The Kids Are Alright
This week, I was asked to help out with a high school sailing practice. The coach wanted to introduce the kids to more complicated boats than the C420 they usually sail. When I initially considered it, I had a moment of inertia, then groaned in agreement. I was thinking back to some of my previous experiences with teenagers, but on the other hand, you don’t get more sailors and grow the sport unless you try.
There were six or seven boats out for the evening. Several Thistles, a Lightning, and me in the Interlake. The “guest coaches” rigged and were mostly launched when the string of cars with kids rolled down the driveway. Coach Bob rounded up the team members and distributed them among the boats. I was just finishing my prep when Clay and Sarah strolled down the dock to join me. I introduced myself and they grinned and spoke right up to introduce themselves. I was heartened because I knew right away this wasn’t going to be me dragging reluctant kids away from devices and the couch. I asked them to hold on a second while I hoisted the main, and then invited them onboard. Sarah, a rising freshman, stepped on the foredeck like she owned it. Clay, headed into his senior year, took charge of untying the painter, and we were off.
I asked Sarah to take the helm, and with tiller and mainsheet comfortably in hand, a grin spread across her face as we glided out into the evening breeze. Clay immediately understood his roll trimming the jib and balancing the boat with his weight. I didn’t have to explain what or why. I just had to point out a few ways to optimize their technique for the type of boat. As we went along, we discussed some of the differences between the boats, such as hard and soft chines. Then we looked at the sail plan and the relationship between centerboard position and weather helm. I could see that they were getting it, and a smile spread across my face. We tried a few roll tacks. The kids were well schooled in a two person tack, but the third crew, me, and less responsive steering were new. The maneuvers were clunky at first, but slowly improved.
For most of the sail, I sat in the middle position on the low side of the boat and coached Clay and Sarah through the new tasks and sail controls not found on a C420. When It came time to try the spinnaker, I demonstrated setting the pole and then sat back. The kids worked through their jobs and soon we were burbling along under the big green and white ‘chute. I talked them through the douse and then we switched places. Clay drove us back upwind, and we tried it again. Sarah struggled with the pole set, but not for lack of skill, just want of a few inches of height.
We got in a few short spinnaker runs before the wind gave up for the night. As we floated around, hoping for a breath of wind, we chatted a little more. When the surface of the water went to glass, I broke out the paddle and we made our way back to the dock. Sarah and Clay helped me get the boat back on the trailer and we had it put away in no time at all. I shared a few sea stories and some hard-won tips they might use when they moved on to bigger waters and bigger boats. I’m not sure they had ever considered where sailing could take them, but I think I cracked the door wide enough for them to get a peek.
Driving home, I was in a particularly good mood. It was a successful night. Everybody learned something, nobody got injured, and nothing required repair. I also knew the sport of sailing could hang on for another generation, because at least some of the kids are alright.