So, the Olympics is over again. More smiles on the podium, and hundreds of young sailors who can move on with their lives with ‘Competed in the Rio Olympics for my country’s team’ on their CVs yet who confidently could say they had no hope at a medal from the start. This isn’t to slag […]
Lately you’ll have read a lot on this blog about elite racers blasting across the ocean in races such as the Volvo Ocean Race or around the buoys in the America’s Cup. A lot won’t even aspire to sail on one – they just like sailing for sailing’s sake. In general there are two types […]
Learning to sail is a process which needs to be done in stages, beginning with the basics before developing more advanced skills as required. The basics form the foundation block from which progression through other courses can then be made – without these essential skills it can be very hard to develop. Sailing is built […]
The concept of a Sailing Champions League is a new one in the sailing world, but not to the sporting world in general. Football already has its premier tournament, while cricket has also expanded its boundaries to introduce the Champions League Twenty20 in recent years. The former is limited to only the best sides in […]
There really are few limits when it comes to sailing, provided of course that a sailor has the necessary qualifications for what they plan to do. Developing as a sailor requires plenty of time out on the water to gain experience, during which time it should be possible to learn to sail while mastering all […]
Once the basics of sailing are mastered, it’s time to move on to the more complex aspects of spending time on the water. That means learning the essentials of navigation and seamanship, from safety aspects to avoiding collisions and setting an appropriate course. It is assumed that all of the basic aspects will have been […]
Sailing can be a tremendous way to relax and have fun on the water, and it probably isn’t as difficult as you might initially think. Plenty of courses and guidance are available when it comes to getting started, from knowing which parts of a boat are which to how to cope with differing weather conditions. […]
Teamwork when at sea can be the difference between winning and losing in big events, while it can also have a dramatic impact on whether people enjoy sailing. Many sailing courses place an emphasis on team work as it can enhance the experience of all of those taking part. The best sailors are those that […]
If you’ve moved in sailing circles for any appreciable length of time, you’ll no doubt have come across the Royal Yachting Association and the sailing courses they offer. RYA courses are considered the gold standard when it comes to sailing, and you may well have taken one or more yourself. If that’s the case, at […]
If you’re going to sail or work on a boat bigger than a simple dinghy, odds are you’ll be on board a vessel with other people too. Here’s a summary of the main crew roles you’ll find on board a boat. The Captain Otherwise known as the Helmsman or Skipper, the captain takes the lead […]