Into the Storm

7

Sayonara—The Big Yank Tank

Larry Ellison became reacquainted with sailing relatively late in his life.¹ In 1994, Ellison was working out on a StairMaster alongside a friend, David Thompson, who casually asked Ellison if he sailed. The question got Ellison's attention. He had been an avid sailor, but had given up the sport.

Ellison first learned to sail when he came to California in the mid-60s. He took to sailing right away, and his enthusiasm led him to remark that he attended the University of California and “majored in sailing.” Ellison began with a tiny 14-foot “plastic boat,” later graduating to a 24-foot boat, and finally a 34-foot racing ...