Boy George: It's All Good

George Szabo is unquestionably one of the top small boat sailors in the country. His utter domination in the tough Snipe Class with 4 straight National Championships (with a recent one-point loss that would have given him five in a row) would be testimony enough. Add to the mix:

and well, you get our point. Now add a stunning victory in the just completed Star North American Championship, with almost half of the points of the second place finisher, Vince Brun, and you can see the possibilities. It is very often from places like this that our great sailors emerge. Working with Mark Reynolds at Quantum in San Diego, George has revived a comatose Snipe sail program and is now dipping into the cold water reality of the Star.

 

We have to start out with a sincere "well done" for your win at the Star North Americans. Though you've had some bright moments racing the Star, this is clearly your best result so far. Tell us how you did it

GS:
I arrived on the East Coast about 4 days before the event. I was sailing with George Iverson on a boat he had bought a year ago. The boat had been upside down for that year to be faired and had only been flipped over a week before. We spent the next few days putting parts back on the boat, and cleaning up the mast and rigging. We didn't get it all right the first time, and had to pull a few tools out during the practice race to remount a few things on the run. Fortunately we were able to tune the rig fairly quickly and got the boat up to speed.

During the regatta the conditions agreed with us, and the wind and current made just enough sense to put us on the right side of several shifts. Iverson is an excellent crew and was instrumental in keeping the boat at full speed and helping with tactical situations. After three good races, Iverson was worried that we were ready for a bad one. We did end up in the back of the pack in race 4, but fortunately it was in a shifty race and we were able to find our way out.

Sometimes the rig tunes up just right, and things go your way. It's nice when that happens, because there are some many times in sailboat racing when you think you are doomed and you are.

Have you set out with a plan for your sailing career?

GS:
Last year I decided to take on a few additional challenges. In addition to racing Snipes, I began sailing Stars again, began racing Etchells last fall, and have begun racing more big boat events. Trying to race all of those classes should keep me busy for awhile.

You've been working with Mark Reynolds now for many years. Tell us about that relationship and the ways that Mark has influenced your sailing.

GS:
I first began working for Mark 15 years ago when I was looking for a summer job in High school. I have worked with Mark since then, part time for awhile as I finished college and on a Star Olympic campaign for '96. Since then, I have worked my way off the loft floor and into a sales/service/marketing, and sail design position.

Mark is a pretty quiet and mellow guy. He lets everyone work their own way. Actually we have never sailed on the same boat together, and don't tune together too often. Working with him has been rewarding, but it is tough to be the top dog in the loft. There has been more than one occasion where I have come back from winning a regatta feeling on top of the world, only to have Mark come back from another event with an equally or even more impressive win.

I am sure that working with Mark and previously Joe Londrigan, (yet another Star World Champion) - Ed.) as well has helped.

Tell us about sail development in the Star Class. How do you and Mark go about improving the product? Two boat testing? Customer feedback? The "hey let's try this approach"?

GS:
I have done a significant amount of development in the Snipe class, most of it trial and error. Some ideas bounce off of Mark or the Quantum designers, other times I just try little tweaks, but in general we don't change out designs too often. I just changed my Snipe main design, but it had been constant for 5 years before. Mark does the development in the Star. He leaves his sail models alone for the most part, although every four years he does try a few variations, but so far has been sticking with the standard models.

You've crushed competition in the Snipe Class. Now you are sailing in the Star. Is this the direction you are going, and why?

GS:
Actually I started in the Star, and went to the Snipe later. Now I am getting back into the Star again, in addition to the classes I was sailing before.

Mark has built his substantial career in the Star. Without a doubt, Mark and Quantum are the standard-bearers there. Are you the heir apparent to the Star program?

GS:
With Mark Reynolds having competed in 4 Olympics in a row and Medalling in three of them, it is tough to say that I am the heir apparent. For now I am happy to be sailing Stars for this loft. That's no easy task as I am following in the footsteps of Joe Londrigan, who also won the NA's and the Worlds. Mark is still the King of that world.

If there is any criticism of what Mark has done (and god knows, I'm the only guy in the world who can find fault with that), it is that he hasn't parlayed his enormous talent into the Big Dollar arenas in the way that Paul Cayard, Rod Davis and John Kostecki have. Some of your contemporaries like Morgan Larson are already doing it. What will you do?

GS:
I am not about to completely jump to the other side. For now I'm sticking mainly to boats with hiking straps that come out of the water at night, but I will be dabbling more and more in that arena.

You are arguably hitting your stride in terms of your ability. Do you feel that to be true? And if so, quantify the areas that you have improved and how have you done it.

GS:
I have a few more things to learn. While I have been able to get good speed out of a boat, what I have learned about myself as a sailor in Snipes is that I perform better when a good crew is able to paint a picture of what is around me so I can focus on sailing the boat fast. I am not always able to get my head out of the boat without slowing the boat down. In the regattas that I am able to get my head out more often, or have a crew who is able to look around more and see what is going on, I tend to have better results.

Stepping into the world of big boat sailing means two things: Getting paid and getting results. In the Snipe or the Star, there is only one other person onboard that you have to impress. A Farr 40, for example, has nine - including the owner(!). A young (relatively) and unproven (relatively) George Szabo shows up and there is tremendous pressure to perform. Are you ready for that?

GS:
I go sailing to have fun.

But is that still true? I mean, with your success of late, now you truly need to produce on the race course, don't you?

GS:
Fortunately I have been able to keep that pressure off of myself. I try to train hard when possible, and because of the practice I often do well. Whenever I put that pressure on myself that I have to win I usually do poorly in the regatta. Some regattas you will do well in, and others will not go so well. If you are prepared and try your best that is really all you can do. Ed Adams recently told me something like "train to be in the front, and hope you are lucky enough to win".

Have you thought about getting involved in high-performance boats like the 49'er?

GS:
No. I live in San Diego where there isn't enough wind for these boats, and I'm a sailmaker.

Mark's Quantum loft was of course Sobstad for many years. Has the transition over presented any problems from your perspective?

GS:
Some people still don't know who we are. We do our best to get the world out, but not everyone realizes just how big the Quantum brand has become internationally in the last 4 years. The Q designers have really stepped up the game in wind tunnel tests, cloth developments and other areas. I think we are really lucky to be with this strong group that is making great progress in sailmaking.

I'm assuming that most of your "business" battles are with North and perhaps Ullman. Do you view this as friendly competition or as a war that must be won?

GS:
The sailmaking business is truly a strange one. Where else can you battle against your competitor for selling sails, and then be almost required to be social with them at sailing events - even more strange is seeing them naked at the shower after racing! I can't imagine you would ever see that in corporate America.

For those looking to be successful in One Designs, what are three keys to success that you have learned?

GS:
They told me this when I was young "Practice, Practice, practice". This isn't all you need. You have to attend regattas if you want to win one. So attend as many regattas as you possibly can, and think about where you went wrong afterwards. Ask questions of the top guys. Think about your tactics.

What do you mean when you say "think about your tactics"? How do you become better tactically?

GS:
I used to play the corners a lot, and didn't mind going the opposite way of the fleet. I thought a big gain was fine. As I sailed more and read more, I realized that making more ten foot gains was better than risking everything for one large gain. If you think the right is favored, it makes more sense to be 10 more feet to the right of the fleet instead of in the right corner. That way if your wrong and the left comes in you still have some chance to get back into the race.

Thanks George. Stay in touch.

GS:
You're the man!

posted 9/14/01