Janice Lange has been sailing for most of her life.
She’s an 86-year-old athlete, coach and teacher. And she teaches sailing lessons for kids and adults out on Lake Champlain.
For years, she says, she was the only woman skipper around. But lately, she’s been trying to take a step back. “I don’t need to be the leader anymore,” she said.
This interview was produced for the ear. We highly recommend listening to the audio. We’ve also provided a transcript, which has been edited for length and clarity.
Janice Lange: I’ve always been the boat owner. And usually, for many years, I was the only woman skipper.
[Watch that thing, it’ll come down and smash your fingers.]
My name is Janice Lange, and I’m retired from the University of Vermont. I was a physical education instructor there.
[Fire extinguisher, life jackets —]
Leigh Madalinski: And what type of boat is this?
Janice Lange: A Tanzer 22. And I have an electric motor. That’s the top half there, it has a battery in it.
So, if you both can swim, I’m OK with you not wearing life jackets. If you trip and fall overboard, we’ll throw you a cushion.
[If there’s a big wind, that’ll seize up, and you won’t be able to get the sail out.]
Janice Lange: OK, it’s nice!
Leigh Madalinski: We’re sailing!
Janice Lange: There’s Mt. Mansfield!
[You could pull your sail in a little when we get out here, the wind keeps shifting.]
There’s two things here. I want to go out toward the outer bay, so first I’m going to get my direction, and then I’m going to trim the sails.
Passengers on a passing motor boat: Yay! Hey! Woo hoo!
Janice Lange: That must be somebody I know, but I can’t see them well enough.
Leigh Madalinski: Would you say that you’re competitive, Janice?
Janice Lange: Well, when I’m racing. I’m not competitive today. Yeah, I’m fairly competitive, but I don’t, you know — like, I play in a bocce league now, and I don’t get all bent out of shape if we lose. I mean, unless we lose because we were just terrible, I mean, we made mistakes.
Leigh Madalinski: Do you trash talk people?
Janice Lange: What?
Leigh Madalinski: Trash talk?
Janice Lange: No. No one in that league I’m in trash talks! Well, maybe under their breath.
[I think we need to tack here so, you’re going to let that out and she’s going to pull hers in. Pull in, let go. OK, that’s good.]
I was only the second person in my whole family that ever went to college. My mother died when I was in high school, and I became the head of the household. I lived in Milwaukee, and I was going to Madison. And, I mean, I purposely went, because I knew if I went at home, if I went in Milwaukee, I’d be stuck doing the cooking, doing, you know.
[OK, I think I’m going to jibe. OK, the boom’s going to come across. And you’re going to pull the sail to your side.]
Janice Lange: I just looked at the newsletter from our church and there’s a funeral Saturday and a funeral Sunday, and they’re both friends of mine. There was one last week.
[Uh, you’re caught. OK, now pull.]
Leigh Madalinski: What are you afraid of?
Janice Lange: What am I afraid of? Probably becoming unable to take care of myself.
[Look at the winch, you don’t want to get an override. You want all the stacks of rope to be even.]
I’m now at the point where I try to keep my head low so I don’t become the leader.
Leigh Madalinski: Yeah, you’ve had a lot of leadership roles!
Janice Lange: I don’t need to be the leader anymore!
[Let's see where the wind is.]
This story comes from a collaboration between Vermont Public and the Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship. Production support by Kelsey Tolchin-Kupferer.
