It was a Sunday morning in early September. I was sitting in my den reading the newspaper when my 17-year old daughter, Andrea, walked in and sat down beside me.

"Can I take my friends sailing next Sunday?" she asked. Her request was phrased as a question, but her tone left little doubt that she expected no objections.

I was caught off guard. Andrea was an excellent sailor and had sailed TALARIA, our 31-foot cruising sloop before. But that had been in an emergency; this, was for fun. To gain some time and manoeuvering ... (more)