learn to sail

Here are five new sailing terms to get you started to learn to sail. Once you know these, you will understand some of the salty talk you hear around marinas.

Upwind

Toward the wind. If you turn your face so that you feel it blowing against you, you are facing “upwind”. A sailing vessel sails upwind on a point of sail called a “close hauled, or beating”.

Head Up (also Luff Up)

To head toward the direction of the wind. You don’t need to turn the boat into the wind in order to head up. But if someone says you need to “head up”, that means you need to point the bow closer to the direction the wind is coming from.

Downwind

Away from the wind. If you turn your back to the wind, you are facing “downwind”. When a sailing vessel sails downwind, her sails will be let out all the way to catch as much wind as possible. Some boats carry a big, colorful, balloon-like sail called a “spinnaker” when sailing downwind.

Fall Off (or Head Down)

To head away from the direction of the wind. If someone says you need to “fall off”, that means you need to point the bow further away from the direction the wind is coming from.

Sheet In or Ease Sheets

You control the sail angle to the wind with a sailing rope called a “sheet”. The mainsail has a mainsheet attached to the boom. The Genoa (or any headsail) has a Genoa sheet (or jib sheet).

When you “sheet in”, you pull on the sheet to bring any sail closer to the boat. When you “ease sheets”, you let out the sheet so that a sail moves farther away from the centerline of the boat.

Memorize these five easy sailing terms until you know them so well that they are like a second language. You will be well on your way to learn to sail the more familiar you become with the language of sailing!

If you are anything like me, when you learn to sail, you also need to know a bit about rules and regulations out on the water. Take dumping garbage.

Now, this doesn’t mean just paper, beer cans, or food wrappers. It also includes a simple apple core or the peel from a juicy orange. So here in a nutshell are the rules for what you can and cannot toss over the side when sailing:

Less than 3 miles from Land
You are not allowed to dump any type of product, which includes paper, plastic, glass, metals, or foods.

From 3 miles to 12 miles from Land
You must grind or break up all products, including paper, glass, metals, or foods to less than one inch. You are not allowed to toss over any type of packing material that floats. You may never throw over plastic or materials that contain plastic (like Styrofoam).

More than 12 miles from Land
Anything goes with the exception of plastics or any materials that contain plastics.

Follow these three simple sailing tips to learn to sail without the headache of hefty fines. Keep sailing fun and the environment safe for all to enjoy—wherever in the world you choose to go sailing!

Hi Everyone,
Here are some of my favorite quotes from some great sailors today and from the past. You may find some of this wisdom applies not only to sailing, but to other parts of your lives as well. Enjoy!

“What will the weather bring? Is the yacht and her crew fully prepared?“
– Erroll Bruce, British commander, author, sailor

“There is delight to be had from handling a boat well, and being seen to handle her well.“
– Des Sleightholme, master sailor and author

“To sail well is to have complete control over the sailboat at all times.
– Olympian Steve Colgate

“I am looking to see whether anything is out of order. There will be no time to look for what is missing or out of place when a storm comes up at sea…“
– Phoenician Seaman—335 B.C.

“Through the ages, people have found time to look upward and to seek peace and solace in the panorama of weather.“
– Eric Sloane, author, marine illustrator, sailor

“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, we are going back from whence we came.”
– John F. Kennedy, US President, WWII Commander, prolific sailor

“I’m not so afraid of dying as I am of not living while I’m here.“
– Dave Clark, who sailed around the world at the age of 77

Your enthusiastic sailing coach,
Captain John
“Because Sailing is a Passion!“
www.skippertips.com

Did you know that sailing has it’s own language? If you want to learn to sail, you can speed up your time and effort by learning 3 new sailing terms each day. This will take you about 3 minutes each day. Let’s take a look at this a little more in depth…

3 terms each day. 30 days in a month. 3 sailing terms x 30 days per month = 90 new sailing terms each month!. That’s 1,080 sailing terms you will learn in just a year! Pretty simple to boost your knowledge without a whole lot of effort.

You might ask where you can find three extra minutes in your busy day. Here are five ways you can can do this:

• Driving to and from work (make a recording).
• Riding on the bus or subway.
• Sitting on the pot (amazing how the brain kicks in!).
• Eating breakfast (talk about it with your partner or kids).
• During your daily walk or treadmill workout (make a recording).

Make it a point right now—to get started. If you are unsure where to start, check out my “Learn to Sail for Newbies” series on HubPages. Click on this link now:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Learn-to-Sail-for-Newbies-Sailing-Terms-You-Need-to-Know.

You can do this. I’m here to help, but you need to pull the trigger!

Your enthusiastic sailing coach,
Captain John
Learn to Sail Like a Pro!

Hi Guys,
I see a lot of passion to get sailing fever. Love it. First, you have the passion, then you need to get over the 72 hour hurdle. 72 hour hurdle? What the heck is this sailing dude talking about?

Well, being a learn to sail writer, I read a lot. And I’ve read more than once that human beings have a behavior pattern that goes something like this…

Let’s say you are all pumped to do something or learn something, like how to sail, how to make more money, how to get your dream job, how to learn a new language. Great.

So you go to a seminar on your dream of choice and come back so pumped your head is spinning. Dollar signs are floating in your head (after a learn to make a million bucks seminar) or you see yourself rounding Cape Horn like Jessica Watson (after a learn to sail seminar or course).

Pareto’s Principle (also known as Pareto’s Law) says that only 20% of us will ever take action. Studies have found that out of that 20%, only 5% will go on to become successful. And out of that remaining 5%, only 1-2% will become highly successful, rich, and famous. Why is that?

That one giant “moon” step you need to take lies within the first 72 hours after you leave that seminar, course, or free “how to sail around the world” talk.

