My first sail was on Barnegat Bay in NJ when I was about 7 in an old wooden daysailor. My old man had blown up both 455's on his cabin cruiser and he decided to try sailing. Moved to the catskills mountains after that and only sailed at Boy Scout Camp on a sunfish. Moved to Florida at age 12. One day at the beach I went out on a H16 being sailed by the rental dude and I was hooked. I was amazed (and scared) when the Hobie powered up and the rudders started howling. Talked my way into being his "assistant" for the next few summers. I would ride my bike 15 miles each way every day so I could rig the boats, drag them up and down the beach and give lessons while he stayed in the hut and got stoned. I did get to sail for free though. I pretty much obsessed over cats for the next 20 years, making do with borrowed cats, rentals, and "Sharing The Wind". I finally bought my first cat (TheMightyHobie18 Magnum) when I was 32.