Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. When his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile, Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and survived a six-year ordeal in a communist Vietnamese prison.

One day Plumb bumped into a man who identified himself as the one who “packed (his) parachute”.

That night Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time, the fate of someone he didn't know.

He also noted that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory -- physical parachute, mental parachute, emotional parachute, and spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching to safety.

In this day and age, an athlete who operates alone will never go far. Behind the athletes, there is a team of parachute-packers. Without their support, the sailors would be like aeroplanes without wings. Logistics, events, equipment, finances, preparations, training, nutrition, schooling, medical, encouragement, consolation…the contributions of the parachute-packers are far-reaching. They enable the sailors to engage in the sport with the peace of mind that all has been taken care of; they allow the sailors to go out to sea with 100% readiness.

SingaporeSailing and the sailors recognise and thank all who have “packed our parachutes”.