Mentors

George Matavulj

Sailing off Glencoe Beach on the Great Lake Michigan has changed this season. My personal friend and sailing mentor, George Matavulj has passed on this week. He sailed the Adriatic Seas before WWII and eventually made his way to the Chicago area. How George settled on sailing a Hobie Cat, I will never know, but he always loved the H14 over any boat he sailed. More importantly he would love to tell sailing stories and share in the Hobie life style.

I met George on the first weekend in May of 1986

My crew and I had set sail off Wilmette Beach. At some point during the sail, the boat capsized. To make a long story short, with Coast Guard and a Wilmette beach assitances, we got towed in. As we were recovering from the event, this old man with a green Door County sailing t-shirt and jacket, walks up and says “you have this, this and this wrongâ€

Sounds like the best sorta guy to have around. Guess it's something to aim for ourselvesd when we get that old ourselves - be an inspiration to the younger guys and show them how to enjoy life.

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Anthony
88 H16 "Moonshine"

Thanks for sharing......... too many times we never realize what is in a person until they are gone.

Go out and say Thank You to someone who has been a part of your life, it will make your day as well as theirs.

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1989 Hobie 18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker
1987 Hobie Holder 20 #273

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net

That was a wonderful story to share. I've been a "seat of the pants" small boat sailer for 30 years...my crew is 41 and 51, and I'm 61.

I hope I'll attract people to sailing the way he had.