John Cyr

50 something Aviator searching for lost youth. I am not sure I want to admit to all this but here goes: My parents were not sailors per se but I was blessed with two (relatively) well off uncles who were. My childhood summers were spent on the Michigan shore of Lake Huron where my cousin (the closest version of a big brother) had a pram. Starting at about the age of 5 he would anchor me about 100 yds off the beach with a clorox bottle filled with concrete and 75 yds of light line and bet me that I would get beached right quick (I think he just wanted me out of his hair) I quickly learned to increase the length of my tether when no one was looking and then to ship it all together. This was a blast and went really well for several summers until the first time I sailed out of sight down the beach (prob to show off for a REALLY cute girl who stayed a ways down, I still remember her!) and my Aunt collared my cousin as to my whereabouts and he had no clue. As one might expect, both he and I were grounded for the rest of the summer and man was he pissed at me.
Over the years both his father and my other uncle stepped up through larger and larger sailboats which I got to clean (5 foot itis is not new) My other uncle was a very competitive racer on the Great Lakes circuit (Port Huron and Chicago to Macinac and trans Superior races among others) and he went through a string of race boats culminating in a custom C&C Two tonner which I still remember like yesterday.
Moored right next to my Uncle's C&C for several of those years was a brand new and very intimidating Ericson 46 named Shadow. With her menacingly dark blue hull, flush deck and "gasp" coffee grinder (pedestal winch) she was as exotic as it could get for a teenager in those parts at that time. I got to clean that boat too! (and sail, when they were short) In the its a small world category, that same Ericson 46 is now named Aiki and is owned by Guy Stevens, one of this sites moderators and contributors.
Through my college years I raced in both the Detroit area Lightning fleet and also for a summer on a 22 Square meter out of Chicago Yacht Club. (sort of between a 6 and 8 meter) I did not ever join the sailing club at MSU however. It was expensive, I was broke, and having grown up on the Great Lakes, I turned my nose up at their home sailing venue Lake Lansing, which was (to me) much more of a pond than a lake. In retrospect that was a huge mistake which I regret to this day, as that collegiate competitive experience would have served me well in later years.
After graduation I joined the Navy to pursue another dream and following AOCS and Flight School, was lucky enough to be posted in San Diego, which was (and is) heaven (to me anyway) I didn't sail much then as i was focused on learning to fly off ships and stay alive. Following my first sea tour I was ordered back to the gulf coast as a Search and Rescue Pilot and instructor. I found my little E25 Asylum in Appalachicola FL and kept her in Pensacola. I took delivery in the summer of 85 the day before a hurricane slammed us (I have forgotten which one, there have been so many since) I got back to the yard where she was getting a bottom job to find carnage everywhere and my little sweetheart just sitting there unplussed, but rather distressed at all the mess around her. the 2 boats next to her had been knocked off of their cradles and the shop/warehouse directly behind her had been destroyed. I found one small gelcoat chip. Talk about great Karma! and she has never let me down.
I sailed and raced the gulf coast from Fl to La for several years on her and others until ordered back to San Diego for another sea tour. This time with Asylum trailering faithfully behind me. During this period, SDYC had the America's Cup and it was a GREAT time to be a sailor in San Diego! I sailed and partied my ass off.
After returning from Desert Storm I left active duty (the first time) and jumped into the Socal racing scene with both feet. I had the good fortune of being the mainsail trimmer on a very competive Schock 35 crew (a huge class in the early 90s in Socal) when I cought the eye of a very good sailmaker (think olympic gold medalist in Finns.) I sailed with him quite a few times but I never actually worked for him. Unfortunately, a year or so later I was calling tactics during a regatta in Newport Beach when I was involved in back to back protests. We won both protests but I was recognised from my previous association by a very poor loser, accused of being a pro and asked for my MIR (Maritime Industry Rep) letter (a sorta shady way that sailmakers could get around the rules) Needless to say I didnt have one and protested vehemently, to little avail. I was very inpolitely "asked" to leave their club.
While all this transpired I had mistakenly moved my little sweetheart to a mooring where she was looted while I was out of town. Returning home to find this I was thoroughly disgusted with the entire scene. I hauled her out of the water in 1994. With the exception of some classic sailing I did on an awesome Fife schooner during and after those years, I have not sailed competitvely since.
Two years ago I woke up from my self induced anal/cranial inversion and realized my little sweethart did not deserve the neglect I had inflicted on her and began down the long road to bring her back. The restoration continues.

E 25 Asylum