Frank Boettcher wrote:
This is to indulge my curiosity more than anything else. For sailors
with at least 30 years experience, or more appropriately for sailors
who started at a relatively young age and continued to sail as they
aged. Feel free to elaborate on your answers with comments that
provide additional explanation or information.


1. Did you sail more in the first five years or in the last five
years?

The past 5 years


2. If the answer to number 1. is the last five years, were you retired
during that time?

No, but we didn't have kids to run to soccer, tennis, basketball or
school events any longer.


3. Have you owned multiple boats and has each one been larger and more
expensive than the one before it?

Yes. Mr Sails started out with a Flying Dutchman, the we had a
19'mahagony daysailor, vintage 1935. From there we went to an O'Day
22 and then to an O'Day 27. Finally, we have Chanteuse.


4. As you moved up in boat size did that also correspond with moving
up professionally with more stress, responsibility and time
constraints?

Not really.


5. If the answer to 4. is yes did you sail less with each new boat
after the intial purchase year?

We sailed more with each boat we owned.


6. Did you raise kids and during the time that they had conflicting
interests and activities, did that contribute to less sailing.

We had all the kid stuff (5 kids takes a lot of time) plus 4-H,
horse shows, etc.

7. Did a high percentage of your closest sailing friends and
acquaintences at the start of your sailing carreer at some point move
from sail to power or off the water altogether?

Most people we know who sailed then sail now. A few have fallen
away, but the majority are still at it.

8. Even when you owned boats did you do bareboat charters on a regular
basis.

never


9. Did you race (either your own boat or crewed on others) when you
were young and do you still race.

I didn't race early on but Mr Sails did with the Dutchman. I race
every now and then at Wednesday night beer can races at the yacht club.