There are many ways in which you can get sailing experience, one of which will be to sign up to a sailing course. But courses and lessons aren’t the only way in which you can get sailing experience if you don’t have your own boat. They are other things you can do so here’s just a handful of those ideas to help inspire you.
8 ways to get sailing experience
1. Join a sailing club
Become a member of a local sailing club and you can quickly gain practical sailing experience. Ideally, they should have access to a range of different boats, training, and education initiatives. Most clubs will offer regular sailing sessions as well as club races and events you can take part in. You will also get to meet more experienced sailors who you can learn from as a mentor…
2. Find a sailing mentor
The sailing club could be where you find your mentor. Mentorship from experienced sailors will be an invaluable tactic in advancing your sailing skills. Experienced sailors can provide guidance and advice on everything from boat handling to navigation and also help to identify areas where you need to improve. Finding a mentor can be as simple as reaching out to local sailing clubs or attending sailing events and networking with other sailors.
3. Volunteer as boat crew
It’s often possible to find boat owners who need an extra pair of hands. Not all of them will require you have years of experience and can be happy to take a novice on board. If that novice is you, then this is your chance t to learn from the more seasoned crew members. Volunteering as boat crew will also give you an opportunity to develop skills beyond sailing, such as communication, teamwork, and leadership.
3. Get a job working on boat deliveries
Boats need to be delivered from A to B and need enough crew to handle the task. Look out for job opportunities like this to get valuable hands-on experience in various sailing conditions and environments. You’ll gain practical skills in navigation, seamanship, and boat handling. You will also be exposed to different vessels from small sailboats to large yachts. This will give you more experience of different sailing scenarios as you develop skills through real-world experience and on-the-job training.
4. Charter a boat
Chartering can be intimidating but is one sure-fire way of getting experience without the financial outlay of boat ownership. If you are nervous, try sailing on smaller boats first before taking on a larger yacht.
5. Take a sailing holiday
We offer sailing holidays where you can do as much or as little as you want. It will give you a huge amount of sailing experience as you benefit from our professional skipper and crew. They will show you the ropes in a more relaxed environment than you may be used to.
6. Join a marine conservation expedition
Not your everyday job admittedly, but if you can find a role like this, not only are you contributing to marine conservation efforts, but you’re also gaining invaluable sailing experience. Some organisations offer expeditions that combine sailing with scientific research and conservation projects.
7. Volunteer to work at a regatta, race, or sailing event
Volunteering at events presents an incredible opportunity to network and create connections for the future, leading to more opportunities with experienced sailors and crew. You could also offer to help with race management tasks, such as mark laying or race committee duties which will really immerse yourself in the sailing environment.
8. Sign up to sailing courses
And finally, the best way of all will be to sign-up to one of the RYA courses that we can offer you. Our courses range from beginner lessons to more advanced depending on how much experience you wish to gain. We also offer mile builder sailing trips aimed at building your confidence on the water.
To conclude, there are several ways you can gain sailing experience. But nothing really beats spending time with First Class Sailing. Whether that’s our courses or holidays, call us now to find out how we can bring your skills up to speed.
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