A lifelong love of the Penguin fleet.
Did you know that more than 9000 Penguin sailboats have been built, many of them in a garage, basement, or woodshed? My father built one in our garage, and my brother and I sailed it together as boys. Penguin fleets were very successful for many years, and I believe they should make a comeback.
I am not an America’s Cup racer like Gary Jobson or Jon Wright. I’m not a sail maker like Larry Leonard or Jimmy Scott (all of whom started in a Penguin). Racing for me was always for fun, and I’ve got a bunch of trophies that prove I was pretty good at it. Although most of my trophies are not for first place, I always seemed to come away from racing the Penguin feeling like a winner (and the real winners were definitely watching me). A Penguin has almost always been a part of my life. My father built a Penguin in our garage when I was young. He named the boat Caboose, so my guess is it wasn’t very competitive. I was probably seven years old in the junior sailing program at Tred Avon Yacht Club in Oxford, MD, when I first crewed with my brother, Paul, with a 'much older' Penguin sailor, Danny Smith, who was probably age 10. It was blowing hard, and my brother and I wore the May West lifejackets.
Why Choose a Penguin today?
- The first reason is that sailing a Penguin builds relationships. As a kid, it took eight young sailors to launch a Penguin from the beach and pull it back out of the water. We didn’t use dollies, and we helped everyone with their boat. It was a community effort, and just hanging out with the group after racing established lifelong friendships. There was a certain "fun factor." If you and your crew are compatible in a Penguin, you will establish a lifelong relationship. My first wife, Julie Gibbons-Neff crewed for her father in a Penguin that he built in his basement, and they raced in a series on the Schuylkill River when she was growing up. My second wife Cathy Kramer’s parents were sailing Penguin number one (built by Bill Heinz) on the day Pearl Harbor was attacked. Both Julie and Cathy crewed for me in Penguin races, and both of my wives passed the “Penguin Test” (with flying colors). I’m only partly kidding; if you are compatible in a Penguin or a maxi yacht, you will establish a special bond. I bonded with my wives, and I first bonded with my two kids in a borrowed Penguin racing in Round Bay when they were about six and eight years old. Today my kids are grown (both in their 40s), but last fall they raced a Penguin together during a frostbite regatta and won one of the races!
- Another reason to choose a Penguin is that they are affordable buy or build, and most of the maintenance and repair work can be done by the average sailor. In my experience, working with a wood Penguin—sanding, painting, and especially varnish work—is very rewarding. The “pride of ownership” that comes with a wood boat with beautiful varnish and a smooth bottom is especially gratifying when you beat the fiberglass boats.
- A third reason to sail a Penguin is that it is a two-person boat. In my opinion, today’s junior sailing programs that start sailors in Optis and Lasers with a focus on winning races miss an important aspect of what a good sailing program should offer. A beginning sailor will learn more quickly in the boat with an experienced sailor(s), plus teamwork is an important skill that isn’t learned in a one-person boat. And, of course, not all good sailors want to steer the boat or sail alone.
On July 5, the Tred Avon Yacht Club will be a Sweaty Penguin Regatta focused on helping new, young sailors learn how to race while having fun and spending quality time with friends and family. Find the Notice of Race at penquinclass.org, where you will also find more information about the class, as well as more Penguin race dates.
By David Cox
