A faint “ping” in my pocket signals a new Whatsapp message. It reads “Group Andreas is coming in!” I get out of my car and proceed to the slip area of the marina. Out there, some 500 meters away from the breakwater, I can see the little Optimist-sails dancing in the slight swell. It´s always such a sweet view, those tiny sails, tiny boats with their tiny skippers: Ambitioned, focused and full of so much fun! My son is one of them – and now the group is returning from another noon training session.
There is not all too much wind. Even less inside the marina. The Optimists are beating to windward many times over again within the narrow confines of the waterway to reach the pontoon. We, the parents, are standing by to grab the little masts and secure the floating nutshells so that the little skippers can jump out, get their slip trailers to haul their boats to the platform: It´s time for the noon snack. One by one the little skippers arrive, parents rejoice, take pictures. The best part: Sailor´s talk with your 11 year-old.
Lost Generation? By no means!
My son is 11 years old now. Sailing since two years. As it seems, our efforts to excite our kids for sailing are paying off. At least for one of our two kids. The second is more fond of playing football, but also likes to sail with us, as a passenger. My older son however is motivated, keen on sailing, happily devouring every sailing session provided. Judging by the looks of the other children, the whole bunch is full of adrenaline, overly happy and excited. It´s the third day of this year´s summer sailing camp. And it´s a special occasion too.
Maybe you´ve already read my first article about a one week Optimist sailing camp for kids, so you should know what it is all about. This time, I don´t want to talk so much about what the kids are doing here, but where. In fact, my son is sailing in quite historical waters: It´s the Olympia-Hafen Kiel-Schilksee, the Olympic Center. It was here when during Germany´s Olympic Games from 1972 all of the sailing tournaments had been taken place. It´s still one of the biggest marinas on Germany´s Baltic Sea coastline. Although the premises are pretty worn out and occasionally have the charm of a lost place, the infrastructure is perfect. As well as the location: At the entrance to the Kiel Bay inlet (where latest the IMOCAs have started for the Ocean Race Europe), even in lull winds, there is still something to work with.
And that´s not even all: On this historic place, it´s not just the sailing club of my son, but many more utilizing this special location for a training camp. So the large prepping areas where the little boys and girls are setting up their dinghies is bristling with masts. Boats of all classes are parked together, people meet and greet and the area around the marina is full of boats dashing up and down during the training sessions. It´s truly a unique and so inspiring atmosphere!
Role models and attainable heroes.
This is why I called this article “Training with Olympians”. Not only are two girls of my son´s sailing club Olympic attendees, many European and World Champions in sailing are among the people roaming the marina. There´s even a 49er sailing team from Ireland practicing. For the kids, it´s all so perfect: For me as a parent I cannot have wished for a better setting. There is simply no smartphone, no gaming kids, no cursing, no braindead-language. These kids are focused, take responsibility for their boats and their own safety on the water. They help each other, chat like old salts. It´s heartwarming to witness!
As a parent, I try to hold myself back. Of course I lend a helping hand when my son asks, but I try to stay in the background. It´s just great to observe my son how he sets up his own Optimist. Each day taking out the boat of its tarpaulin, connecting boom, sail and mast. Trimming the mast according to the weather (about which we talk during breakfast checking Windy & Co). Can you imagine? It makes me so proud – just like the other fathers and mothers accompanying their kids – that we adults are the ones constantly fumbling with our smartphones, proudly taking pictures and sending them around in our family Whatsapp groups.
But the best part, from my point of view, is the fact that so many children of so many different age groups are training together here. There´s us, the Optimist-dinghy sailors from 7 to 13 years; then there´s a group of Laser dinghy-skippers, aged 13 to 16 maybe and then there are the “big boys” and “cool girls” setting up their foiling Waszps and Moth-class rockets. Some 49ers as well as a bunch of Hobies. And of course, looking up to the elders, watching those cool chaps going out with their streamlined boats is a huge boost for the small kids. They see them as role models. They dream of one day sailing in one of those big dinghies as well. And sometimes, one of the “old” guys nods and smiles at them, shows them their foils or high-grade laminate sails. Isn´t that just awesome?
I am a father of two boys, as you know. I don´t have a daughter, but I fancy so much the sailor girls here! It´s the greatest thing to watch them among the – of course louder and more “robust” acting – boys. How these little ladies are setting up their boats as if it was nothing, check rigging and lines, getting dressed up in professional sailing gear and take their dinghies to the seas. I can only imagine how much of a boost in self confidence this must be, for any kid! How much these guys are learning here, from teamwork to how nature works, from taking over responsibility to managing quite complex tasks. For me, sailing is just awesome fun that makes me happy. For these kids, sailing will be adding such a wide range of so many important skills to their characters.
