14 Questions to … Aine McLean Fretwell

Aine McLean Fretwell from San Diego, California - 1) Your first time on a sailing boat? My first time on a sailboat was when I was about 9. We sailed off the coast of Dublin, Ireland on my Uncle's 38ft wooden yawl. I was given seasickness medicine and slept the whole time. I wish I remembered more. - 2) Your first time on a Snipe? First time on a Snipe was with Randy Lake when I was about 17. He was my coach at the time and asked me to sail the '92 Nationals with him in Long Beach. - 3) The most bizarre thing that happened in a regatta? That was actually this summer at the US Women's Nationals in Boston. Long story short, I had spent hours the morning of the first day getting the charter boat ready. We launched (a little on the late side juggling my daughter and her babysitter). Raised the sails only to then realize the mast/boom did not match up. Everyone had left the dock at this point. After several failed attempts at switching out booms and goosenecks, and a near meltdown on my part, my crew Claire and I looked at each other through sweat and some tears with the same idea...we needed to launch an entirely different boat. Thanks to Bob Coyle, his newly dubbed boat the "Black Pearl' and a short postponement due to lack of breeze, we made it out to the course, pulled ourselves together and went on to win the regatta. Never checked our rake or tension. No halyard mark on the mast to go by...went on what I learned from Randy so many years before..."Pull it til you feel fast." ...

14 Questions to … Aine McLean Fretwell Image

Aine McLean Fretwell from San Diego, California

– 1) Your first time on a sailing boat?

My first time on a sailboat was when I was about 9. We sailed off the coast of Dublin, Ireland on my Uncle’s 38ft wooden yawl. I was given seasickness medicine and slept the whole time. I wish I remembered more.

– 2) Your first time on a Snipe?

First time on a Snipe was with Randy Lake when I was about 17. He was my coach at the time and asked me to sail the ’92 Nationals with him in Long Beach.

– 3) The most bizarre thing that happened in a regatta?

That was actually this summer at the US Women’s Nationals in Boston. Long story short, I had spent hours the morning of the first day getting the charter boat ready. We launched (a little on the late side juggling my daughter and her babysitter). Raised the sails only to then realize the mast/boom did not match up. Everyone had left the dock at this point. After several failed attempts at switching out booms and goosenecks, and a near meltdown on my part, my crew Claire and I looked at each other through sweat and some tears with the same idea…we needed to launch an entirely different boat. Thanks to Bob Coyle, his newly dubbed boat the “Black Pearl’ and a short postponement due to lack of breeze, we made it out to the course, pulled ourselves together and went on to win the regatta. Never checked our rake or tension. No halyard mark on the mast to go by…went on what I learned from Randy so many years before…”Pull it til you feel fast.”

– 4) What is the thing that most angers you in a race/regatta?

I get frustrated with people who complain (and it’s usually related to their position in the results)…whether it’s about the venue, conditions, wind, waves, kelp, other boat traffic, the course, the race management, etc. I figure it’s all part of the game. We’re all in the same “boat” so to speak.

– 5) Which is the race/regatta that you remember with the most pleasure?

THIS WHOLE SUMMER: Having my family with me at Nationals in Iowa. The roadtrip and camping were incredible. Then Boston for Women’s Nationals and NA’s and the amazing week in between that solidified special friendships we had only just discovered and having my oldest daughter along with me for the whole thing.

– 6) And the race/regatta you would like to forget?

Women’s Nationals 2007. Down in South Bay, Coronado. I have video footage of it all falling apart. Rounded ever weather mark of the regatta in 1st, got 4th overall. I still think about it way more than I should.

– 7) Your “dream in the peak”? (Your sailing dream?)

Every now and then I wonder what a campaign in the 470 would have been like…BUT then there’s reality…I am vertically challenged at 5’2″ and oh yeah, I have three kids.
In real life I would like to legitimately qualify for a World Championship, WH&O or the Pan Am Games as skipper.

– 8) Sailing goals for 2014, and beyond?

Claire and I are headed to Women’s Worlds in Argentina in less than 3 weeks and certainly would love to earn a spot on the podium there. Right here at home we have a Worlds Qualifier in February and then US Nationals next summer at Mission Bay Yacht Club. Very excited for both those events. I hope to not miss a US Nationals for a very long time:)

– 9) The most important people for you in sailing and in the Snipe?

My childhood coach and the person who introduced me to Snipe sailing, Randy Lake. Being a short girl never came up when I was 16-17 and he was coaching me. He had me sail Laser Full Rigs because that’s where the competition was. And to this day I always want to sail against the best even if it means getting kicked around a bit. All the more to learn.

The day I got an email from Augie Diaz asking me to crew in the Don Q last March is one that I will never forget and the months that followed racing with him were everything I had been dreaming of but never thought possible. It was the summer of my 40th birthday and I got to do more Snipe sailing, as crew and skipper, than ever before. BEST. SUMMER. EVER.

– 10) Why the Snipe?

Because I want to sail competitive one-design dinghies. I like that Snipe racing is possible in such a wide range of conditions and accessible to such a wide range of people (size, age, fitness level, cost). Also the people and the parties are the best all over the world.

– 11) Your perfect sailing venue and your perfect sailing conditions?

I like all conditions. I really do. I even discourage the kids I coach from getting locked into the idea of a “perfect” condition. The conditions are what they are and present ever changing challenges. I love Mission Bay but I know I still have so many places to go that I haven’t even found my favorite yet. There is not yet a venue that I have not liked.

– 12) Besides sailing which other sport do you practice?

I like playing golf. I played soccer growing up and while I don’t play competitively anymore, I enjoy coaching my kids’ teams.

– 13) Are you superstitious?

Nah, not really. I have favorite pieces of clothing, hats, stuff like that.

– 14) Your perfect holiday?

A Snipe regatta that involves a road trip and camping with my kids. Flying anywhere with the family is almost out of the question these days but I also like the simplicity and togetherness that comes with this kind of travel. Something I value most in my kids and want to continue to encourage is their flexibility and adaptability. I think we’ve lost track of how important these qualities are in our modern over-structured, over-scheduled lives. Some of the greatest experiences are those that were not expected or planned.

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