And it was rowing got me into boats in the first place. My dad always had a hankering for boats but, what with growing up in the Depression and other things, he never fulfilled that dream. What he did do, tho, was rent a rowboat every time we were near a lake or river where they could be had (they were all over England back then, when we were kids, many of them lovely varnished skiffs). I have a pic somewhere of my brother and I, aged probably 5 and 4, at the oars.
Fast forward a few decades to Sail Expo in Atlantic City where they had a pool and fans for RC boats and, if I recall correctly, windsurfers, and, just remembered -- the Expo Sailer. I suggested that, with all the punters looking to buy sailboats, it might be a good idea to give rowing lessons. You can learn a lot about how a boat behaves in 10 minutes with a pair of oars. The powers looked at me as tho I'd suggested a demonstration of SeaRays or something.