were first married, my wife and I bought a J-105 and kept it in Newport Beach, Ca. She had never sailed before but took to it quite well. One day as we were tacking up the harbor, I asked her if she wanted to have a go at it. (she had previously but only outside the harbor or briefly under power while I made sail) She was game and proceeded to sail directly into the mooring field. I 'inquired' as to her intentions and she said, "Prepar to tack". I gladly complied and after tacking about a quarter boat length from the nearest moored vessel I asked her whether she thought she might have cut it a bit close. "No", she replied, "I was just doing what you do all the time!" Well that shut me up. What looks foolhardy to one is simply a deft hand and (deserved) confidence to another.

It's tragic that with the proliferation of marinas and mooring fields over the old 'town anchorage', sailing in close confines either requires skill, foolishness or is just not possible as it was in the days of yore. That the majority of sailors now tend to view such an act as 'unsafe' rather than concede that they just choose not to run the risk is where I believe we demonstrate a dumbing down of our passion. It is totally okay to choose not to do it yourself for a variety of very good reasons. Just don't condemn others for not viewing things the same way.