Thankful much?

May 1, 2011
4,187
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
I was landlocked until going to the Naval Academy. Learned to sail on 26 ft Rainbow Knockabouts. Couple of introductory sails on the Luders yawls and I was hooked on the concept of long distance point A to point B sailing.
 

RussC

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Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
A higher power led me to a long string of adventure sports over many years. as I've gotten older, slower, and more circumspect in my adventures, it has culminated in sailing for the past 8. it's been a wonderful ride that I hope to take out to the conclusion.
 
Aug 19, 2019
42
C&C 25 mk2 Seneca Lake
The wind whispered sweet nothings in my ear... actually, it was a friend and a couple hours of fine sailing on a Tanzer 22 that planted the sailing bug about a dozen years ago. But I reserve my deepest gratitude for my wonderful spouse, who encouraged me to make it happen and my family for accepting and sharing in the joy (mostly). And while I am at it... I am grateful for this forum. Thanks SBO and sailors everywhere!
 
Nov 19, 2019
8
Catalina 22 Gainesville, FL
My neighbor and veterinarian who tapped me as crew for his Soverel 26. I was a college freshman, and all the rest of the crew were 40+. I was in charge of everything ahead of the mast, above the deck, and behind the stern pulpit (outboard). They steered, trimmed and drank beer, I changed headsails, packed chutes and blocked the waves sitting first on the highside.

Loved every minute of it! Thanks Ollie!
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Who do you thank for helping you get into sailing?
I can thank you, Phil, for helping me get the hang of sailing in cyberspace.

I can't remember who first placed me sailing on a sailboat. It must have been my parents at an early age, but it could have been a grandfather/mother.

Small open boats with tillers and daggerboards. We never crossed any oceans together, but something happens to some of us, that can stick for a lifetime.

I'm looking forward now to something new: Our 2 adult kids will be out there sailing on the coast of Maine next season, on their own sailboats. Wow! Hard to believe.

I'm stuck somewhere in the middle of this family sailing cycle and not sure who started it so, thanks are due all around.

Kids on the bow.  (1 of 1).jpg
 
Apr 26, 2015
660
S2 26 Mid On Trailer
Hobie Alter.
Taught myself how to sail on a Snark Mach II and books from the library. But the Hobie 16 and all of the fun regattas and racing (no yacht club required) really got me into sailing. My first H-16, of 4, was #8548. We assembled it in the dealers showroom, his backyard. This is my 50th year of sailing. It's supposed to be sunny, 75° and 8-10 kts tomorrow. I think I'll go sailing.
 
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Dec 25, 2000
5,702
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
One day I spotted what appeared to be an abandoned skiff resting on the shore of my Grandmother's Willapa River banks. Even had oars. My best friend Ernie lived on the river banks about a mile down river with a small dock. We decided to salvage the. boat, take her down to his dock and start converting it to a sail boat. My Grandmother had a small canvas sail with a wooden mast up in the rafters of her wood shed that she gave to me.

Ernie's dad had lots of scrap wood in his garage, so we nailed. on a deck, attached the sail and managed to get a few sails before we abandoned the boat for our next diversion. We knew nothing about sail boats, so no dagger board, and an oar for a rudder, and as expected, did not sail well. Not sure what happened to the boat, but I do remember one day my uncle Bob, a tug boat skipper for Weyerhaeuser, telling my mother about his missing skiff that he had found and tied up at my grandmother's place and was wondering what happened to it. I just shrugged my shoulders. Silence is golden
 
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May 17, 2004
2,099
Other Catalina 30 Tucson, AZ
My 2 son's and daughter got my wife and I into sailing. We had a jet boat on the Colorado River (Lake Havasu, AZ). They'd leave wet towels, food wrappers etc and many times brought the boat back in pieces - never their fault. We purchased a Mac 22. They hated it because it was way too slow!!
 
Jan 7, 2014
394
Beneteau 45F5 51551 Port Jefferson
Years ago I went for a couple of sails on other peoples boats and thought it was pretty cool. Then, years later my kids took sailing lessons at the local yacht club and showed me an ad in craigslist for a sailboat. The rest is history.
 
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WayneH

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Jan 22, 2008
1,039
Tartan 37 287 Pensacola, FL
Books. I'm not sure which one started it but by age 7 I was addicted to sailing. Now, sailing is how I get to see the stars. Even out in the country here, there is too much light pollution to see the Milky Way.

Let's all acknowledge that without sailing, we wouldn't have Thanksgiving.
 
Jun 12, 2021
285
Hunter 240 Aqualand Marina, Lake Lanier
I learned to sail at YMCA Camp Lakewood in Potosi, Missouri. I was twelve years old. They had two fiberglass dinghy's and an X Boat which had a jib. I was hooked. Several years later my dad bought the wood and we built a William Cox one design which he named Rebel. She was 18.5 feet and was sloop rigged (what William Atkin would have called a knockabout). I found the plans in a Motor Boating publication entitled, "The Plywood Boat Builder."
 
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