Important Sailing Information for Beginners

Posted by lucja on March 23rd, 2018

Sailing is a great outdoor activity can be relaxing and challenging at the same time. It’s a fun activity that can be done solo or with the family. If you have just taken up sailing as a sport or a hobby, there are some things you should remember before going off into the open sea:

  1. Stay on calm waters – Until you become more accustomed or used to the high winds and waves, its best to stick to calm waters. As a beginner, you probably haven’t mastered all the controls and commands that are needed to steer the boat to safety if the need arises. Even the most seasoned sailor can make a mistake. While you are still learning everything there is to know about sailing, you should do it in calm waters. It helps to check the weather forecast before going sailing.
  2. Make sure that the boat that you use is appropriate for beginners – as a beginner you probably have no idea which boats are perfect for you. When you rent one, be sure to mention that you are still a beginner so that the one in charge won’t give you a big boat that will be hard to manage. Using a small boat to practice your maneuvering skills is ideal. Some cabin charter yachts might look fun and easy to manage but actually needs more skilled sailors to handle it.
  3. Follow basic safety checks and procedures – before sailing, you must perform basic checks to ensure that you and your vessel are ready to sail. Ensure that you have enough equipment and supplies like life vests, flares, emergency fuel and the like. In case you have an emergency, you will have something to use to get help. Make sure that all devices used for communication are fully operational and that your phone has enough battery to call for help if necessary. It also helps to have some food and drinking water to tide you over should you find yourself stranded in the middle of the sea.
  4. Familiarize yourself with the controls – it goes without saying that you should know the controls and the maneuvering techniques that will propel your boat forwards and backwards. Make sure that you know all the important information regarding the boat you are using. Does it have a backup engine that you can power up in case there is no wind to sail? Is it a boat that can be handled by only one person or will you need someone to sail with you? Does this boat run on automatic controls or will you need to do some manual maneuvers in order to make it move? Most boats have the same kind of controls but just to be sure, you must familiarize yourself with the boat’s controls before setting sail.
  5. Learn the basic sailing terms – port (left side of the boat) and starboard (right side of the boat) are some of the most confusing terms for a beginner. These are just some of the most important sailing terms that you must learn in order to control the boat. When you get into an emergency some of these terms might come up so be ready.

You do not necessarily have to sail the yacht yourself. When you book a cabin charter on yacht, you can choose to hire a captain to sail it for you and a crew to take care of the other requirements of your trip. This way, you can be confident that you will have a safe and enjoyable time at sea.

Like it? Share it!


lucja

About the Author

lucja
Joined: March 23rd, 2018
Articles Posted: 2

More by this author