e-book How To Get Started on Ocean Sailing

Contents:

How to Sail - 5 Easy Ways to Get Started Now

Start Sailing – Learn to Sail by Crewing on a Keelboat

You will be assuming all the roles: The ultimate goal is to make each of these positions as simple for yourself as possible. One of the best ways to figure out where to begin this process is to go out on your boat on a calm day and go through the motions of sailing the boat as if you were racing or cruising; hoisting sails, steering, trimming and navigating and see where you run into problems.

Can you reef your mainsail by yourself? Is the spinnaker pole too much to handle on your own? Can you reach the sheeting positions from the helm? These changes may be as simple as moving a halyard clutch or two or a little more involved such as converting to a single-line reefing system; the goal throughout should be to make the boat easier to sail.

Your local loft can also help you with this list and ideas how to best solve the problems and set the boat up for solo sailing.

How to Get Started in Sailing!

Because of the rising popularity of shorthanded racing and cruising, there has been a trickle-down effect in the technology used by Vendee Globe sailors. Equipment manufacturers now offer less expensive products based on the effectiveness of the prototypes used at the highest levels. Roller furling headsails and canting keels are both examples of how the evolution of shorthanded racing tech has filtered its way into the mainstream.

More robust and reliable autopilots and sail handling systems are now available to the general public.

How to Sail - 5 Easy Ways to Get Started Now

Sailing without a full complement of crew creates serious safety considerations that must be taken into account. Jacklines stout webbing straps running bow to stern that are clipped into the tether on your harness should always be in place and used even in the calmest weather.

American Sailing Association.
God Glorified In Mans Dependence, Revised Edition (With Active Table of Contents)!
Cruising Forums.

This might involve investing in a few designs for different circumstances and weather. There are pros and cons to the different styles of deck vests, so do your research and consult a specialist to decide which ones will be right for you. You will also want to create a sail and communication plan and share it with a trusted contact on shore.

Solo Watches?

Let's say you're a novice to sailing and you're curious to give it a try. Where do you start? How can you get a taste of the sailing lifestyle, and. We are 34 and 32 respectively, and have tried pretty much every the forum about learning how to sail and getting started on cruising.

A sail plan should include a rough estimate of where you plan to sail along with an estimated time line. To help you get started, here are a few things you should know before heading down to the yacht club or marina for the first time:.

Take an Offshore Certification Course

Some yachts will provide food, some ask crew to bring their own and some share the responsibility around week-to-week. There will be work to do to set-up the yacht before you can go sailing. Pitch in as much as you can and use this time to learn where things are on the yacht. At the end of the race things need to be packed-away, which is generally the responsibility of the crew as well.

Start Sailing – Learn to Sail by Crewing on a Keelboat

The skipper or crew boss will often provide a briefing before the race to assign crew positions and explain the rules of the yacht. Generally, crew members are expected to work within their assigned positions unless asked for help by a fellow crew member. Fortunately, there are a few simple precautions you can take to make sure you stay safe, and have fun. Firstly, watch your hands and head — these are the two most likely parts of your body to get hurt. Keep your head away from the aptly named boom, which is the heavy spar that holds the foot of the main sail, and your fingers away from winches and other moving parts of the yacht.

Secondly, before heading out, know where the safety equipment is and how to use it.

CL Yacht Club

A couple of the basic pieces of equipment are the life ring and PFD:. When moving around the yacht, try to keep a solid stance with feet at least shoulder width apart, and knees soft. When this happens some of the crew will need to help with the sails, and the rest will generally need to switch sides.

When tacking or gybing watch you head on the boom as it comes across the boat, and if you are near the mast keep your fingers away from the gooseneck where the boom attaches to the mast. Shrouds and solid parts of the yacht are generally good things to hold onto.

Learning To Sail Is Just The Beginning;
?
Silver Lining.

Winches, sheets and blocks anything that moves , are generally not. While sailing, be aware that the yacht can move suddenly due to waves or wind gusts, or if the skipper needs to alter course in a hurry.

7 Ways to get Offshore Sailing Experience – Without Buying a Boat!
Snow Bound?
Food, Cuisine and Cultural Competency for Culinary, Hospitality and Nutrition Professionals.

Keeping an eye and ear out at all times will help you avoid unexpected surprises. The start line can be set-up between an anchored boat and laid buoy, between two designated points on land, using leads, or other method as designated in the sailing instructions. The course will be announced before the start on a notice board or by flag or other signal, and will generally use laid or existing marks that yachts are to pass either to port or to starboard.

All of this sound a bit complicated? To begin with, just try and understand when and where your yacht will be starting, the course, and where you will finish.

There are also a number of rules that govern how a race is conducted and how competitors should conduct themselves. Sailing terminology is one of the things crew often find the hardest when they first start sailing. To get you started, a few important words to know are:.

Depending on the type and size of the yacht, and how many people onboard, these can vary. Here are some of the basics:.