My tenth great-grandfather was a notorious (Dutch) Barbary pirate – Jan Janszoon van Haarlem (aka Murat Reis the Younger), the first President and Grand Admiral of the Corsair Republic of Salé in present day Morocco. Aside from charisma and talent as a leader, he is said to have had the quality most prized by pirates – luck. A sailing penchant has been dominant in my family ever since, but in a slightly more peaceful way.