When we were young we had a day camp at a local club that provided swimming, tennis and dingy sailing lessons. Great place to send your kids for the day and a whole lot of fun. It was all kids during the day and we had the run of the place. While the youngest three of us failed miserably at tennis lessons and goofed around in the salt water pool my older brother and sister learned to sail on Flying Juniors. Then our family bought a Chinook 13 which was similar which we kept on a mooring at our cottage on a lake. My sister took me sailing a number of times and passed on some of what she learned. We did this in between water skiing, swamping our canoe and just plain goofing around all summer at our cottage on a lake. Was great!
One day early on I had a friend over for the weekend and we went sailing. We were likely 10 years old. That was the day that I learned you always sail upwind first and downwind home. After a nice downwind sail to an island we had of course named “Gilligan’s Island” we proceeded to tack back to our cottage. I think we capsized at least a half dozen times and were completely exhausted, wet and cold when we finally got back. We sold the summer cottage and moved to a house on an inlet off the ocean. The Chinook was a bit small so it became a Paceship 17 which my younger brother and I sailed a lot and I even took our Irish Wolfhound out for a sail in (exactly once). We still had a 17 foot tri hull Glastron powerboat but that was no good for the ocean. After the tri hull was traded for a 20 ft deep vee and my brother and I sailed out to Chebucto Head on this Paceship 17 and upon my Dad hearing this the Paceship was turned into a McVay Minuette (similar to a Bluenose Sloop (19 ft with an elongated fin keel). The Deep Vee Glastron became a Spirit 28 and our Mom and Dad began learning their life sailing lessons. My brother and I thoroughly enjoyed the Minuette and even tried racing it once (everyone else was packed up and gone home before we ever arrived where the finish line had been). The Spirit 28 lasted one full season before it became a C&C 36. The time and life lessons that were learned starting in that 13 foot dingy still last to this day. In 1990 the C&C was sold, shortly after the Minuette was sold and I was living in Ottawa. It would be another 10 years, a family and no sailing later that we had to start paying for our own boats (Paceship P23). When we accidentally ended up with a George Hinterhoeller designed and built Niagara 26 we started to do some very casual racing. The lessons learned in those dingies were useful. My wife had taken Junior sailing and it helped her just as much. 15 years and three boats later we now have the Frers 33 and my wife is a very competent helmsperson when we race. I get to drive when we are delivering. The C&C25 is a fantastic boat to sail, to use and to learn on. Our friends had a 25 (formerly had a Laser 2) and they learned and won a lot. We raced them extensively while on our Niagara. We also cruised both boats for up to a week at a time. The 25 is a small big boat or maybe even a big small boat. It is a wonderful boat. However be warned that our friends C&C 25 turned into a C&C 99 a number of years and many dollars later. The 25 is inexpensive and a great starting point but like the rest of us you will soon find yourself finding ways to spend more money! … and I just have to say this. After trimming main on a C&C 115 for 6 years I really miss that main! It was one of the nicest sails I ever had the pleasure to work with. Sorry for the long rambly email. Runs in the family Mike Persistence Halifax, NS http://users.eastlink.ca/~mhoyt
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