Summertime Musings

Sailing The Great Lakes

By Tim McKenna

he summer of 2022 certainly offered more options than the past two COVID years. It seems we’re in a “new normal” of some sort. While I did not personally get to do some of the sailing I had planned, overall, it has been (and continues to be) a good season. It is just that much of my sailing this summer was not on the Great Lakes.

KIDDOS INVOLVED

It is always fun to think about things that we did ourselves, experienced, shared and observed. Kids on the water are always fun to watch. Junior sailing programs abound around the Great Lakes with the young ones starting off in Optimist Dinghies and working up to 420’s, Thistles, and other great boats for kids to learn and compete.

Getting kids on the water is a process that involves some challenges. The experience and training needs to include fun and safety.

There are lots of places to find some advice on kids and boating, but here are some that make sense to me. Get the older kids to help out. Set a good example; if you wear a life jacket it will be easier to require it of the young ones. Have them gain confidence by doing the tasks on the boat with good supervision. There are some good sites offering ideas for kids and boating such as www.safeboatingcouncil.org, www.boatsafe.com/kids, and www.safeboatingcouncil.org.

Mid-Week Wind

The Flying Scot National Championships were held out of the North Cape Yacht Club on the western end of Lake Erie in July. There were nearly 50 boats participating in the event over a four-day period. It was good that the event was held mid-week because by the time the weekend arrived the wind had died.

Upcoming Shows

Sailing and boating in general continue to grow at a rather dazzling pace across the country. The inventory of used boats is rather thin and if you are considering the purchase of a new boat the wait time might be a year or more for delivery. Still, though, the upcoming boat shows this fall in Annapolis and many places around the Great Lakes over the winter months will be well worth attending. There will be new models to explore as well as new and updated electronics and other equipment that we will soon learn that we cannot live without.

Amphicars

Well, okay…these are not sailboats. Are they even boats? These “cars” or Amphicars showed up at Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island in July. This was for the annual Put-in-Bay “Amphicar Days.” The Amphicar made its debut at the 1961 New York Auto Show. Although production stopped in 1965, there are still quite a few around the country and beyond since more than 3,500 were built.

Yes, they are cars and boats as well. They do have the required Coast Guard navigation lights, etc. and they are licensed as required to be on the road. They have been seen in movies, TV shows and one was even owned by LBJ at his Texas ranch. There were even some used in police departments and outfitted for rescue operations.

While there are regular “conventions” of Amphicar owners during the spring, summer and fall at various locations, the largest is held at the Grand Lake St. Mary’s State Park in southwest Ohio. It is fun to see these little, colorful vehicles/vessels both on the water and on the road.

Gearing Up For Fall

Enjoy the remaining sailing and boating season. September and October can offer some of the best times to be on the Great Lakes…the autumn colors of the trees are always spectacular. The weather is great and the winds are fair. Hope on your boat and go for a sail. Enjoy our Great Lakes.

About The Author

Tim McKenna is the founder of Erie Islands Sailing School. Tim holds a USCG 100-Ton Masters license and is certified by the American Sailing Association to teach sailing. Having taught sailing at schools on Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair, as well as in Florida, California and the Virgin Islands, he decided to put together a sailing school where it all started for him—the beautiful waters of Lake Erie.

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