How and why I dinghy cruise in tiny boats with kids and dogs
by Holly Puckering 16 Mar 2022 20:48 AEDT
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