Where are they now? New sailor updates.
Since 2014 we’ve been chronicling the stories of sailors who took up the sport (or got into it in a big way) as adults. We’re going to keep bringing you such stories, but we will also share updates on some of the sailors we interviewed years ago. This month we catch up with Karen Southern and Brian Disque. You will be amazed at how they’ve grown their sailing.
Karen Southern: A passion for teaching and bringing more people of color into the sport.
SpinSheet originally interviewed Karen in 2023, just a couple of years after she moved to Baltimore and got into the sailing scene here. Last year Karen started her busy sailing season in February and made it out on the water more than 70 days. Her sailing includes racing and cruising as well as helping to get new sailors on the water.
In the last year Karen participated in the Downtown Sailing Center (DSC) Women on the Water program including its Women at the Helm race, sailed in weeknight and frostbite races, skippered for the RCM&D charity regatta, skippered for the DSC adaptive sailing program, participated in Baltimore City Yacht Association racing, and was crew for the Herrington Harbour Sailing Association's Women’s Regatta. During a trip to California Karen sailed from Marina del Rey to Santa Monica with family.
Karen says, “Over the past year I’ve discovered that I have a passion for teaching and a strong desire to introduce more people of color to the sport of sailing. I worked with the DSC and the Universal Sailing Club over the summer to kick off the first-ever BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) on the Water series. Each participant was offered a chance to drive a J/22 keelboat as they learned sail trim, wind awareness and basic techniques such as tacking and gybing. DSC held three BIPOC on the Water events, which saw a total of 45 participants, many of them returning.
“We are fortunate to live in a community with great access to the water and the Chesapeake Bay. I want to continue to help underrepresented people feel a sense of belonging in sailing and to experience the healing powers of this wonderful sport.
“I hope to obtain my 103 Basic Coastal Cruising certification in the coming year with the goal of becoming a cruising skipper. I would also like the opportunity to experience offshore sailing, perhaps being part of a crew relocating a boat. Fingers crossed!”
Brian Disque: A bigger boat and more experience results in an expanded sailing range.
We first introduced Brian in the early spring of 2019, when he had been sailing for about one year on his Catalina 25, mostly between the Bay Bridge and Thomas Point Shoal Light. Here is his update:
“I have moved up to a Catalina 400, quite an upgrade, and I’ve expanded my sailing range to the entire Bay. It has been really fun to take longer cruises and explore different parts of the Bay. Last June my brother and I took a week and sailed just about everywhere. While my favorite game plan is to live on the anchor and raft up with friends, I also do a lot of singlehanded sailing.
“I was fortunate enough to make some sailing friends who do frostbite races. It was such a great experience to learn different positions and to sail over the winter. While I don’t consider myself a particularly serious (or good) racer, I’ve done the EYC Boomerang race, the Race to Oxford, and a few others. I’d suggest that anyone who wants to be a better sailor do some racing and learn from all the excellent sailors we have here in Annapolis.
“I have made the SpinSheet Century Club several years. Though it’s kind of obvious, 100 days on the water is 100 times leaving and returning to the slip, raising and trimming the sails, negotiating different conditions, solving problems—not to mention having fun times and adventures on the water. Your confidence and sailing skills will improve, and to me that’s why it’s important to get 100 days. I have found that there is always something to be learned when you sail; sometimes it’s up to you to seek out the lesson. With 100 days on the water, you will ‘level up’ quickly.
“Thoughts on boat buying: Don’t overthink your first boat. I was a little nervous buying a boat, but the reality was I had the boat for two years, used it often, and sold it for the exact price I paid for it. I’d suggest people start on a smaller keelboat, really get a feel for the fundamentals, and then move up. The best boat is the one that you are going to use, so in that context there is no such thing as a ‘bad boat.’
“Thoughts on learning to sail: The sailing community in Annapolis is excellent, and if you ask someone for help or advice, you will get it. Take the time to build relationships. Sailors want to help other sailors. I’ve been really lucky to make some good friends that have helped me learn to be a better sailor. The boat businesses here are great too. I do as much maintenance as I can on my own, but I can’t say enough about some of the businesses in Annapolis.
“After each sail, take a little time to reflect on what you did while sailing and how it went. Yes, I’ve had a few things go wrong (nothing that didn’t buff out), but after reflecting on it and thinking it through, I was able to pluck out some other ideas that would have been better options. There is always a lesson to be learned. Hope to see you out there and have fun sailing!"
