My kids have been involved in sailing since 2003, making this our 11th season at our sailing center.

From the beginning I've had a very simple plan: I'll learn to sail when my youngest child takes summer camp. Sadly, for me, that's still three years away and I'm tired of waiting.


I can tell you most of the parts of the sailboat and how to rig a really simple boat. However, I cannot sail. I cannot tell you how to sail with the wind, when to tack, when to let your sail in or out. I'm pretty sure if I were put on the water in a sailboat by myself I'd both capsize (repeatedly) and go nowhere.

But ... I decided it was time to learn. I've got four kids in the house, and one in college, who can teach me to sail.


I looked for a Sunfish first, but realized there just wouldn't be enough room for River to hang out with me so that wouldn't work. He's with me when the other kids sail so he'll have to be in the boat with me. I then remembered the Butterfly, which we use at the cottage we visit in Wisconsin, which has plenty of room for both of us, and even a third person if they aren't too big. A quick CraigsList search found one Butterfly about 2 hours away, in a town we happened to be visiting last weekend. It was meant to be.

The boat is older but is in really nice condition. Nothing fancy, but I don't need fancy.


The kids have decided that my first lesson is tomorrow. If I never blog again you can assume that things didn't go well, or I had so much fun I never got off the water. My guess is that the latter is more likely.


If you need me, I'll be on a boat.