First time sailing, Learning to sail, Sailing courses in the UK and Mediterranean
First Time Sailing Guide
A basic introduction to the various steps involved in taking a yacht out for a spin in jargon free English. Your first sailing trip (however short) will almost certainly involve these six subjects. Each topic could fill a few chapters of a book so the aim here is just to outline each one briefly and help you to ask your instructor or skipper the right questions once you are on the boat.
Safety
All RYA (Royal Yachting Association) courses start with a comprehensive safety briefing which is very instructional. On practical courses this is usually carried out aboard the boat and lasts about two hours. No prior knowledge will be assumed if you are on an introductory course. Part of the briefing may be given by a student at a more advanced level under the supervision of the instructor.
If you are not on a recognised course or just being taken out by a friend it is vital that you are made fully aware of the boat's safety equipment and it's operation in an emergency.
Always find out what's on board, where it is and how to use it should you need to.
Planning
You won't be very involved in the planning of your first sailing trip which is probably a good thing as you'll be busy trying to learn hundreds of other things to do with the boat and sailing her. Never the less it is good to know that the instructor or skipper has (hopefully) planned your itinery and the different choices that were made in getting there.
Preparation
Before any boat can glide smoothly away from it's berth a number of checks and routines need to be carried out. Here is a quick list of what they are and how you might be involved.
Getting Going
The interesting bit! Having briefed everybody and prepared everything the instructor or skipper will call to each person (hopefully by name) to carry out their alloted task at the right time so releasing the boat which then moves gracefully (or not) away. A few tips on helping to make it all happen.
Sailing
This topic obviously requires rather more space than one page on a web site. This diagram attempts to illustrate the various points of sail which will be demonstrated during your first trip and which form the basis of all subsequent sailing techniques and tactics.
Stopping
The second interesting bit (sometimes more than getting going!). You have a few options
including stopping whilst sailing if neccessary. The options with a brief description of
whats involved are listed here.
"If you can't repair it, maybe it shouldn't be on board. "
-Lynn and Larry Pardey
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