When I tell non-sailing friends how much fun you can have on the water, they typically reply: ‘Sailing, isn’t that for rich people?’
‘NO!’ I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve debunked that myth. It’s true, owning a boat can be costly, even when you maintain it yourself, but there are many ways to sail for free or low cost, which is what I’ve done for most of my life. Even now, as a member of two sailing clubs, I spend less annually on boating than I do on my kids’ football subscriptions. At PBO, our mission is to get you on the water as affordably as possible. If you don’t own a boat, are thinking of selling yours or even trying a new kind of sailing, here are ways you can do it.
What type of boat?
The first thing to consider is do you prefer to sail a big boat or small? There’s a world of difference between the two. Dinghies capsize, yachts usually don’t. You wear a wetsuit on the former, oilskins on the latter. Then you have keelboats which, with a weighted keel, are somewhere in between.
Dinghies are fast, fun and unforgiving –you learn quickly when one false move tips you overboard, yet you can sail cruising yachts badly your whole life and never even know it. Yachts and motorboats offer a lifestyle that dinghies can’t; an opportunity to do long passages and see new places, sleep and live aboard. But, if you want maximum fun for the least amount of cost and effort, a small boat triumphs every time, and there’s a great camaraderie to be found at local clubs.
Then there are boating opportunities that fit none of these categories… such as tall ships, lifeboat crew, charities and East Coast smacks. My advice? Try them all!
1. RYA taster day
I discovered my local club, Hengistbury Head Sailing Club (HHSC) via the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) annual initiative, Discover Sailing. More than 300 clubs took part in the event last year, opening their doors to local communities, and taking people out sailing, many for the first time. It’s a great way to try a boat and a club free of charge with no commitment. Discover Sailing events run throughout the summer. Find an event near you at rya.org.uk/start-boating/discover-sailing
2. Dinghy sailing courses
Another way to try dinghy sailing is through an RYA sailing centre. These offer a range of courses for juniors and adults. The RYA Dinghy Level 1 is a two-day/16-hour course for complete beginners. However, if you can already sail yachts, I’d suggest starting at Level 2 which covers rigging, launching, safety and capsizing. Level 3, which I did one bitterly cold winter, covers more advanced skills such as stopping and). After this, the RYA offers a range of tailored courses from day sailing to use of spinnakers and racing.
