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Some of the best family time can be spent sailing to an unfamiliar harbor and discovering a new favorite location, as mom and dad relax in the cockpit while kids explore the harbor and make new friends. The smile on a racer’s face as he rounds the final mark in a great position is equally rewarding. Nothing teaches an appreciation for the world we live in like an offshore passage. Every chance to sail feels like an accomplishment, even to the experienced sailor: tacking, jibing, docking and anchoring. Every day on the water is so different, providing enthusiasm for overcoming challenges and the reward of time well spent.
There are numerous ways for adults to start sailing. Some sailors are self-taught, often starting on a protected body of water like a lake with one of the many ‘learn-to-sail’ books. Start with a trip to the local marine store, find a staff member who is a keen sailor, and go from there. For those looking to advance more quickly, or avoid the pleasure of capsizing, there are two major adult programs in the United States: the American Sailing Association (ASA) and US SAILING. ASA has been at adult sailing education for longer, and it’s all they do. US SAILING is a much older, non-profit organization focused broadly on the advancement of sailing. For example, they organize the US Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. Their requirements are generally more rigorous.
The specific school makes all the difference. Prices vary, but note the hours on the water and the student/instructor ratio. For example, if a learn to sail course is taught in 10 hours with up to four students by one school and another school teaches it in 30 hours with three students, do not expect to get the same out of each course. Interested sailors should investigate each school to determine the amount of time on the water, what you will know following the specific course, and if practice time is provided by the school following the course. Bear in mind that being able to sail a boat, and being able to captain a boat and handle an emergency are different skill sets.
Another adult sailing opportunity involves racing, typically on privately owned boats located at yacht clubs. Sailing with racers can be a fun experience if you are matched with a captain or owner who is interested in helping you learn. If you don’t already sail and want to race, you may want take a few lessons first. Racers are out to win, not teach you how to sail. Racing is an excellent way to gain some skills and become great at your specific task on the boat. Bear in mind that the starts and mark roundings are generally stressful for the skipper and crew. By focusing on your specific job and staying out of the way, you can soon be racing as often as you want. There are online forums to find a boat to race on, including one offered by this magazine [windcheckmagazine.com; click on ‘Crew Connect’). If you wander down to your local yacht club on Saturday morning around 9am, you will soon get a handle on the situation.
Other options arise after you’ve learned to sail, including sailing with a membership-based program, buying a boat or joining a yacht club. All have advantages and disadvantages. If you have minimal free time to work on your potential new boat, then a sailing membership or a shared use program is ideal because it will allow you to ‘get your feet wet’ before you jump in the pool. Within the sailing memberships, you use the boats as a time-share program: some make you choose dates up front while others are more flexible with usage. Bear in mind that few busy couples can manage more than four to six sailing weekends per summer.
Again, do your research and find what works for your schedules. Some yacht clubs also have shared use programs, often using the Ideal 18, a small keelboat. The cost for joining a membership-based sailing club can be as low as $1,000 per year for a daysailer.
There are lots of amazing deals on used sailboats, but bear in mind that a $500 20-foot sailboat can soon cost you $10,000 in needed upgrades and one year of dockage. On the other hand, an 18-foot trailerable centerboard sailboat in good shape can often run under $1,000 with only a few hundred dollars in other yearly costs. A family cruiser can run from $10,000 to several hundred thousand dollars. As in courses, there is considerable difference between the various manufacturers. Some focus on a comfortable interior with a rig that leaves you motoring more often, others on racing abilities with an interior that may not appeal to your family.
Sailing a variety of boats in a variety of conditions and speaking with or reading as many experts as possible is the only way to get a handle on what makes sense for you. If you start with a proven classic, say a 36-foot Sabre 362 for $150,000, and then tweak the formula a little from there, you will not go wrong. For example, a self-tacking headsail with a bigger main is a great feature if you like to daysail the boat shorthanded. Almost all sailboat dealers or brokers got into the business because they love the sport, and have a boatload of experience to offer if you catch them when they are not too busy. Another group that new sailors should be familiar with is sailmakers. These are the ‘pros’ in the industry, but again, they can offer much valuable advice and are a key contact whom you will use as long as you sail. Try to find one with similar interests to yours. Some are more focused on racing, others prefer cruising or offshore sailing.
Finally, remember that sailing truly is a lifelong sport. There are always new harbors to explore, or a higher level to reach in racing. Sailors love to help one another. Sailboat shows, like the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis, MD, are a must for any cruising sailor, and no sailor goes for long without at least a few sailing magazine subscriptions. The Internet offers a vast amount of sailing knowledge and a variety of interesting newsletters and blogs. Keep learning and have fun!
Wendy van Breems is the Marketing Director of Sound Sailing Center in Norwalk, CT. For more information about their US SAILING certified instruction (from Intro to Sailing to Ocean Sailing), visit soundsailingcenter.com.
Resources to Start Sailing Now
Bluewater Sailing School, Newport, RI, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, St. Thomas, USVI, Bahamas www.bwss.com
Connecticut Community Boating, Bridgeport, CT www.ctcommunityboating.org
Narragansett Sailing, Bristol, RI www.narragansettsailing.com
Nautical School RI, CT, NY and NJ Captain’s Licensing www.nauticalschool.com
New York Sailing Center, City Island, NY www.startsailing.com
Offshore Passage Opportunities Overnight to Transocean – some experience necessary www.sailopo.com
Offshore Sailing School, New York, NY, Jersey City, NJ, St. Michaels, MD, Fort Myers, FL, St. Petersburg, FL, Captiva Island, FL, British Virgin Islands www.OffshoreSailing.com
Quinipet Quinipet Camp and Retreat Center Shelter Island, NY www.quinipet.org
Sail the Sounds, Mystic, CT www.sailthesounds.com
Sailaway Sailing School, Bridgeport, CT www.teamsailaway.com
SailTime NY/ Long Island Sailing School Northport, NY www.sailli.com
Setauket Yacht Club, Port Jefferson, NY www.setauketyc.com
Sound Sailing Center, Norwalk, CT www.soundsailingcenter.com
Womanship Long Island Sound www.womanship.com
