Sailing Clubs and Qualifications for the Beginner SailorYou may dream of being the next Olympic gold medal winner, or you may simply
want to take up sailing as a weekend hobby. But one thing is certain: joining a good
sailing school is one of the first things you should consider doing. Being part of a
sailing club provides many advantages for sailors of all levels and abilities, but when
you are first
learning to sail the benefits are huge. So whatever motive is driving you
to take up sailing, it is seriously worth considering paying an annual fee and joining
one.
For a start, sailing schools usually offer the chance to take part in courses and to get
yourself some qualifications. These can range from beginner courses to advanced
courses for instructors. They will not only teach you the basics of sailing, but will
include useful advice about rigging, tying knots, sailing manoeuvres, meteorology and
wind awareness that are helpful to all ability levels.
Once you have taken a course, the sailing school will often allow you to rent out boats
and equipment to use whilst you are there, meaning that you will often not need your
own boat to sail in. As well as this, other sailors are always looking for people to crew
their boats for them, and as such you can often strike up good partnerships with other
sailors and sail for free.
Besides having a lot of fun, safety will be the primary concern of the sailing club. For
this reason, a safety boat will be provided at specific times, and for a beginner sailor
this is essential. They will also check that you are wearing the right gear, that you are
experienced enough to be there in the first place, and that you are kept fully informed
about weather conditions.
If you do buy your own boat, then the club will usually provide storage space for an
annual fee. Not many people have their own places to store a boat, and it makes sense
to keep it near to the water where you will be sailing.
One of the best things about joining a sailing club, however, is the people that you
will meet. Not only will you be meeting and sailing with other people who have the
same shared interest as you, but you will also be surrounded by sailors of all ability
levels, some of whom will have sailed for their entire lives. Such people are a great
source of knowledge, tips and advice to help get you started on the right track, and are
always the first port of call when you need some sailing information.
If you are joining a sailing club in Britain, it is likely to be approved by the RYA
(Royal Yachting Association). If in America, it will probably be a part of US Sailing.
It is important to check the credentials of any club that you join, and only join one that
comes with a good reputation if you want to get the most out of the experience.
© Copyright: Learntosailnow.com
I started my sailing training some 18 years ago with a competent crew course after having completed two parts of a coastal skipper course, all quite confusing, but a start.
I now own my own yacht, a Maxi 1000 she's a great sail and i have had some exciting times with her. Our maiden voyage was from Sweden to Hull in the UK, a two week passage, proving both boat, crew and skipper!
That was just the start, i have since sailed from UK to Spain, West coast of Scotland, UK to France, France to Ireland, Sweden to Denmark, and best of all, around the warm waters of the Caribbean.
My route to learning to sail was somewhat fragmented and confusing hence me putting pen to paper with other qualified sailors to produce a compelling e book which can be purchased via my web sit www.learntosailnow.com
It's design for people wanting to learn how to sail but have no first hand knowledge and daunted with the correct way forward.
I hope it will introduce you to this great sport?
Clive Peterson