A tight, well-structured but fun and kids-approved training schedule
In this, it´s of course not just sailing around. The trainers, which in the case of the 16 kids group of my son are two guys and one lady, have prepared a cool mix of daily routine and surprises. Next to setting up the boats and trimming the sails according to the expected wind conditions, there´s a daily briefing and de-briefing. Once seaborne, the bunch is training two groups (young kids and elder kids) of 8 children.
There are two training sessions with a lunchbreak in between. Sometimes the wolfpack returns to shore to feast from a nice buffet provided by the parents, sometimes they stay out, tie together the boats and have a snack they carry on their boats. On one of these occasions, a school of common porpoise was having fun near the group, my son excitedly told me yesterday during dinner: That´s another thing of sailing. Being in the nature, seeing stuff with your own eyes, like those cute little mammals playing in the waves. That´s creating unforgettable memories. But the training program is also quite tight …
The group is slowly but surely introduced to regatta sailing. Practicing starting procedures, how to calculate time-to-distance, different starting tactics is one of the lessons. Sailing Up-and-down regattas and match-races against each other is another. Well, there´s a bigger plan behind it all and for some it pays off: There´s a reason why those two girls qualified for the Olympic Games, right? Judging from what I see and what my kid tells me, it´s a well-dosed mixture of fun and drill, of serious training and having fun. Just as kids love it, right?
Costly and time-consuming. But so good for your kids!
In this, there is the money part of course. Sailing, that´s nothing new for you, is a costly hobby. Sailing clubs have a huge fixed costs budget to take on: Boat and club houses at prime marina locations, a fleet of dinghies of various sizes (and their corresponding trailers) and so much more. Membership fees are one thing, the time invested as parents is another. There are parents who buy camper vans to follow their kids around in Europe to make them attend champonships and regattas. For me, it´s just a full week renting a flat nearby. Anyway, when the kids are outside, it´s a bit work time, but also leisure to walk around.
Roaming the pontoons of a marina is one of the favorite timekiller-activities for me. Kiel-Schilksee in this respect proves to be a rich locality. I discover a Scampi 30, the very first boat designed by Peter Norlin that was responsible for his comet-like ascent to the Olympus of yacht design. This little boat, out of nowhere and made by a young, new and nameless guy, instantly won the Half Ton World Championship in 1971! Can you name another designer who´s career started with winning a prestigious title as well? I can´t.
And then there are the Omegas. I spot two classic Omega 42 yachts in one basin alone. This is especially cool for me as I am about to launch my own new built Omega 42 yacht myself in coming spring. Utilizing the spare time I have when by kid is out sailing, I frequently go to “inspect” the boats. Partially to find inspiration for details to relay to the shipyard, partially because I hope to meet their owners for a little chat. As an example for the details, take a look at the sprayhoods of both boats: There´s a small “racy” sprayhood on one boat and a classy, wider on the other. Which one do you like most? Which one would I go for for my ALPHA?
Two days ago my wished came true as I found one of the crews aboard the yacht. I greeted the couple and had instantly been invited aboard for a coffee and a chat. How nice is that? Talking to owners – in this case a very seasoned sailor too – is always a great chance to collect impressions, ask for their views and take a look at details and individual solutions in their boats. But what I loved most was this “Omega-Feeling” I experience time and again when aboard one: This yacht just makes me happy … Well, but back to the kids.
Take your kids to your local sailing club!
I can only encourage you as a parent to motivate your kid to go sailing within the structures of a sailing or yacht club. It is worth the money, believe me! Most clubs offer taster courses which you can spice up with occasional boat charter or sailing sessions on your own boat. But believe me: Making your kid sail his or her “own” dinghy – and not daddy´s yacht – is a totally different game. You can literally watch your children grow up in front of you, it´s fascinating and all-so exciting!
In this, I am sitting here in front of my laptop, writing and uploading this article, when another picture is arriving from the training Whatsapp group: Isn´t this just heartwarming? It makes me so happy seeing those kids having fun in the sun, moving about in their own little boats and acquiring so many new skills! Tonight, when we will have dinner, and after my son has told me everything about today´s session, I will come forward and reveal my little “surprise” for him: I´ve just enlisted ALPHA, me and my sons for our first dad + son sailboat race with our then brand new Omega 42 next year! I am sure, this will ignite another little fire that´s already burning inside my Mini-Cape Horner …
Related articles from the “Sailing with Kids”-category:
Learning to sail: The Optimists in summer camp
My first big sailing trip with kids
How to excite children for sailing