Zack's sailing week.

Captain Zack

In mid June, we picked up our 17 year old grandson Zackary for a week of sailing on Tellico Lake.  This was the first time Mary & I had him to ourselves for a full week.

The winds we less than exciting but Zack was able to learn the fundamentals and sail a bit.  He even passed a final exam by transporting Nana across the lake and back.

It is such a joy to spend a little time with the next generation and to discover that although ther are addicted to video games and Ipods, they are, after all, just kids wanting to have fun.  Show them something new and after a bit of time, they take to it like ducks to water.

Maybe we can get Zack back next summer for more lessons and more wind.

Building OutDotCalm

What the heck is "OurDotCalm"? Why, it is that sailboat I had been wanting to build for 30+ years. In the 70's, Stevenson Projects designed a Weekender sailboat for Family Circle Magazine and I fell in love with the design and decided to build one "Someday".

Well, career, family, and all the other stuff of living got in the way of the boat project and it wasn't until the fall of 2000 when my friend Andrew Raring died in his 50's that I decided that my boat building "Someday" ought to come soon because I wasn't guaranteed a certain number of days and I had wasted more than 10,000 of them thinking about a boat instead of actually building
one.


So, in the Spring of 2001, I ordered the plans and began constructing my dream. Less than 4 months later on July 4, 2001, we launched OurDotCalm in Salem Lake here in Winston-Salem and released a grand sigh when she floated on her lines and sailed better than I had a right to expect.

We found a group of similarly deranged folk at the Back Yard Yacht Builders Association (BYYB) and have been enjoying adventures with them ever since. From the Chesapeake to Georgia and back again, we have sailed our little craft with like minded folks.

Think about that dream you have tucked away - then drag it out, dust it off and live it! You will be glad you did, we certainly are.