Interview by Eric Hood (North Sails
One Design Zenda)
I would like to introduce to our friends and customers
one of most important team members Rodrigo Meireles of
North Sails One Design West in San Diego, CA. I have gotten
to know and come to respect Rodrigo’s sailmaking
talents both as a co-worker at North Sails One Design and
in a unique way as a customer who orders about 1000 sails
a year from Rodrigo and his team at North Sails One Design
West.
EH: Rodrigo, I would like to ask
you some questions so that our customers and friends can have
a better idea about you, your family, sailing and what it is
like working with the strongest One Design Sailmaking team
in the world. First, I know you were born and raised in Brazil.
Tell us about your early sailing experiences in Brazil and
how it brought you to the United States.
RM: I started sailing
Optimists in Brazil when I was 9. By 12 I was getting too
big for Optimists and I started sailing Lasers. I sailed
Lasers
for over 13 years and sometimes crewing on Star boats.
At the same time I got my first job at the Ullman Sails
Brazil and besides one designs I had to concentrate also
on sailing big boats.
Sailing is not a very popular
sport in Brazil (soccer for sure is the most popular one)
and even with the great weather all year long and great
breeze we
still raced small fleets compared to the rest of the world.
But between us the competition was always very tight due
to names like Torben Grael, Alan Adler, Peter Tansheidt
among many other great sailors I had a chance to grow
up with that didn’t get to be professional sailors.
EH: How did you find your way
to the North Sails One Design team and how long have you been
with North Sails?
RM: After working
for Ullman Sails Brazil I also worked for Diamond Sailmakers
Brazil that later became North Sails Brazil. I had around
6 years experience in sailmaking when during a Star Bacardi
Cup in 1995 I was invited by Vince to work for North Sails
One Design. So we moved to the US in 1996 and since then
I’ve been working with the North One Design Team.
EH: I know you have had some great
successes sailing One Designs all over the world. Tell us about
your favorite sailing experiences and also your favorite boats
that you really enjoy sailing.
RM: I had a great
time sailing Lasers. Like I said, we got to race against
great sailors in Brazil and it helped all of us to get
better and do well abroad. In Lasers I won the South American
Championship besides many other championships. I also enjoy
the Star boats a lot and have been sailing it for over
15 years crewing for great guys like Vince Brun, Alan Adler,
Torben Grael, Eric Doyle.
An unforgettable moment was in 1994 sailing the Star Worlds
with Alan in San Diego... We lost the championship in
the last
leg of the last race for Ross Macdonald. Boy, it was
hard.. The Star class is like a big family and we all get
to beat
and be beaten at certain point by friends.
EH: Who are some of the people
who really influenced both your sailing and your sailmaking
career?
RM: Not like others,
my family has no tradition in sailing, I was the first
one to jump in a boat. One guy that inspired me in my early
years of sailing was Gastao Brun (Vince Brun’s brother).
He was and still is a great sailor and for the younger
generation he was an inspiration.
EH: Tell us about your family.
Your family back in Brazil, your wife Laura who runs the North
One Design website and your children.
RM: Yes the family
is growing.. We have a 2 years old son Thomas and and a
2 months old daughter Isabella. Our families live back
in Brazil but they come often to visit us.
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