Please select your home edition
Edition
Allen Dynamic 40 Leaderboard

How and why I dinghy cruise in tiny boats with kids and dogs

by Holly Puckering 16 Mar 2022 02:48 PDT
Holly Puckering is the vlogger behind 'Kids Afloat In A Wooden Boat' © Puckering family

One of the great life skills that sailing teaches you is innovation in the face of a challenge. That is perhaps the best way to describe how I came to pursue dinghy cruising as a sport - as it is indeed a solution to a number of challenges that emerged for our little family a few years ago.

Living in the beautiful island of Tasmania, Australia, we are lucky enough to have access to both coastal and inland waters, stunning scenery and plenty of world heritage quality destinations that can only be accessed by water.

But what do you do if you can't manage a large yacht by yourself with kids in tow, you are short on time and money, and have children disengaged with the the typical club entry point to sailing as a competitive sport?

Well - you find bravery in your heart, buy a dusty old Mirror dinghy, fix it up and take to the waters as a mini-cruising family!

As a mother I have faced many common barriers to getting my kids into sailing. Even more so as a woman myself. I have found that dinghies are a great leveller in sailing. Perhaps they are small enough to go unnoticed. Perhaps they are cruising and therefore not deemed as a racing threat.

Maybe it's a comical thing to see a middle-aged woman pile two kids and two terriers into a brightly coloured Mirror dinghy with a kayak in tow. Or perhaps it is because I am accompanying my sons and giving it a go, but much of the bias that one can encounter with a larger yacht seems not to apply when you are cruising a tiny little boat.

Even so, dinghy cruising is a wonderful way to level the playing field. It is a gateway for anyone who is interested in sailing for health, peace and freedom - whatever your age, experience or budget. I hope to see many more women and children join the growing community of dinghy cruisers around the globe.

Have a look at other videos from the 'Kids Afloat In A Wooden Boat' channel on Youtube

Related Articles

29th Superyacht Cup Palma overall
Rose produces historic conclusion to a spectacular event History was made at the Superyacht Cup Palma today when the 24m Wally yacht Rose became the first ever three-time winner of the iconic event, remarkably completing the achievement over three successive years on the Bay of Palma. Posted on 28 Jun
44Cup Marstrand 2025 overall
Team Nika's golden wheels get shinier While the penultimate day of racing at the 44Cup Marstand was cancelled due to excess wind, today conditions off the paradise Swedish island for the final three races were still boisterous from the lumpy residual sea state after Friday's gale. Posted on 28 Jun
Registration open for SORC Sailor's Choice Race
This is the first race in the 2025-2026 Islands in the Stream Series The Notice of Race is posted and registration is now open for the 2025 SORC Sailor's Choice Race! This is the first race in the 2025-2026 Islands in the Stream Series. Posted on 28 Jun
J/70 Mixed-Plus Worlds at Lake Garda Day 3
Yupi extends its lead, To Nessa climbs on to podium: all eyes on the grand finale in Torbole A busy day full of tactical challenges wrapped up in Torbole Saturday, where the first-ever J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship continues at full speed. Posted on 28 Jun
Switch Class Captivates Foiling Week 2025
Dickinson and Schultheis Edge Out Narrow Victories The Switch Class brought the fireworks to Foiling Week 2025 — and it came down to the wire. After four days of sun, speed, and suspense on Lake Garda, the newest class on the foiling scene delivered a debut to remember. Posted on 28 Jun
First-ever ORC North American champions crowned
Fox, Zammermoos and Teamwork win at Block Island Race Week 2025 After completing the full schedule of races - 9 in the ORC 1 class and 10 in the ORC 2 and 3 classes - three new ORC North American Champion teams have been crowned on Friday at the Storm Trysail Club's 31st biennial Block Island Race Week. Posted on 28 Jun
Vaikobi Launches V-DRY-X
The New Standard in Grand Prix Sailing Dry Gear Vaikobi, a global leader in high-performance ocean sports apparel, is proud to unveil V-DRY-X: a breakthrough range of sailing dry gear engineered for Grand Prix racing and coastal yachting. Posted on 27 Jun
Rolex Fastnet Race at 100 – the making of a giant
At present 469 yachts have entered this special edition - a far cry from its humble origins in 1925 One month remains until the 26 July start of the Rolex Fastnet Race, this year celebrating both its centenary as well as that of the club it spawned: the Royal Ocean Racing Club. Posted on 27 Jun
America's Cup: Confidential settlement reached
A confidential settlement reached over five year Cup legal claims. New Zealand website, Newsroom has obtained the confidential settlement reached between the America's Cup team Emirates Team New Zealand and their formerly contracted Event Managers, Mayo & Calder, and others associated with the company. Posted on 27 Jun
Crew dynamics will be decisive in Course des Caps
Just two days to go before the start of the first race of the eagerly-awaited 2025 IMOCA season With just two days to go before the start of the first race of the eagerly-awaited 2025 IMOCA season, all eyes are on Boulogne-Sur-Mer as 11 crews prepare to race around the British Isles in the Course des Caps-Boulogne sur Mer-Banque Populaire du Nord. Posted on 27 Jun
Armstrong 728x90 - HA Foil Range - BOTTOMPredictWind - GPS 728x90 BOTTOMZhik 2024 December