Sailing

Sailing has been in my blood since I was 15 and my father bought a small Butterfly Class boat. We beat that little 12-foot boat up and down. We graduated to an M-16 Class boat and I began racing and have been sailing and racing boats ever since. I even own an ice boat for sailing in the winter.

Since I grew up in northern Iowa, one would automatically wonder how I ended up loving sailing. The short answer is, I grew up on a lake and have spent every summer of my life next to a lake. When I was 14, my father bought his first sailboat. Two years later, he bought a racing sailboat. I was smitten. I have raced boats every year of my life since then.

I was fortunate to crew for Steve Johnson on a C-scow for many years. For those that race, the name Johnson Boat Works brings many recollections. He was of that Johnson family. Steve and his wife are the Godparents of one of my twins. Steve and I won many regattas, as we traveled throughout the midwest.

After our twins were born, I ended up with my own M-16 Class sailboat. Its name was Flamingo. After a slow start, I did very well in the race competitions.

This is our sailing record and accomplishments.

Currently, I crew on a friend's A Scow - a 38-foot long racing monster.

I still own a DN ice boat. In this type of sailing craft, one can speed two-three times the speed of the wind. Watch this video of my iceboat voyage, I think you'll understand why I love this sport.

I now own one-half of a 27-foot yacht in Lake Superior. We sailed that boat in and about the Apostle Islands.