Great mustaches in San Francisco sailing

May 8, 11:49 AMSF Sailing ExaminerEdward Killeen

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Wayne's mustache pointing the way to better wind...Full Throttle!

San Francisco has a very competitive sailing scene.  Sailors look for every conceivable advantage ... carbon fiber this, titanium that, kevlar for the other thing.  But it's an ancient, and organic, technology that is the king of all speed advantages.  The mustache.

Bay Area sailors all know that there are some famous mustaches sailing on the Bay: Paul Cayard, Wayne Sharp, Drew Harper, and Kame Richards.  All have sported the look for years and it is no coincidence that all of them win races.  What makes these mustachio'd sailors faster than the rest of us?  What speed advantage is worth the itching, the extra food crumbs?  Is there really some Samson style connection going on here?

Kame Richards, owner of Pineapple Sails and trophy winning racer on Golden Moon, tells of the first important advantage of the mustache, "it is almost impossible to sunburn your lower lip, unless you keep it nice and neat the way Paul Cayard does."  Wayne Sharp, noted tactician, also points out that it keeps "the lip warmer", a very important consideration in the cold winds of San Francisco.

But there has to be more than that.  Drew Harper, owner of a brand new Viper 640, didn't want to let out the secret but finally relented that, "the 'stash' helps me find the lifts and dodge the headers.  I can't live without it!"  Of course that makes sense, the follicles are more sensitive to the wind! 

Paul Cayard takes it a step further (perhaps explaining why he wins Olympic medals and around the world races), "my mustache is a 'fairing strip' between my nose (rather large) and my upper lip (average).  This reduces windage when sailing upwind and therefore improves my boat speed on the all important first windward leg of each race."  Basically, the mustache streamlines him and keeps a smooth windflow.

Of course mustaches intimidate other sailors.  We all instinctively know that these great mustachio'd sailors are faster.  Some won't admit it though, "No, I do not feel intimidated, I just wonder how early they must have to get up and groom that thang in order to hit the start line at the same time as the clean shaven sailors," noted Steve Rienhart of Encinal Yacht Club.  The thing is, the results speak for themselves.  Drew Harper, winner of the Berkeley Midwinters in December aboard the Ultimate 20 Layla, points out that it was "blowing 20+, the stash kept pointing out the constant righty...worked out well." 

Compare that to me.  I don't have a mustache and struggle to reach mid-fleet.  Kame Richards, Drew Harper and Paul Cayard have mustaches and win races.  It's time for the rest of us to think about growing a mustache and start sailing fast.