Sailing on the rise in Muskoka, says the MLA

More young sailors are taking the helm and navigating Muskoka’s waterways, according to the chairman of the sailing network.
Four years ago junior sailing had died, said Michael Hart, chairman of the Muskoka Lakes Association Sailing Network. There were few youth tacking into the wind, riding the waves and adjusting the sails on Muskoka’s lakes, leaving the lines in the hands of diehard sailors who had been on the water for years.
That’s when Hart took the lines into his own hands in an attempt to revive the sport.
To Hart, sailing is more than just another sport, it’s an important recreation activity that helps protect the lakes and environment, something he’s passionate about as part of the Muskoka Lakes Association.
“It’s a pretty key activity instead of motorsports,” Hart said.
Hart is in charge of coordinating regattas between the Muskoka sailing clubs and the sailing schools.
Two years ago the Aphrodite Cup, an inter-club sailing competition for youth that has a long history in Muskoka, was revived because of the increasing interest in junior sailing.
Hart compares the growth of the sport to kayaking and other water sports and is looking for ways to market and promote it.
“The more boats that are on the water, the more people do it,” he said.

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