John Hudson

Commander

My interest in boating started in high school on the River Tyne in England rowing racing fours, eights and sculls. My younger brother introduced me to sailing shortly after leaving school. Twenty six years in the Yukon with its short summers discouraged a major investment in a sailboat but it did not prevent many a happy day on Yukon lakes, rivers or the Lynn Canal near Haines, Alaska, chasing the local fish stock.

In 1983 I discovered the Yukon Squadron, taking the Boating course followed in 1985 by Seamanship Sail. Several stints on their Bridge followed. During this period I met and married Carolyn whom I tried to gently introduce to boating notwithstanding my brother having us out on the North Sea in rough conditions. In 1992 I transferred to the Winnipeg Squadron and took Piloting. Again, I did not consider this a place for an investment in a “real” boat but got some fun dinghy sailing, drifting in close to a dead calm or “flying” and getting wet in a squall, with very little in between.

On retiring we moved to Victoria but I promised Carolyn I would not start looking for a sailboat until our new house was finished which took till February 2001. It did not take long for the squadron to notice my retired status and draw me in initially as ATO, then STO, Executive Officer and currently Commander. This had the effect of delaying house completion! In Victoria I have had excellent instruction in AP, Weather, Marine Maintenance and CN. In March of 2003 we purchased Stealth, a 1986 C&C 33 MkII in excellent condition from Bosun’s Charters Ltd which gets sailed frequently.

I have found working with the students very rewarding both as ATO, STO, a class proctor, a student cruise proctor and skipper. I feel that this volunteering is “pay back” time for the patience and dedication of instructors and proctors in courses from which I have benefited.

John Hudson