If you thought that the build-up to Christmas seemed to last for months, then you wont be pleased to hear that the build-up to the Summer Holidays has already begun.

Thick, glossy holiday brochures are thudding through the door so frequently that I hide whenever I hear the postman. Every time I pass the computer I see yet another blue-sky, blue-sea holiday website plastered on the screen and even the children I meet on the way to school are competing over who has the best holiday planned.

But while I daydream of holidays abroad, in a villa, with a pool, the Sailing Fanatic has something much more closer to home in mind.

How about a holiday on the boat? he suggested cheerily, about a week ago. We could go through the Crinan Canal and island hop along the west coast!

There was silence round the dinner table.

For two weeks? But I want to doooo something!

Come on, Dad! Its cold in Scotland!

I let the kids do the talking for me; I knew there would be further battles ahead. I was right.

A few days later the Sailing Fanatic cornered us in the lounge.

Well, how about this then, he said, scattering a huge pile of paper onto the floor. Sailing in the Med. Its hot, its not in Scotland, the scenerys beautiful and we could drift from beach to beach, island to island

He pulled a piece of paper from the pile. It was a print out of a website. Sunsail! Another - Sailing Holidays. Another The Moorings.

We could go on a flotilla holiday, he said, and team up with other boats to sail the Greek islands. It would be a wonderful adventure! Or we could simply charter a yacht by ourselves and head off into the wide, blue yonder. We could

We couldnt. Were not. I simply cant face spending two weeks cooped up on a boat with two active children, no matter how many beaches and islands we stop at. I said so.

The Sailing Fanatic smiled craftily.

Well, what about this instead, he said, whipping out yet another print out from the paper mountain. It had Mark Werner emblazoned across the top. A sailing activity holiday. Abroad. On the beach. Living on land, with lots of facilities and things for the kids to do.

I had to admit it had the edge over being stuck on a yacht for two weeks. But I had been doing some research of my own.

If you want a sailing holiday, then take a look at this! I flourished my own website print out, complete with a picture of a ship - a rather large ship from Royal Caribbean called The Adventure of the Seas.

Its got an ice-skating rink, a climbing wall, kids club, swimming pools, talent show, restaurants

The Sailing Fanatic was not impressed.

I rather think youre missing the point, he said, loftily.

But then the kids grabbed the print out.

Cool! they exclaimed. Can we go sailing on that boat?

Helen MacKenzie is a freelance writer. She contributes to the web site at http://www.sea-dreamer.com. The Sea Dreamer web site has articles, guides and news on sailing and cruising on the West Coast of Scotland.