It’s hard to explain the repeatable thrill of opening a magazine and seeing a story I wrote spread across several pages in living color. By the time the October issue of Seahorse Magazine arrived, I’d already received a few complimentary emails on my profile of Vince Brun, so I knew it would be lurking somewhere inside. What I didn’t know was that the headline would perfectly capture one unique aspect of our sport: that sailing’s heroes are so approachable.
At my very first J/24 Midwinter Championship back in 1990, I found myself sitting at the same breakfast table with this guy whose name I knew from the sailing magazines—and over that week, Vince and I became friends. Competing on the same race courses binds us all together, the tall and the small, no matter how thick our accents. (Even as the sport becomes ever more professional, I hope that unique aspect remains true.)
Through the years, Vince and I sometimes had differences of opinion, as strong-minded people are likely to do, but I always had the greatest respect for his ability to make any sailboat just a little bit faster. So when Seahorse editor Andrew Hurst asked if I’d like to write a profile of Vince, I jumped at the opportunity to learn more about his early years and what made him into such speed champion. “Vince stories” are notorious, and some of them are even true, so that became the theme.
Read the Article
Seahorse has given me permission to share Friendship plus talent with my readers, but the only way to read Sam Davies’ thoughts about foiling (the very next article in the October issue) is to subscribe. I appreciate the printed version enough to wait for its arrival toward the end of each month; if you’re not that patient, I’d recommend the (cheaper) digital subscription.
Previous Seahorse articles include Only One Jud (Smith), and ongoing updates about the US Olympic program (there will be another in November’s issue). Read Seahorse Byline: Sign of Success or visit the Seahorse website.
PS: I found out after publication that Vince’s wife’s name is spelled “Marsha.” Apologies to all for the error.
Got a Vince story? Share it in the comments below, or send me an email. Meanwhile, thanks for reading!
