Kid stuff?

Bob R. · Nov 26, 2007

Inland Cat Lake George

I first caught the sailing bug when I about 15 years old (41 years ago) when was trying to get to know a girl 2 cottages down from my aunt and uncle's on Lake George on the Indiana/Michigan state line had a 14-ft Inland Cat sailboat. (See November issue of Sailing Magazine for a 2-pg article on the 50th anniversary of the Inland Cat sailboat!) We used to race together in the Saturday club regattas, but I think I fell in love with the sailboat instead of the girl. I convinced my dad to buy a sailboat, but we couldn't find and Inland Cat for sale, so we bought a 12-ft Starcraft sailboat. Too slow and not competitive with the Inland Cat's on the lake so we eventually traded it in for a 14-ft Hobie Cat. The Hobie Cat was a lot faster and frequently capsized when we got reckless with it. I was back to Lake George this summer for the first time since I was a teenager. My brothers and sister and I rented a cottage for a week and relived our childhood. There are still a lot of Inland Cat's on the lake and I spent most of the week trying to find one to rent...no luck renting but still enjoyed watching.

Mark Major · Nov 26, 2007

On 8/9/89, at the age of 32

With virtually no boating experience I awoke from a dream I didn't remember with a compulsion to sail.

Tom Monroe · Nov 27, 2007

there's a lesson to be learned here ...

Periodically, we see on this board someone bemoaning the dirth of youth in our beloved sport. Reading the answers here, the solution is simple .... buy an old sunfish and a good lifejacket, invest in some swimming lessons if necessary, locate a protected body of water, and let kids, water, and boat mix. Do all that early in life, before video games become too ingrained. I took my then 12 year old grandson on my C27. He declined another opportunity. Put him on a little dinghy and left him alone, and off he went!!When I was perhaps 10, we lived on a little 5-acre pond, and my buddy and I, inspired by an old B&W movie, rigged a jon boat with a wooden pole upon which we could raise a square sail made from an old army tarp. We'd sail downwind, then row back and do it over. The next year, dad bought a 12 ft telstar sloop that became "mine", and had the grace and good sense to point me to the lake and let me experiment on my own. Then like many of you, I was the little kid who crewed lightnings and scows on light air days. Then snipes in college.48 years later, still doin' it !!!!TomCarlyle Lake

Wayne M · Nov 27, 2007

NEWBIES

My wife and I bought a 12foot barnett butterfly this july. we loved it. In august we bought a Catalina 22. I believe we are hooked in the wonderful sport of sailing.

SEADANCE · Nov 28, 2007

Sweet 16

met hubby many moons ago when I had just turned 16 and we bought an itty bitty sailboat together. Spent time re-doing her bottom and top and loved every minute of her on the lake in Beltzville, Pa.B/Seadance

h28.5 sailor · Nov 28, 2007

I started young

It all started about 18 years ago when I went sailing only 3 days old. I grew up sailing with my family on our Hunter 28.5 and loved every minute of it. I enjoy racing with another member of our sailing club every Tuesday night durning the summer. I was born into a sailing family and it became a huge part of my life. I look forward to many more years of sailing on Green Bay.

Tim R. · Nov 28, 2007

Home build Dinghy

My dad and I built our first boat when I was about 7(early 70s). It was one of 6 British Mirrors imported by my dad and 5 of his friends. Next on to more excitement and spent quite a few years windsurfing while also sailing dinghys such as sunfish, lasers, odays, etc. Eventually moved up to a Hobie 16 and then a San Juan 21. The San Juan was the first boat I had on Casco bay and decided to move up to a Pearson 28 to extend our timeont he boat. Eventually sold the Pearsona nd now have an Ericson 35. I remember as a kid rigging sails to bikes, skateboards, ice skates, rafts or anything else that might get pushed by the wind.BTW, my boat to get around as a kid was a 1969 12 ft. alumacraft with Johnson 6hp. We painted it red, white and blue and is still at my camp. People come up to me and tell me how there was a boat just like it when they were a kid on the lake and I tell them it is the same boat.Tim R.

Joe11688 · Nov 30, 2007

The sailing bug bit me in my thirties

I was in my thirties when the sailing bug bit me. It was during the gas shortages back in the mid 1970s. I had always had factory built power boats made of wood. I started out with a canoe. I knew absolutely nothing about sailing. So, I went to the public library and drew out some books on sailing and learned the fundamentals. Then I made the biggest mistake of my life. I let this guy talk me into buying a brand new fiberglass racing day sailer. It was fast, but it sure was tender. Consequently, I was out on the lake sailing it one day, and I broke the cardinal rule of sailing a centerboard day sailer. In my case, this particular boat had twin centerboards. I tied the main sheet to the tiller. That's a big No No. Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time, except a strong gust of wind suddenly came up and blew her right over as I was standing on the bow. What a revolting development that turned out to be. In the chaos, I lost my British Seagull engine, and I felt like an idiot in the process. "We all learn by our mistakes," so the man says. I look back now and laugh, because I'm still leaving my tiller and walking to the bow under sail or power. The only difference is, I have a 22 foot Keel centerboard cabin sloop with an autopilot. Have I learned anything through the years? No--except you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Ahoy!Joe

Rick9671 · Dec 1, 2007

Learned from books

I became interested in sailing when I read Arthur Ransome's books during free reading time when I was in the third grade. By the time I was twelve, I would rig a sail on any small boat that I could use, whether it was suitable for sailing or not. I learned a lot about sailing by putting a sail on canoes, prams, and rowboats. One summer when I was a teenager, some kind folks in upstate New York took me out in their Thistle and taught me how to handle a jib.The first boat I actually owned was a Sabot that I bought when I was about 30 years old. Shortly thereafter I was employed as an aaquatics instructor at a Boy Scout summer camp where I taught canoeing and sailing as I was more skilled at handling either craft than any of the other staff memebers.We left the Sabot with a friend when we moved to the upper Chesapeake Bay area in 1982 and, with help from my father, acquired a South Coast 21. We sailed this boat whenever we could find the time and enough wind. We sold the South Coast when we went to California in 1994. We retired to Utah in 1998. About two years later, a gentle afternoon breeze on the mountain where we live, reminded me that I missed sailing. Since sailboats are rare in Utah, I began following the offerings on eBay. I acquired a Snipe, then a Lido 14. When I bought a Rebel 16 from some friends that were anxious to recover at least part of their investment, we sold the Snipe and Lido 14.I am still teaching Scouts how to sail and introduce people to sailing every time the opportunity arises. I have never had a formal sailing lesson. However, I have read many books and articles on sailing and I am stll learning after 55 years of sailing. All of this is the result of reading Arthur Ransome's books when I had spare time for reading in third grade. I had forgotten the name of the book's author and I was pleased to see it in several of the posts this week.

Kid stuff?

Bob R.

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Sonia

Mark Major

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Becky

Tom Monroe

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Wayne M

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Glenn

SEADANCE

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h28.5 sailor

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Tim R.

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gop711

Joe11688

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Rick9671

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Rick Knorr

Cap'n Ron

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