Even a rash lightning strike didn’t stop them
by Daniel Minchen
The American Revolution started in Boston, and so did the “revolution” in the lives of Brad Emery and Carol Scuro when it came to sailing, their preferred recreational activity for the last half-century.
Rochester-born Emery and Scuro, who hails from Pittsburgh, sealed their love of one another and of sailing in the middle of the Charles River and in the shadows of the famous Prudential Tower and the Sheraton-Boston hotel.
“Those two buildings had a funneling effect on the wind. It was like little twisting tornadoes, and we were caught in it on our 15-foot rented sailboat,” said Emery, remembering his first date with Scuro who’d never been sailing. “Pittsburgh has three rivers, but they’re for barges and iron boats, and maybe motorboats. But not for sailboats.”
The wind whipped the little craft, and the sail boom – the big bar at the bottom of the main sail – swung back and forth, giving Scuro some healthy smacks. Emery held onto the rudder, trying to shield his date but was mostly ineffective. Scuro, however, quickly learned how to duck and dodge or stop the boom. This wasn’t how Emery had envisioned their first date.
“I was amazed,” he said. “Even with the chaos of the sail, she loved it! She almost got knocked off the side, but she wanted to keep sailing! It was then I knew that this was a special woman.”
That revelation blossomed into a serious partnership culminating in wedding vows in 1974 and a sailing union – now celebrating its 50th year, all with the Canandaigua Yacht Club on Route 16. Each year, Emery and Scuro, who practice dentistry jointly with offices on Chili Avenue, haul their 22-foot Ensign full-keel classic sailboat and launch it on the west side of Canandaigua Lake for a summer season of weekend racing. They purchased the Ensign 40 years ago, and they’ve raced it exclusively – winning or placing second among more than 30 yacht club races per year.
Such an endeavor requires a crew to handle the various ropes and sails. Each “wind catcher” requires precise positioning and tautness, tasks crew members must master. Early on, Emery and Scuro brought their children on board. Nicholas, now 43, and Hannah, 46, learned racing skills that put their parents in the winner’s circle.
But as marriage and family matters pressed on, Emery and Scuro needed a new crew. Along came Marty Richards, a proud native of New Zealand who joined Rochester’s Taylor Instruments (now Taylor Precision Products) in 1987. He partnered up with Emery and Scuro in 2005.
When Emery and Scuro sail, which is most weekends, Richards comes along as the dedicated and dexterous crew member, bubbling with energy. Why does this Penfield resident do it?
“It’s an amazing way to spend time,” Richards said. “Enjoying energetic life on this stunning lake is all pleasure. I’ve been all over the world doing programming tasks for Taylor, but nothing compares to that spectacular lake.”
This consistent love of sailing and racing would have permanently sunk in August 1994 when a dangerous summer storm crossed the sky and lightning struck their craft, named ParaDocs. It seared the 30-foot aluminum mast and caused 37 holes to form in the boat’s fiberglass bottom. ParaDocs was the only vessel struck among 50 others moored at the yacht club.
Club members helped the couple drag the waterlogged Ensign ashore to inspect the damage. Emery and Scuro so loved their Ensign, they sent it to Houston, TX for repairs and refurbishing. It was trucked back to Rochester the following year in plenty of time to register for and compete in the 1995 season’s races.
Neither Boston’s Charles River wind nor Canandaigua lightning were successful at dampening this couple’s desire to taste the wind, plow the water and wave the victory flag. Will it happen again this year? A victory is always tough to forecast, but their registration for the weekly competition is already complete.
The bright yellow ParaDocs is in the water at the Canandaigua Yacht Club, ready to participate in weekend races during the 2025 season. It’s all set to go – except for the 30-foot mast.
“That we remove and re-install every year,” Scuro said. “Just in case.”
Daniel Minchen is a retired professor of business and communication at Houghton University.
