Curmudgeon Casts Off

Tom “The Curmudgeon” Leweck

The message in the inbox had a headline of only ”retirement”.  I knew this day was coming, but never wanted to think it would actually happen.

The Curmudgeon has announced he is handing over the helm of Scuttlebutt to son Craig.

Scuttlebutt began life on September 27, 1997 with 40 of Tom’s closest friends getting an email about amusing things that were happening around the southern California waterfront.  Fletcher’s job of the week.  Gaudio’s latest victory.  A new big boat here.  A screwy race there.  Little by little, ‘butt grew to a national publication, then international.  What started as something to just keep alot of us more connected to each other between races each week in SoCal helped to changed alot about the sport for the better on a global basis.

But let’s back up a minute – I get asked alot - ”Who is the Curmudgeon?”.  I think the more interesting question is “What is the Curmudgeon?”   

I had the good fortune to stumble into him in the late 80’s when Leslie DeMeuse and I were helping the Sled class with some prospective TV and sponsorship opportunities.  Tom was the then Executive Director of the Sled class - he did a great job balancing the competitive interests of a bunch of guys who are all used to getting their own way.  The duration of the class on the west coast is largely due to his ability to herd a bunch of (really rich) cats in the same general direction.  So, let’s start by saying he’s a darn good diplomat.

Back up even further to the time before I knew him when he was racing, and winning, in a wide variety of boats from Lido 14’s to Wavelength 24’s.  Along the way he picked up a talent for navigating big boats – especially down the west coast of Mexico.  Local lore has it that he’s done 52 (or maybe 53, I’ve lost track) Mexican Races.  Won more than a few of them too.  Also a handful of Transpacs too.  Even knows celestial navigation pretty darn well.  So lets call this part the adventurer.

I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of being a house guest at the Leweck homes.  For someone who has sailed alot, and won alot of trophies, when you look around their tasteful Marina del Rey condo, you don’t see any trophy clutter – in fact, you see almost no trophies.  But you see alot of books – cool books on alot of different subjects, but for sure, alot of sailing books.  However the sailing books aren’t about how to win, they are more about how to enjoy the sport.   So let’s call this the intellectual part. 

Consider for a minute that ‘butt started during the first light of the internet age.  Many of us had been using email for a couple of years by ‘97, a few for as many as 10 years.  Back in the late 80’s and early ’90’s, then US Sailing Executive Director John Bonds sort of mandated that committee members join Compuserve so we could communicate with each other more easily.  Many of us began email communication about sailing well before email was as easy as it is today, and certainly long before the web was mainstream.  As a former communications profressional (Tom was the PR dude for GTE in California) he was always interested in various new forms of communicating.  When ‘butt began, who know where the internet was going to go exactly (who still knows?), but he knew that it was a good way to spend time, and to spread the word.  There is little question that ‘butt has become the de facto standard when it comes to promoting progressive change that betters the sport, especially in the US.  Ever sail in a regatta where the RC uses VHF radio’s to communicate with sailors before and during the start?  You can thank The Curmudgeon for beating that drum constantly.  So, let’s also put the tag of visionary on him too.

One thing is also certain, for all of the progress he’s been a part of, it is rarely about him, and most often it’s about others when it comes to passing out credit for a job well done.  As the long standing MC for the North Sails Race Week prize giving in Long Beach, he had a certain way of making all the non-winners feel great about just being in the event.   When the TP 52 class was starting, who did they turn to as their first Exectutive Director?  The Curmudgeon.  When he realized his interests were being divided between spending time against helping that class or furthering the interests of ‘butt, he stepped aside and helped current ExDir Tom Pollack take the helm of that class, which by any measure is now a huge success.  Are you sailing on – and/or making money from – the TP 52 class these days?  Say thanks to Leweck, but while he’ll say all the credit is due to Tom Pollack, I’d bet Pollack would be the first to say the class would not have been able to prosper as it has without the early foundation provided by Leweck.  That both of the Tom’s will deflect credit to the other is probably exactly why the class is at the top of the sport these days.  As an editor, for both Sailing World, and obviously ‘butt, he’s probably lost count long ago of how many stories and editorials he’s had to whip up into shape.  Back in the Sailing World days, he took a decent idea, with terrible prose, about creating a list of Group 2 & 3 sailors and turned it into this article.  As a result, that list was created, which helped a couple of classes better manage their growth.  Ultimately, the list that US Sailing created became the foundation for the ISAF Sailor system.  So, let’s add mentor to the list of what Tom is.

So what The Curmudgeon does somewhat defines who he is – and ultimately there are only really really three words that can define him – “family man” & “friend”.

And probably one more…

Dude.

And like anyone of his calibre, “retirement” is the wrong word for what The Curmudgeon is doing.  He’s just getting off the helm of the boat called “Scuttlebutt” and jumping ship to the world of radio controlled boats where he has an accelerated interest.  One wonders how long it will be before RC boats have their own little special edition of “RC ‘butt”.

Knowing him as I do, he’d not want alot of attention about this change, or the sort of accomplishment he’s achieved for the sport through ‘butt.  But for those in the US who understand what the Herreshoff award is, can you think of a more deserving candidate?  I can’t.

The sport of yacht racing is a better game today than it was on September 27, 1997 – Thanks, Curmudgeon.