Learning the love of Sailing

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
When my young children were learning to sail, I think back now on the effort and expense I extended, making sure their equipment did not hold them back. My racing background knew only one thing – performance – and I was naive to the real lesson they needed to learn.

The emphasis on speed and competition kept them from finding the love of sailing, as it is that passion that then motivates everything else. Twenty years later, I see it all so clearly now, which helps me appreciate the project that Michael Scott is taking on in this report:

I’m retired and have been sailing for 60 years (started solo sailing at 10 in Florida). In June of this summer, my 8-year-old grandson took a sailing class and loved it, which made me very happy as I’m the only sailor in generations of boaters in my family.

I built my first sailboat when I was in my early 20, and I want to teach my grandson how to build his first boat before I can’t anymore. His sailing class was taught in an Optimist and I found plans for that boat online.

The design is based on three sheets of marine plywood which I can cut on my CNC router. I’ve been working in wood for as long as I’ve been sailing, and while used Optis are available for $500 to $1000, buying it will not teach him anything about marine/boat construction or how the parts of a boat go together.

I found building my boat to be an education that has never left me. I’ve used that knowledge in all aspects of my life.

We start construction on July 24 and I’ve allotted 1 1/2 to 2 months for completion, working 3 hours a day, 3 days a week. I will also be looking for an older, worn sail as I’d like to keep the expenses at a minimum until I can see his continued involvement. I’m located in New Bern, NC.

I know that there are a number of racing events and I have neither encouraged nor discourages competition. I expect that to evolve on its own. For now, I’d like him to learn the love of sailing.