Fill your sails
Sharon Green’s new collection, Sharon Green’s 30 Years of Ultimate Sailing (Windward Productions, $60), is a celebration of three decades of elite yachting and racing photography. Compiled from an extraordinary archive—250 images selected from more than half a million frames—this 200-page coffee table book delivers a powerful, visual narrative of life on the water. The photographs span the sport from the 1980s through today, documenting weather, speed, teamwork, and the dramatic moments that define competitive sailing.
For readers and sailing enthusiasts looking for high-quality sailing photography, this volume brings together action shots and quieter, intimate moments that reveal the skill and passion of sailors and crews. Sharon Green’s eye for composition and timing turns individual races and boats into stories—images that capture spray, sail shapes, close-quarters maneuvers, and the raw emotion that accompanies victory and defeat. The book showcases not just the boats, but the human element of the sport: focus, determination, and the camaraderie among sailors.
Included among the highlights are images from some of the sport’s most memorable contests, including Oracle Team USA’s thrilling America’s Cup comeback victory last year. These photographs provide a close-up look at pivotal moments in contemporary sailing history and place them in the broader context of three decades of technological and tactical evolution on the racecourse. Readers will find both familiar scenes that appeared in Green’s annual Ultimate Sailing calendars and previously unpublished photographs that add fresh perspective to the sport’s visual record.
This collection is accompanied by essays from many prominent figures in competitive sailing. Contributors such as John Bertrand, Paul Cayard, Stan Honey, John Kilroy, Buddy Melges, Ken Read, and reigning Cup champion Jimmy Spithill provide personal reflections and professional insight alongside the imagery. Their perspectives help frame the photographs within the realities of modern racing, offering context about strategy, seamanship, and what it takes to compete at the highest levels. These essays complement the pictures and make the book valuable not just as a photographic anthology but as a compact chronicle of contemporary sailing culture.
From a publishing and design standpoint, the book is intended as a coffee table volume—an object to return to often, flip through leisurely, and display. The selection of 250 images emphasizes variety: fleet scenes, close-up portraits, helms in intense concentration, and sail shapes filled with wind. By presenting both classic and lesser-seen moments, the book appeals to a wide audience that includes long-time sailors, photographers, and newcomers wanting an introduction to the drama and artistry of the sport.
Sharon Green’s work has long been recognized within the sailing community for its combination of technical skill and artistic sensibility. Her photographs have been featured in calendars, magazines, and race coverage over many years, and this curated collection distills her contribution into a single, lasting volume. For photographers and fans of sailing photography, the images provide lessons in timing, framing, and the use of light and movement to tell a story.
Whether you are drawn to historic races, cutting-edge foiling boats, traditional cutters and schooners, or the personal stories behind the crews, this book aims to deliver an evocative portrait of the sport. It celebrates the endurance and innovation that keep sailing evolving while honoring the timeless allure of wind, water, and craft. Ultimately, Sharon Green’s 30 Years of Ultimate Sailing is an invitation to experience the thrill of racing and the quieter moments that make sailing a deeply human pursuit.
December 2014 issue