Beginning and background
It began with a Facebook Marketplace ad for a 1970s Laguna Windrose 24 in western Connecticut. While I was vaguely aware of Laguna Yachts, I was unfamiliar with the early Windrose line of boats which were swing-keel trailer-sailers ranging from 18-25 feet. For me, the key feature of the 24 is berths for six people. Granted, these are pretty cramped in terms of width, but adequate for basic camp-style family accommodations. This offers the possibility of some weekend getaways with my fiancee and our four youngest kids. For a bit of background, I grew up near Newport, RI in a sailing family. Like many in similar situations, I was out on my parents sailboat as an infant. For several years starting around age 10, I took sailing lessons at Newport Yacht Club. In the following years I sailed competitively on a variety of boats, especially J/24s, a bit on my own Laser, and often on my parents Tanzer 22 and later San Juan 28. In college, at the University of Rhode Island, I joined the sailing ...