– You won in classic division last year and before it you restored your boat. Do you prepare something special for this season too?
We have two boats: West and Tango. West is standing in boathouse, we don’t use it now. Two years ago we restored “Tango” and this time we are sailing on it. It impossible to do something with Dragons because of downtime boat just dies. So this time we changed it a bit to comply with Dragons class rules. Now we have valid measurement certificate, so we can use it at this regatta.
– Nowadays Dragons don’t have a lot of old boats…
– “Classic” yachts can`t be a lot! I think that our country has the largest fleet of classic yachts in the world. We can find some of them in Finland, maybe five in Italy, in Switzerland. You can name them “veterans of the fleet”. J-Class yacht is historic and we can find nearly six all over the world! Nevertheless, they still are sailing. By the way another Dragon “Phoenix” was brought from Azov; he hadn’t sailed since 1970.
– How you start sailing Dragon?
– It happened by occasionally! I was invited in crew to sail and since then we are racing five years together.
– Why sportsmen devote themselves to classic boats? What is more important: racing or process of restoring?
Both, to rebuilt a yacht and win a race in it! For example our crew Sergey Dalnev likes cleanliness. Everything must be perfect. But for me it doesn’t matter, I am interesting in races.
– For several years you were wining classic division, what is your filling for present regatta?
– If will win it`s good, lose it`s bad (laughs) Of course, we will try to win again!
– Should we win it`s good, and if we lose its disappointing bad, of course we will try to win.
– Your sailing career is impressing.
– I am sailing for 30 years. I started with brother at “Cadet” I was helmsman and trimmed shits. And then start to sail in class “420”, “470”. Sailing it’s our family tradition.
– Which achievement can you note more than other?
– Some years ago, we won at Rolex Middle Sea Race. We’re sailing quite often and successfully. Of course I never won Olympic Games.
– Do you race at international regattas?
– Unfortunately, we don’t travel to European competitions. It is very hard to carry “classics” abroad. Therefore, we are racing only here, in Russia.
-Beside Dragons do you sail something else?
– Dragon is very beautiful yacht. But I also like to sail “Open800”. These boats are different from Dragons: they are light and fast. Speaking of other classes I can note “Flying Dutchman”. It`s an amazing yacht. Last year my dream come true – I sailed it. They are very fast and hard to control, that’s why they are attractive. Sailing has big variety: you can go to North Pole on steel yacht and to South Pole on windsurf.
– Does your family share your hobby?
– I have a big family. Four children: three girls and elder son, which serves in army. Eldest daughter sails in “420” and middle one – “rocket 270”, smallest also will sailing.
