The good ole dze.

Mid twenties in dinghy then Lysander ( basically a big dinghy ) around 30. long break with a few dinghies when we had children then about 10 years ago bought our first cruiser. Pegasus 800. Now we have Scanmar 33.
 
sailorman said:
About 20 with a mirror dinghy
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Thought that would have been before the mirror was invented?I spent time with family friends on inshore trawlers as a boy, then rock climbing,surfing and fly fishing took over my life until I was 40ish when I bought a yacht.
 
About six, rowing a little tub with my aunt who stood up to disembark when in several inches of water, slipped and fell onto a newly-wet behind. She then blamed me for everafter but didn't hold a grudge. After than, passenging on the Broads at seven and sailing Broads/Firefly from 12-14.
 
Age about 13 I was with the Sea Cadets on a 27' Montague Whaler and/or a 32' Cutter that were, on just a couple of occasions, sailing (we were last in a Southsea Regatta race!), but I don't think it can really be said that I was sailing. Just sitting and pulling ropes where/when I was told.

Most often, though, we were 'pulling' (rowing) those boats. That was quite enjoyable (despite usually being bitterly cold) and instructive, and I even got my 'Pulling Ticket' to command such a boat and its Sea Cadet crew. (As it happens I've recently started 'pulling' again once a week on the river with a group of other old farts, but its not quite the same with an 18' or so lightweight plastic boat with rather dainty oars designed for youngsters, instead of bloody great big heavy traditional wooden boats with hemp/manilla(?) ropes, etc. )

The first time really sailing I was also about aged 13 or 14, when an older Sea Cadet invited me, out of the blue, to crew on a Bosun dinghy. A life changing experience! We whizzed backwards and forwards and round and round Portsmouth Harbour in a nice breeze, me with a huge grin on my face! I've spent much of my life and disposable income trying to recreate that moment!

Apart from an unexciting hour or two on the Crouch a year or so later with a couple of other lads and a woodwork teacher (would such a thing be allowed these days?) who'd built the dinghy in the school woodwork room, I didn't get to sail again until I was in my 30s, cruising in a friend's home-built boat, so I've a lot of time to make up.
 
Marmalade said:
8/9 - cadet week at Marconi SC (in the days when cadet week was closer to 20-30 cadets; not the 50/60/70 see these days)
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Do you happen to remember the Bentley twins and their sister Janet who was a pretty good Cadet sailor? They sailed from Stone SC, but would I am sure have sailed at Marconi events?
 
My Dad bought a Hurley Felicity ('The Minx') in 1963 which we sailed from Hullbridge. I was eight, and was Dad's keenest crew member ( my two sisters were not totally convinced of the joys of sailing).

He bought me a rather beaten up old dinghy when I was 11. She was Heron number 157, 'Howzat!', and she gave me many adventures on the Crouch.

Dad sold 'The Minx' in 1969, and bought 'The Jan': an ex-RN , 32 foot cutter. Her hull had been built by the John Brown shipyard on the Clyde, in 1939, and she was later very competently converted to a comfortable 5 berth bermudan cutter by a sailing woodwork teacher. She took us on many family trips round the east coast, and across to France, Belguim and Holland.
 
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