Thomas Cracknell from the UK and Gav Montanaro from Australia, all keen to be crew members and are absolutely brilliant on the water, as they proved at the 2015 Multihull Solutions Regatta.

Talking to a friend of mine from Corsair Marine at the prize-giving party that evening, I realized that both generations are key to the success of competitive sailing. The ‘old’, but young at heart sailors have the purchasing power to have their own boats and the experience to be at the helm, while the younger generations offer strong arms, legs and a ‘risk-taking’ spirit that makes them winners.

I’m sure I forgot to mention some more young sailors, so my apologies for that, but then again, I’m just an old sailor myself.

— Ghislaine Bovy