As everyone else said, a true ambassador to the sport. Always at every regatta with a huge smile and lending a helping hand. I'm still at a loss for words. Our regattas will not be the same without him.
Truly a huge loss for sailing. Oley was always at the pointy end of the whichever fleet he was in, but he always made the time to help/educate/theorize about anything to do with beachcat sailing and sailors. Ambassador is the best descriptor.
We will miss him terribly and should strive to follow his example.
Oley was a terrific friend and an incredible person. Thinking back to the 9 or 10 years that I've known him, there's not one image in my mind of the man without an ear to ear smile plastered on his face. I never saw him lose his temper or show frustration. A very skilled sailor and better friend. We will miss you, man.
Thinking back to the 9 or 10 years that I've known him, there's not one image in my mind of the man without an ear to ear smile plastered on his face. I never saw him lose his temper or show frustration. A very skilled sailor and better friend.
You know, that is very true. He never showed frustration at a bad wind shift or a bad finish - he just keep being Oley.
I first met him 20 years ago in Bham at the Cat Caper (1989 - but he knew my dad before then), I about decapitated him in a "I am about to tack situation" in Ft Walton a few years later (the incident is still vivid in my mind and always tempers my judgement - luckily he and Jon Sheridan survived uncscathed) and grew to expect him and the TN contingent every year at Cat Caper. A few years ago, he showed up with Joanna on a H20 with Spin, he seemed to really be enjoying double handed sailing and working with Joanna to get faster. We raced almost boat-for-boat that weekend - me on a Blade F16 uni-rigged and they on the H20 w/spin. I guess they liked the look of the F16 - b/c they became a force to be reckoned with on it. First time I ever saw him on a non-Hobie.
Even though we only saw each other 3 or 4 times a year (at best), I already miss him.
OMG!!!! I cannot believe this!! Oley was an incredible person who happened to be a great sailor. What a warm and sharing person- I can't imagine how Joanna is handling this. Oley was a great addition to the F16 ranks- I first met him when he was single-handing his H20 at Cat Caper and I was sailing my Taipan 4.9 uni. He was the only boat I couldn't catch and I remember helping him drop the H20 mast and then showing him how light the 4.9 mast was and how easy it was to rig compared to the H20. At the last Cat Caper I went to he and Joanna fed me breakfast in his GMC motorhome- they wouldn't take "No thanks" for an answer! I just can't believe he won't be at the next regatta-
Fair winds Oley!
Sorry for all our loss... Kirt
Kirt Taipan 4.9 USA 159, Flyer USA 185 Will sail for food...
Re: Lynn "Oley" Olson
[Re: Arsailor]
#198931 12/14/0912:23 AM12/14/0912:23 AM
I'm in shock. Unbelievable how devastating this news is. Oley is one of the most genuine people I know. I can’t even remember how many years we’ve known each other…. Racing back in the day w/ the H20. Always there with a lending hand and ear. Oley has been a great friend, a great sailor and competitor. . There will be a huge void in our sailing community without you. My prayers go out to your family and Joanna.
I never had the privelege to sail with Lynn, but have worked on a bunch of H17 NA RCs over the past dozen or so years. He was at most of them, always having a great time and racing well. RIP.
At the 09 Reggae Regatta at Lake Lanier Oley and I port started the entire fleet. As we crossed the line he looked over at me and gave me "the smile" which cracked me up so I started to laugh, and then he and his crew started laughing too. That is a great way to start a race. Oley will be missed.
Re: Lynn "Oley" Olson
[Re: KenReid]
#198987 12/15/0904:31 AM12/15/0904:31 AM
Fair winds and following seas, Oley. Thoughts and prayers to his family.
"I said, now, I said ,pay attention boy!"
The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea Isak Dinesen If a man is to be obsessed by something.... I suppose a boat is as good as anything... perhaps a bit better than most. E. B. White
Never knew him personally, but sailed against him many times in Ocean Springs, he was always smiling and was a damn good sailor! My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, and as requested by Jody...I'll have a beer in his honor at 5 o'clock sharp this evening. Remember every morning you are handed 24 golden hours. They are one of the few things in this world that you get free of charge. If you had all the money in the world, you couldn't buy an extra hour. What will you do with this priceless treasure? Remember, you must use it, as it is given only once. Once wasted you cannot get it back. --Anonymous
Kenny Boudreaux C2 F18 Goodall Designs/Southern Area Rep www.sailboxes.com
Scott, is that a picture of him? Rick _________________________
Yes, taken at this year's CatFest at Lake Norman Yacht Club 9-11-2009. He and Joanna helped me tune the spi on my A Cat I had been playing with over the summer, I had a "but crack" in my spin because the haylard was too short. He quickly pulled out a spare and replaced mine in time for the tune up sail that evening. Prior to that he had just rigged his F16 and his Joby's F16 as well. His passion for cat sailing was second to none. Scott
Truly a huge loss for sailing. Oley was always at the pointy end of the whichever fleet he was in, but he always made the time to help/educate/theorize about anything to do with beachcat sailing and sailors. Ambassador is the best descriptor.
We will miss him terribly and should strive to follow his example.
We met Oley at Out Back in 2008. He and Joanna sat with Barbie and me and we just talked about all sorts of things, mostly not sailing related. We had never met other than accross the water at a few regattas.
He obviously was very intense about his sailing, but he had interests beyond that as well.
Forget fair winds and following seas.....I hope it's blowin' stink and he just rolled the devil and has a lee bow on God hisself.
Jack Woehrle Hobie Wave #100, Tiger Shark III HCA-NA 5022-1 USSailing 654799E Alachua FL/Put-In-Bay
Forget fair winds and following seas.....I hope it's blowin' stink and he just rolled the devil and has a lee bow on God hisself.
Nice +1 !
"I said, now, I said ,pay attention boy!"
The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea Isak Dinesen If a man is to be obsessed by something.... I suppose a boat is as good as anything... perhaps a bit better than most. E. B. White