I learned to sail at the age of five on a sailfish on Glenwild Lake NJ. My family is a sailing family and we have had a range of sail boats and power boats all of my life. I sailed out Napeague Harbor (Long Island) NY every summer of my youth in a 14’ gaff rigged, center board sailing dingy. It was a canvas bottom boat planked out of clear spruce – a woodworking piece of art. My first real boat was a 20’ Norwegian BB made of mahogany. It was stiff, underpowered, and would sail in a gale. I kept the BB in a City Island NY marina. I have sailed out of Great Kills Harbor extensively on a Pearson 26 and a Ranger 30 which were family boats. As a member of the Richmond County Yacht Club, my parents, my wife Catherine and I would multi-class race on Wed nights on the Swannie. Catherine and I drove the distance between Philadelphia and NY on a weekly basis for a season or two.

I have chartered innumerable 45’s (Ericsons and Catalinas) out of Annapolis MD and Mystic CT. I have been as far north as Newport RI, Block Island, and as far south as St. Michaels, MD. I have sailed in Seattle WA, San Deigo CA Wilminton NC, NY Harbor, Raritan Bay NJ, and Long Island Sound from City Island to Montauk

Living and working in San Deigo, I had the wonderful experience of racing/sailing in San Deigo Harbor. General Dynamics had a sailing club with there own private dock in San Diego Harbor. We had 12 Victory class boats that we raced every week though out most of the year. (Prevailing winds were a steady 10-12 knots out of the southwest 90 % of the time). I captained my own boat but finding crew was sometimes a problem.

My sailing experience in Seattle WA was short. I was without a boat in some of the best sailing waters of the US. On my first excursion I asked my captain where the anchor was. He said didn’t have one on board (I usually have two). There is no place to anchor in the Puget Sound, the water 2000 feet deep almost everywhere! No amount of anchor line would be adequate.

Oddly, July 2005 at CYCOP was my first boating on the Delaware. Class racing at CYCOP is exciting. Catherine and I have two younger children Robby and John Reid (ages 7 and 5 resp.). They are ready to be introduced to the fine sport of sailing. I am having a great time on “Slingshot” with Captain Ron and I hope to join more of the excitement as the season continues.

I am going to buy a J22 and join you in the future – so BEWARE!

Kurt Swanson