I was five or six years old when my two older sisters went off to the summer Girl Scout camp at Casa Mare in Seabrook, Texas. They spent most of the summer sailing Sunfish and came home demanding that the family needed a sail boat. I am guessing that my father must have had a poor summer playing golf because he immediately caved in to their wishes and purchased an O’Day Daysailor. From that day on, sailing was the name of the game at the Kolius household. I am sure that my dad did not foresee his only son making a mess of his college education by spending most of his waking hours training for the Olympics, then turning that experience into a sail making career, which eventually led to working for five different America’s Cup campaigns. You just never know what will come from a decision made after a bad day on the golf course.

My fondest memory of growing up sailing was the birthday present of a lifetime: my first sailboat! In an instant I became a Sunfish addict, and still sail them when I can. I consider it the “thinking man’s Laser.” (In other words, I really don’t like hiking too much.) I spent all of my youth either on the Sunfish, on my parents Pilot 35, or messing around in boatyards or boat stores. “Bay Rats” was the name bestowed upon myself and my summer sailing buddies, and looking back, I can’t think of a better way to describe us.

KO Sailing is really a product of this extremely happy time during my life. We “sell fun,” and try to keep it rolling by making it easy for our customers to continue having fun.

Part of KO Sailing is the boat store that sold my parents that Sunfish, part is my friend’s rigging and hardware shop that I hung out in during six years of Soling racing, and the final part represents the old boat yard, now reincarnated as the workshop attached to the store. This website is the piece of the puzzle that I am very excited about because it will give all of us here at KO Sailing another avenue to keep in touch with our current KO Family and watch it grow.

We want to be a part of your experience from start to finish. Sailing and kayaking are lifetime sports – I am proof! With this site KO Sailing will endeavor to keep you up-to-date on sailing regattas and rallies, as well as kayaking trails and fishing opportunities. We will share your photos, stories, and tips. Our eyes are always on the Youth Sailing scene, which is near and dear to all of us. In short, please consider this website yours as well as ours.

From all of us at KO Sailing, please accept our heartfelt thanks for being our customer. We take our responsibility to you very seriously and hope that you always know that your voice is heard. Remember that sailboats and kayaks are not like fine wine: they don’t get better sitting on their side in the dark.

Get out on the water!

John Kolius