Yes it can be done...

[Markst95]

Yes you can fit in the stern of a Cape Dory Typhoon. If you're 9 years old. No he is not for rent...


<img width="600" src="http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo99 ... eStern.jpg">

[Steve Laume]

An agile, fit and fairly flexible, mechanically minded nine or ten year old might be able to pre-pay his college tuition if he had a good handler around a boat yard. You might want to reconsider renting him out. Cute picture. Enjoy these years, Steve.

[Doug Gibson]

It fondly reminds me of a time when I enlisted my 9 year old son to replace the fuel tank vent fitting at the transom of my CD36... there was no way my 6'4" frame would fit and I belive it cost me a double scoop ice cream sundae once the job was done. At 13, he is now 5'10" and much less able (and willing) to crawl into these types of spaces.

[Steve Laume]

I could actually get back into the stern of a Typhoon a few years back when I was sailing mine. What I was afraid to do was go up the mast in a bosuns chair. It wasn't that I was afraid of the height. At 200LBS I was worried the Ty would topple over at the dock. We had forgotten the windex when we stepped the mast and launched the boat. At about your son's age my guy had the best of times being raised up the masthead and installing the windex. In fact he didn't want to come down. Kids are great, steve.

[Oswego John]

This thread brings with it fond memories. My kids are in their fifties now but I well remember how they were delighted to be daddy's helpers.

When they were kindergarten age or younger, we'd go down to the tidal flats at low tide to dig bait. They were true water rats. They loved the beach, water, boats, everything salty. It's in the genes, I guess.

I'd dig into the wet muck with a pitch (garden) fork and expose the bait. I bet a lot of you know what I'm talking about. Those kids would be squatting down on their haunches and grab the exposed worms with their little fingers and yank them out with a vengeance.

We used a homemade wooden bait box or carryall. It had divisions in it for sand worms, tape worms and "p" clams. (excellent blackfish bait).

At those tender ages, handling worms meant nothing to them, especially my daughter. After all, they were helping daddy. Sad to say, now when she is dabbling in her little garden, if she comes across an earthworm, she throws a triple hissy fit and calls for 911 help. She has to watch her manicure, you know.

So now, I'm ejercatin' the grandkids. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.


O J

[Dick Barthel]

Yes you can fit in the stern of a Cape Dory Typhoon. If you're 9 years old. No he is not for rent...


<img width="600" src="http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo99 ... eStern.jpg">