Do parent and child crews work?
Yes, 12s are a superb way of introducing children to competitive sailing and the adult world. It is quite possible to sail a 12 with minimal crew input and experience but children are more likely to enjoy it if trained up in handling the jib, jib pole etc as they have the strength and motivation. Quite a few of the current ‘young guns’ in the class started in 12s crewing their Dads. A good proportion of crews at the national championships in any given year are under 15. The fact that an older 12 can be bought and brought up to scratch on a tight family budget can be a big advantage.
