Paige Brooks sailed in Fleet 12 for a few years before moving to Florida and joining Miami Fleet 20. She sold her San Francisco boat this month and writes in a farewell from the site of the Jaguar Cup: 

From: Paige Brooks

Subject: Re: Scarlett – Etchells 667 – Thank you! (and a little story) On May 2, of 2003 and again in February of 2004, I had two of the happiest days of boat ownership. Buying the boat with Dan Zuiches and Danielle Dignan and then buying it from them. This week I sold 667 to another trio, this time J24 owners who are switching into Etchells and are taking it to Denver. While this is supposed to be the next happiest day of boat ownership and I expected to be relieved, I’ve also found myself a bit sentimental. So this letter is to all of you who’ve helped make the memories and sailed with me on 667. Thank you.

In the racing we were met with challenging competitors – sailors who’d raced etchells for more than 20 years, who’d competed at the top level of the sport. We learned a lot and had a lot of fun, thanks to the tough competition.

One race I won’t soon forget:

During the Simpson Cup, a “gear buster” of a regatta, we were sailing downwind in front of the St. Francis when our vang broke. Kers yelled over to us to pull in our vang and when I said “it’s broken,” he yelled back “well sit on the boom then”. And so I rode the boom the rest of the way down to the finish line, bouncing along with each wave. This was also the weekend I met another kind former Olympic sailor Kent Massey, visiting from Santa Barbara to race Etchells, who took time out from catching up with friends to take me outside, throw a leaf on the water, and teach me about tides and currents. Sounds silly, but it instantly worked in explaining what ‘current protection’ means.

With three partners, you have the benefit of always having crew. Without three you have to find them. Jack Roosevelt jumped on early and brought with him Ethan Doyle. They were both aboard the first (and only, so far) time I death rolled. They also sailed me to a win over Shark Kahn, just after he’d won Melges Worlds. Boy did that feel good.

Matt Carter who helped a lot with suggestions on bow work, did bow for my good friend Roy Haslup and me for the Mosely Cup. Bill Clary who sailed Etchells in Marblehead and Ashley Perrin, who’s got tons of blue water miles, alternated on the boat for Roy and I most of the time. All of you are great to sail with – great advice, great motivators and great sportsmen. Melbo, Bryan, Dr. Bill, John Sutak, and Randy Smith have all been great encouragers and competitors from SFYC. Thanks!

In September of 04, we raced the boat in the Etchells North Americans. Roy, Ashley, and a girl from Oregon sailed with me. This was my first big fleet event. As a less than practiced team against tough competition, our goal was not to be last, which we fortunately accomplished. Ashley, the amazing boat handler and worker that she is, did bow for us all day in tough conditions and worked on boats late into the evening during the whole week. She taught me a lot about boat repairs – gelcoat, fiberglass, trailer care, standing rigging, deck work, and more over the course of my last summer in SF.

As most of you know, I’ve moved into a new partnership in 1055 in Miami. At North Americans this year, we (my new partner Chris and Randy Smith) finished well up into the top half of the fleet at 19th, managing to beat a few pros and all the women skippers. One of my SF friends commented in a congratulatory email that it made me the fastest female Etchells skipper in North America. A good general feeling, but at the moment, there are only a few of us. Contrary to recent reports, the class is growing, and I’m seeing more women out there as crew and as skippers, which is great.

Thanks so much to all of you who made learning the boat such a pleasure. While I’m glad to sell Scarlett, I will enjoy the memories and most of all I am thankful for your friendship!

Paige