Kids and the Ida Lewis race in particular and Keel boat sailing in general, a Reflection Offered by Joe "Coop" Cooper

Most of us can pinpoint the first time we went sailing on a boat that was not a dinghy. In my case it was a 26-foot wooden, lap-strake Folkboat.

I could spend two pages describing that moment and the boat. Suffice to say it is a keystone moment in the life of Cooper. I’d bet a round of Dark and Stormies most of us have a similar WOW moment.

I know for a fact this generation of kids are getting the same Jazzed experiences doing the Ida Race coz I have asked them, the kids who have sailed in the Ida Lewis Distance Race, were totally blown away by the experiences.

AND,

More to the point for all of us, they have continued to sail on Keel boats (as well as all the other sailing they do.) I have been thinking on the career paths of the kids I know who have started their offshore keel boat racing careers in the Ida race and where and what they are doing now. Here is what I know. And not all of these kids have sailed in the Junior challenge classes, some of them are simply sailing on boats as regular crew with the grown-ups.

*Maddie: 3 Ida Races on Digger, then a delivery back from Bermuda in 2024, at about 15,

Crewed to BDA on Digger in 2026, at 17… (Currently a freshie at SUNY Maritime on the dinghy AND offshore squads.

*Ellery: Maddie’s younger sister. Currently 15. A couple of Ida Races on Digger, delivery back from BDA on Digger in 2026. Lobbying hard to sail down in 2028.

*Rory: A few Ida races. A Vineyard race including deliveries to and from Newport on a Figaro 2. Then, her first nippering role was for Cole Brauer at the shipyard prior to Coles Great Adventure in 2023. Then in France nippering for Erica Lush on her Figaro program in Spring 2025.

Then in France and the UK nippering as shore crew for Jessie Fielding and Leah Sweet in the DH worlds this past late spring.

Then a Transatlantic delivery, Canaries to Antigua with a 52-foot Tayana.

At just 20 by a few days, started the 26 BDA race sailing DH with Tim Kent on his Class 40. They withdrew early on with broken sails. She turned this defeat around with great gusto. Within an hour of starting the motor back to Newport, she had organized with Jessie to fly to BDA and deliver Space Monkey back to Newport.

And she has on old Mini 650 she is refitting with her eye on the Bermuda 1-2 in 2027

Erica Lush: Presently around 30 years old. Her first overnight keel boat sailing/race was the Ida Race.

Her contacts there lead to a TA on a big cruising boat. That led to time, on two occasions on Maiden, and two ¾ circumnavigations. And she is in France now preparing for her third Figaro.

Austin: A Snr at URI, Ida Races with Bill Kneller, Last year on Capt. Sluggo (the Hobie 33) as part of the regular roster, then Vineyard Races on a Farrier Tri. He is likely to be on the URI Keel boat team this final senior year.

Parker Brown. Just graduated from URI in 26. Several Ida Races, sometime on the IC 37 circuit and most recently named the keel boat coach at URI.

Rachel: Ida race with Kneller then she is I think now a Snr at the USNA and has been sailing on the offshore squad there.

The two fellows who sailed with Kneller this last race, both from Dartmouth HS, have been sailing with bill since Ida. Tuesdays (now Sundays) and the CYC ARTI race.

Orla, granted she grew up sailing offshore her dad is a Maxi yacht captain and she was doing deliveries up and down the east coast as a child. Nonetheless she has moved into the IC 37 world. Did a few Ida’s and a BDA race in 24 at a day or two shy of 18

Maddie (another one) was part of the very successful crew on the YASA High Noon the Tripp 40 in the 2016 BDA Race. As a High School Sailor. Several Ida Races, Vineyard Races. Currently sailing in the Women’s invitational at NYYC.

Seamus, a College-age sailor presently at J&W has sailed several Ida races, in the DH class with his dad on the family Beneteau 40. As a pair they have completed several Solo Twins DH. They are eyeing the BDA 1-2 for 2027.

AND there are other young sailors “out there” who continue to sail on various boats who got their start in the Ida race in particular. AND a couple of them have made sailing boats their careers.

Let’s keep this momentum going. Watch this space for more on this topic from Cooper.

*Look in the October Windcheck for articles from these three girls and Maddie’s and Ellery’s Mum on their experiences

Thanks

Cheers

Coop