[Public-list] Kid without a tiller

[Patty J]

Well Gord, when I was a kid, my mama made my first sailboat out of a
wooden dink that beached itself on our beach after a hurricane.  Had a
long gaff pole for the mast, a bamboo pole for the boom and an axe
handle for the tiller.  She had me sand it each year, recaulk it and
made me paint it canary yellow so she could see me.  The sail was also
made out of red sailcloth.  I named it "Chicken of the Sea" and never
strayed too far from home.  However, after years of use the rudder
rotted and we didn't have enough money to replace it, so I would find a
log to hang onto and used it as the rudder, soon I found out I could
just hang my body off the back of the boat and sail around just fine!
What fond memories of that boat.  Oh, and to teach me how to sail, my
mother simply plopped me into the boat, handed my the sheet, put my hand
on the tiller and shoved to off!  I used to apply this lesson with my
sailing students.  I would get onboard, hand them everything and jump
overboard.  You learn quicker when its all up to you!

Patty
Timbuktu 461