“The winds and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators.” - Edward Gibbon

It doesn’t take long for most people that I associate with to learn of my love of the water. I’m not a dedicated “stink potter” nor a “rag boater” but I do enjoy all aspects from spear fishing, cruising, and fishing, to my real passion of racing sailboats offshore. My racing hobby has provided me with the opportunity to meet many interesting people and to visit ports that I probably would never have been able to see. I’ve been able to race to the Keys many times, Mexico a half dozen times, Jamaica a couple times, Cuba four times and even did a transatlantic delivery. The art of racing combines many skills. When you finally master the physical end of making the boat move, then you learn navigation and finally tactics. It is an endless loop that no one ever truly masters.

Most people question me about the “bad” storms and literally fighting for your life while still racing. This is not NASCAR, there is no one to help when you break things (and things always are breaking). One bad storm occurred three years ago during the 900 mile Pineapple Cup that leaves Ft. Lauderdale, goes around the Bahamas, passing Haiti and Cuba and ends in Jamaica. With no jib, a double reefed main and blowing 60 knots we were still racing and reached a staggering 28 knots on a 40’ boat. The comparison would be driving your car with zero visibility, on ice at 120 mph.


The opposite is just as trying. Ghosting along in less than 5 knots of wind, reading the current, studying the cumulus clouds for any sign of a developing sea breeze. A crew that is grumbing and wants to quit. These are the conditions where more races are lost than in big air.

My father worked his way up in the steel mills from entry level up to management. When Republic was having tough times in the 70’s, my father’s boss (who raced sailboats) started one of his meetings quoting “The wind and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigator.” This quote has stuck with me my entire adult life, trying to apply just the right amount of balance. The analogies to construction are obvious. There really isn’t anyone out there to give you a pit stop. You must be able to survive the good times by not over indulging, buying frivolous machines or over hiring, and then when the “lull” comes to be just as aggressive, not giving up because of the lack of “wind” but continue to study the signs that will make you perform better than the rest.

Thank you Dad for giving me my first compass in life.

Posted by Mark McClearnon

Senior Project Superintendent Mark McClearnon has spent his ten years with Hennessy building a reputation of excellence and is often our go-to guy for our most difficult and challenging projects.  As you can tell from his blog, he spends a great deal of his free time on the water and is a crucial part of Hennessy's annual Kingfish tournament.