How Did You Get Into Sailing?

[Jimbo485]

At 9 years of age, I helped my old man and his mate motor a bare steel hull up the east coast of Australia. 9 months later, Dad had it fitted out and we moved aboard. A month later we took off around the world. I was doing solo night watches from the start. My brother is 18 months younger and was doing the same. My sister was only 3 months old when we left. When it was rough we had "normal watch" and also "baby watch."

Now here we, a generation later, and we are out cruising and my son is following a similar childhood to mine. My sister and her family also have a cruising cat and recently sailed from California to Darwin with their 2 kids at ages 3 and 1.5 years old.

And so the circle of the cruising life goes around...

[Rhapsody-NS27]

For a couple years in the middle of high school (1995/6) My family was living in the Mashall Islands. Friends of my parents had a sailboat out there with them and invited us for a day trip. I enjoyed it very much and thought it would be fun to do. Without finances, I didn't think anything of it for a long time until a couple years ago.

I passed a billboard by a highway advertising a boat show and thought I would take a look. It resparked my interest in sailing. Last year, I took ASA101 lessons and had a great time. I attended another boat show this year, and rode on a couple boats and still thought it was fun. So I bought my first boat in April and working on her to get her into the water and sailing MY OWN boat.

[Celestialsailor]

As a child, I lived on/near Lake Ontario. At the time a few privately owned Schooners in and out of Hamilton, Ontario Harbor. My mind wandered seeing them sail out and return at days end. After social experimentation in the 60s and 70s, wound up in the hospital after a near death motorcycle accident. I layed there for days and the thought came to me to sail away. It's been a long road with never a glance cast back.

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

As a child, I lived on/near Lake Ontario. At the time a few privately owned Schooners in and out of Hamilton, Ontario Harbor. My mind wandered seeing them sail out and return at days end. After social experimentation in the 60s and 70s, wound up in the hospital after a near death motorcycle accident.

I had no idea you were so old. I woulda thought Lake Ontario was still glacial in those days


Dad bought a maroon Paceship 19 when I was 4. Used to cruise for a week every summer with my parents and 2 older brothers on a 24' C&C shark. That was traumatic. Haven't been without a boat since, some 40 years on. Mostly club racing and summer vacation cruising.

[gmcairns]

Wow so many entertaining and interesting responses to my post. Thank You everyone.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Brob2

I had no idea you were so old. I woulda thought Lake Ontario was still glacial in those days

Thank you for that personal attack

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Thank you for that personal attack

I believe our vintage to be somewhat similar.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by gmcairns

For me it was a Force 5 and a company picnic.
www.sailingsereno.wordpress.com

Call me a Sailboat Junkie!

I don't know why I was always attracted to it, but I was ever since I saw my first sailboat when I was ten. I think I figured out that it was something I could do in spite of the CP. As it turned out, that was true. I was always a very good judge of what I could and couldn't do. I played at it a little when I was younger but didn't really have a chance to take it up until I moved back to Florida as an adult.

[GaryMayo]

Garage sale near a lake. Purchased small sailboat and self taught myself to sail.

[davefromoregon]

At age 14, I was given a Seasnark and sailed on lakes in northern Indiana. Thanks Dad
.

[haiqu]

Definitely not genetic here, although I've always loved fishing and the sea.

Poor, approaching 60 and unemployed, then became homeless. It looked like a better option than living in my VW van and the price was right. Financed it by selling a project car - BMW 750i V12 - that was becoming a burden anyhow.

Rob

[Cormorant]

I came to it in college, when a buddy's grandfather had a place up in Maine, and a lovely old 1930s wooden Starling Burgess-designed Smallpoint, a 19-foot daysailer. I got hooked immediately. The wind, the waves, the boat -- it was mesmerizing. Still is.

Funny thing is I grew up within walking distance of the ocean, in SE Connecticut. In my childhood I lazed at the beach, snorkeled a lot, paddled a kayak or two, and went out on my friends' powerboats. All those wasted years! Whole empty summers I could've been sailing all day, every day! LOL. Now I'm trying to make up for lost time.

[zeehag]

pix of boat i sailed in youth and some history:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hudso...85953118123418
pic is of eleanor in 1987 or so with uncle phil sailing on hudson river.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

Garage sale near a lake. Purchased small sailboat and self taught myself to sail.

Here is the third sailboat I purchased many years ago

First was a home made wooden sailboat 12'

Second was a Snyder Industries 14'

Third as pictured. All purchased about 30 years ago and kept a couple years

Sat out sailing 25 + years.

Last fall, purchased a Mac 25.

In the spring, sold Mac and purchased a pair of Clipper Marine 32's. Very happy with the boats I have now. Miss the years I sat out.