Take A Kid Sailing

I remember the day all too well.  I was at a Boy Scout camp in central Kentucky called Camp Crooked Creek.  I decided to earn the Small Boat Sailing merit badge even though I had never set foot in a sail boat in my entire life.  After the first few days of instruction, we were finally allowed to take the boats out.  A storm was set to roll in later that afternoon, so the winds were up.  Our sail caught the wind and my friend Mike and I were off!  The feeling was amazing!  We skimmed across the water and even had to hike a little when the boat really started cruising.  Other boys struggled to find the wind while a few found it too quickly and capsized.  We were having the time of our lives.  Mike and I decided to sail toward a cove near our campsite, so we turned the tiller and started in that direction.  Shortly after changing direction, the wind really grabbed the sail and before we knew it, we had capsized!

Of course we both thought it was really funny that we were now tangled up in sail and rigging, but we quickly got it all sorted out and righted the boat.  I climbed in first and made the mistake of setting the sail before Mike climbed in.  Sure enough, the wind grabbed the sail and I was off leaving Mike in my wake.  I can still see the surprise in his eyes as I left him in the middle of the lake.  I let some wind out of the sail and turned the boat around to get Mike.  He slipped aboard and after a quick banter of good-natured insults, we were back to enjoying our afternoon on the lake.

I thought about this memory as I read this article this morning.  Teaching a kid how to have fun on the water is something which they will enjoy for their entire lives.  As the article mentions, this is an activity where you can see three generation in a family all joined together having a great time.  Looking for something to do during the last few weeks of summer?  Teach a kid to sail...or paddle...or fish...or whatever.  You won't regret it.

What are your favorite memories from when you learned how to sail?  We'd love to hear from you.  Drop us a line at safashor@comcast.net and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!