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| WIND IN HIS SAILS: Eric Jakimier onboard his J24 sailboat, the Combo Line—a tribute to his favorite band, Denton’s Brave Combo. photography by Elizabeth Lavin |
“What I love about SAILING is it’s really the only sport I know of that an average guy like me can go out on any given weekend and race against the very best people in the world,” says Eric Jakimier. As the commodore of the Fort Worth Boat Club, he’s certainly done his fair share of sailing—and won his fair share of races—against the sport’s greatest athletes, competing in several national and world championships. Jakimier, 47, first learned to sail at age 14 and has been racing competitively ever since. He’s helmed boats of different types and sizes (but prefers the intimate J24) and sailed in many different parts of the globe (but prefers the warm waters of Texas). When he’s not setting sail, Jakimier works as a senior development manager for Atlanta-based Place Properties. And just as in business, he’s learned that the best sailors are those who can react quickly. “You have no control over any of the conditions, and the conditions are changing every millisecond,” he says. “So you’re constantly adapting.” He pauses before adding with a chuckle, “It’s hard to imagine a sport that typically happens at about six miles per hour can be heart-pounding, but it really can. It feels a lot faster. Nobody’s got brakes.”
