Modern Sailing is delighted to introduce Cameron Poetzscher, our 2021 Top Student! Last year, Cameron completed ASA courses 101/103, 104, 105, 106, 114, and 118, the Mastering Sail Trim Clinic, the Electronic Piloting and Radar Clinic, and the Recreational Race Clinic. As our thanks for his dedication, Cameron will receive the coveted Modern Sailing logo jacket.
Meet Cameron, and in his own words, learn how Modern Sailing and San Francisco Bay enabled him to un-pause the love of sailing that had been sparked in his youth.
I started sailing around age 4 or 5. My dad was a former boat builder and a very keen sailor and accomplished racer (coming first or second several times in his yacht club's season-long championship and completing a number of Sydney-Hobart races). My favorite childhood memories are of sailing with my dad. I used to race with him almost every Saturday from a young age, and go for a family and friends cruise most Sundays.
I kept sailing into my teens, but then work and life got in the way, and I mostly stopped sailing for about 30 years, other than the occasional resort Hobie cat. During the pandemic, I was inspired to start sailing again, and Modern Sailing came highly recommended by friends as a great place to re-engage.
I found Modern Sailing to have excellent instructors, enthusiastic students, and a great selection of boats. Taking classes and clinics at Modern Sailing really helped refresh my knowledge of the fundamentals and teach me a lot of new skills as well.
I love being on the water, seeing the city from a different perspective or escaping to a remote island. I love the feeling of harnessing nature's power to go somewhere, of trying to optimize the boat to go as fast as possible in the given wind conditions. I love learning about and applying the physics of sailing and sail trim. I love how easy it is to be "present" or "in the moment" when you're sailing. I love the tactics and excitement of racing.
I try to race as often as I can in the Bay Area, as well as regularly go on Modern Sailing Club Sails, or charter boats myself to sail with friends and family. I also enjoy doing week-long charters in warmer places like the Caribbean and Croatia.
