Remembering Larry Salzman
We are terribly saddened to announce the passing of Larry Salzman on September 19th at the age of 85. Among other roles, Larry served as Executive Director of the Lake Calhoun Sailing School (now MSC) for over 25 years. Minneapolis Sailing Center and the sport of sailing lost an incredible ambassador and a dear friend.
A C Scow sailor since the 1960s, Larry joined the Calhoun Yacht Club on Bde Maka Ska in 1988 and competed in the weekly races. The racing competition was fierce and Larry was instantly hooked! With his penchant for dramatic capsizes, he quickly earned his place on the renowned Champion Dumper Trophy (affectionately known as the “Bucket”) awarded to the skipper with the most fantastic capsize. Undaunted, Larry adopted the motto, “It’s not the winning that’s important, it’s being out there and enjoying the experience that counts.”
In 1989, members of the Calhoun Yacht Club created the nonprofit Lake Calhoun Sailing School as a welcoming and inclusive place to learn how to sail. Over the years Larry did it all at LCSS: serving the school as an administrator, Board President, and Executive Director. Larry was able to steadily expand the fleet of boats, hire more staff and offer new classes through his keen financial management and sheer force of will. In fact, Larry grew the program from four X Boats to a fleet of nearly 100 boats and over a thousand students each summer! He ran the sailing school until 2016, retiring at 80 years young.
In his last years as director, he and John Weissert had the foresight to buy a few Pearson Ensign keelboats for their larger size and stability. That decision ultimately led to the Minneapolis Sailing Center Membership and Outreach Programs, making sailing on Bde Maka Ska more accessible and greatly expanding the size and impact of the school.
In his retirement years, Larry continued racing his C Scow with his son Ted (current Executive Director of MSC), volunteered on the Race Committee for high school sailing, and served on the Board of Directors. (Click here to read his story about judging a high school sailing regatta.) More than anything, he loved sailing with his family and friends and enjoyed being out on the water. Even in his last days, he offered to take the hospital staff out for a sail on the lake; Larry was truly passionate about the sport.
Larry introduced countless students to the sport and was a champion for affordable and accessible sailing for all. Moreover, Larry created an environment at the sailing school that inspired personal growth, fostered a deep sense of camaraderie, and kept sailors coming back each year. Because of this, beginning sailors often fell in love with the sport and eventually became instructors themselves. Many of them went out of their way to come back and say hello to Larry years later.
Larry had a wonderful ability to form lasting friendships and show genuine interest in others. People frequently poked their heads in the boathouse hoping that Larry was there so they could shoot the breeze. No matter how busy he was, Larry stopped what he was doing to sit down with someone and catch up. Whether talking about sailing, or just the news of the day, he valued spending time with people. In the last few weeks, the outpouring of support and fond memories from past sailors and staff speaks to the profound impact he had on those around him.
We owe Larry a great deal for building a solid foundation and growing the sailing school into what it is today. While his smile and laughter will be dearly missed, he leaves a lasting legacy of friendship, passion for sailing, and love for the MSC community.
Donations in his memory will support scholarships, community outreach events, and other opportunities to introduce sailing to newcomers.
