Classic one-design classes like the Wayfarer dinghy live on through the strength of their communities and their lifelong connections.

• By James Heffernan

• April 9, 2024

The author and his son, Paul, enjoy their time together sailing the waterways of North Carolina on the family’s Wayfarer dinghy. Lori George

While in pre-flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, I had a classmate with sailing expertise that he’d gained at the US Naval Academy. He was always happy to share his passion for sailing with our cadet class, whether leading a hands-on lesson in a Penguin dinghy or aboard a Luders 44 wooden yawl. It didn’t take me long to be as hooked as a sailor as I was an aviator.