A New Life

The Whomper.

  When Lido #1280 came to me originally she bore the name Geronimo. With the figure of warrior on her side. I now know she was named for the greatest 12-Metre yacht in all cinema, the come from behind kid of the 1992 America's Cup movie, Wind. The name was removed as even without this knowledge it did not fit the boat. But with the boat in my driveway I feel I can reveal her new identity as the 14-Foot Lido SV Esmerelda and the beginnings of her new career as a sail training, expedition and cruising vessel. But it's good to know that somewhere in the last thirteen years someone thought enough of the vessel to think it worthy of such a namesake.
  I just finished Wind and it's a classic example of early nineties cinema. I know Matthew Modine from one of my favorite movies, Cutthroat Island and I'm not sure he carries dramatic as well as he does comedic straight man. In the end I really wish there was more focus on the Cup, the boats and the sailing and much less on the interpersonal relationships of the crew of Geronimo. There is so much history and legend surrounding the Auld Mug that a movie with that as it center would have been a find movie indeed. But I guess they needed to sell to a mass audience.
  As for the sailing those 12-Meters were amazing boats. If the next America's Cup were to go back to the 12-Meter Rule I think I would watch it. I understand better now the drama of sailing changing and how the tactics although similar to what was seen in AC34 were much better defined over a longer course and harrowing sea states. I'm a huge fan of the AC72's and the amazing amount of techonolgy and human effort put forth by those boats but seeing monohulls battleing it out in San Fransico bay would have been an equal spectacle.
  Racing may not be in the close future for Esmerelda but I'm certain at some point we'll sight a buoy in the distance and the former Geronimo will once again pick her skirts up in pursuit of the mark and do the big red boat proud. Esmerleda, welcome home.