Typical sight on these shores. I hear a lot of generational grumbling about Millennials not sailing.
Here's my take: Millennials are halting a decades long decline of sailing. They are taking advantage of a surplus of old neglected sailboats. Around here, some of those are wooden boats and they're picking up the skills to care for them as well.
A 1938 Rhodes 33' Astro this week, sails by as we (under power) hooked our mooring.
But here's the twist (of the knife in the curmudgeons
), Millennials are better sailors than their parents. They harken back to their grandparents generation of simpler boats and more reliance on sailing.
Sure, my take is local where I know many of the kids and their parents. Local sailing clubs host programs for kids to start sailing at an early age (nothing new). I think as parents, we took more advantage of these programs(great experience and cheap daycare). Most every parent I knew enrolled their kids, it was and is, the local thing to do and kids think it is 'cool'.
I saw the Astro dancing around the harbor as we came in. A graceful boat under sail and a delightful sight to see. The kids onboard are unfazed by the $$$$ sailing by. They grew up sailing through these harbors in Opti's, Turn-abouts, 420's, Lasers,...they're still mentally in those tiny boats (and the Rhodes has no power-"who needs that?")
An light East wind in Rockport Harbor is a delight. Flat water and easy speed. No sailor can resist dropping everything to watch another sailor sail onto their mooring. The long slender Rhodes is sleek in the water. It seems to sail on nothing. Nimble kids float on narrow decks without heeling the boat to douse the jib.
Coasting in on the main.
Are they short,...are they short?
Of course not. They've done this a million times in other boats. The Rhodes still has a bit of way on to wind the bow toward their mooring, on starboard. The outflowing tidal current (which they read), will finish the move.
Perfect, brilliant, they hooked the mooring with ease.
Millennials would say, "Killin' it".
Here's my take: Millennials are halting a decades long decline of sailing. They are taking advantage of a surplus of old neglected sailboats. Around here, some of those are wooden boats and they're picking up the skills to care for them as well.
A 1938 Rhodes 33' Astro this week, sails by as we (under power) hooked our mooring.
But here's the twist (of the knife in the curmudgeons
), Millennials are better sailors than their parents. They harken back to their grandparents generation of simpler boats and more reliance on sailing.Sure, my take is local where I know many of the kids and their parents. Local sailing clubs host programs for kids to start sailing at an early age (nothing new). I think as parents, we took more advantage of these programs(great experience and cheap daycare). Most every parent I knew enrolled their kids, it was and is, the local thing to do and kids think it is 'cool'.
I saw the Astro dancing around the harbor as we came in. A graceful boat under sail and a delightful sight to see. The kids onboard are unfazed by the $$$$ sailing by. They grew up sailing through these harbors in Opti's, Turn-abouts, 420's, Lasers,...they're still mentally in those tiny boats (and the Rhodes has no power-"who needs that?")
An light East wind in Rockport Harbor is a delight. Flat water and easy speed. No sailor can resist dropping everything to watch another sailor sail onto their mooring. The long slender Rhodes is sleek in the water. It seems to sail on nothing. Nimble kids float on narrow decks without heeling the boat to douse the jib.
Coasting in on the main.
Are they short,...are they short?
Of course not. They've done this a million times in other boats. The Rhodes still has a bit of way on to wind the bow toward their mooring, on starboard. The outflowing tidal current (which they read), will finish the move.
Perfect, brilliant, they hooked the mooring with ease.
Millennials would say, "Killin' it".
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