And only 20% will ever take action toward that goal (no matter what the goal—making money, learning to sail, speaking a language) within those first 3 days after you get home. After 72 hours, your enthusiasm tapers off to zilch.

From personal experience, and having spent thousands on seminars and such, I have to agree. And that, my friends, is where you now have the edge. If you have a dream, start working on it now—today! Life is short. Go for it!

Captain John
www.SkipperTips.com
“Learn to Sail Like a Pro!”

Formal schools where you can learn to sail are fine, yet many people are looking for less expensive alternatives.

For example, in my home state of Florida, many sailing schools are suffering because of the tough economy. Some have lost 50% of their anticipated signups. These classes can cost $300 and up.

There are a few ways to beat the high cost. These include:

Join a local yacht club.
Many clubs hold races on Wednesday night or during weekends. You might find a skipper looking for enthusiastic crew (enthusiasm means more than abilities—as long as you throw yourself into it, you will often be welcomed). And, if someone can’t make it for race night, they will call you up to “sub”.

Volunteer at a marina.
Get your feet wet. Find the dockmaster (all marinas have a guy or gal that supervises docking and fueling) and ask if they know of anyone looking for sailing crew. Talk to people you see on the docks and boats. Most are super friendly and will go out of their way to help you out.

Offer a helping hand.
Kids sailing programs are a great way to learn to sail—and give back to your community. Some cities have sailing programs for under-privileged youth. Call the YMCA, United Way, or your church. You might strike a gold mine hidden just beneath the horizon.

So, there you have it. Three ways to “get aboard” and learn to sail at little or no cost. You need not let dollars stop you from completing your dream of sailing. Go for it—you can do it!

When you first learn to sail, tacking a boat (pass the bow from one side of the wind to the other side) can be a challenge. There you are, sailing like a champ with the wind 45 degrees on one side of the boat. It’s time to tack, and you need to end up the same amount of degrees on the opposite side of the wind.

Now, many schools will teach you to add, subtract, stare at a compass, or some such complicated process. But here’s something so simple anyone can do it—and make a smooth tack just like the pros do. Use your own body for perfect tacks.

Think about this. You are going to tack through a total of 90 degrees,or put the wind from 45 degrees on one side of the bow to 45 degrees on the opposite side. Follow these easy steps:

1. Stand up at the tiller or wheel. Align yourself so that you are on the centerline and you look toward the bow.

2. Look over your shoulder to windward (toward the wind). Pick a spot on the shoreline—a tree, house, pier, or other fixed object. You will use this “aim” point to get lined up onto after you make the tack.

3. Tack the boat through the wind. Find your “aim” point and line the boat up onto it. Trim your sails and you’re done.

Learn to sail like a pro with these three easy-to-learn steps. You will make smoother, more accurate tacks that will result in better speed and performance—wherever in the world you choose to sail.

Did you know that you can learn to sail without the expense of sailboat ownership? Save big bucks from not having to pay slip rent or spend your hard earned cash on repairs and maintenance.

You may be surprised to know that I haven’t owned a sailboat for many years. And yet—I go sailing anytime I please. How do I do this? Crewing. Did you know that there are hundreds of crew positions on cruising and racing sailboats advertised on the web?

Lots of folks need their boats moved. And they just don’t have the time to do it themselves. So they hire a sailing captain and he/she looks for crew.

Sailboat deliveries might be a few days underway up or down the east or west coast of the US. Or a delivery across an ocean. Or a fall passage to the Caribbean.

Sites like cruiserlog.com (http://www.cruiser.co.za/crewfinder.asp) puts people looking to sail in touch with captains looking for crew.

That photo of me was taken in late July, when I helped deliver a 50 foot sailboat along the Florida coastline!

What Will You Be Doing Aboard?

You will trim sails, reef sails, work with sailing gear like anchors, winches, and rope. You will learn about diesel engines, marine toilet systems, fresh and salt water systems, and refrigeration.

And learn how to cook on a propane stove underway while heeling, how to reef a sail in a squall, and experien the most awesome, jaw-dropping sunrises and sunsets you have ever witnessed. And sail under a canopy of stars, planets, and the milky way during a night watch at sea.

So, if you want to keep your sailing skills up, or are just looking to learn to sail, find a crewing job and experience the joy and rush of sailing without the hassle and expense of ownership!

Before you learn to sail, you want to have a basic understanding of the unique language that describes sails, sailboats, and sailing wind and direction.

Sailors use a lot of different terms to describe things aboard a sailboat. Once you understand the basic terms, you will accelerate your learning faster than you ever thought possible.

Here are ten sailboat terms you will want to know right away!

Port and Starboard
Aboard a boat, the left side is called port and the right side starboard.

Bow (Forward)
When you move toward the front of the boat or bow, you are said to be going forward.

Stern (Aft)
When you move toward the back of the boat or stern, you are said to be going aft.

Beam or Abeam
These two terms mean the same thing—off the side of the boat. When the wind blows onto the side of your sailboat, it’s called a beam wind. When you look abeam, you are looking to the side. Off the port beam means off the left side; off the starboard beam means off the right side.

Cockpit
That part of the boat where the crew and steerer sit or stand. The lines (ropes) that control the sails are often lead back to the cockpit. And the steerer uses a tiller or wheel to steer the boat from the cockpit.

Mast
The sailboat mast is used to hold the mainsail. In the old days of sailing, the largest mast was called the mainmast. Thus the more modern term mainsail.

Stays
Masts are supported much like a telephone pole by wires. Those that run from the top of the mast to the bow and stern, called stays, support the mast in a forward and aft direction. The forestay attaches to the bow. The backstay attaches to the stern.

Shrouds
Wires that support the mast on each side are called shrouds. Most sailboats have several shrouds on each side. The longest ones are called “upper shrouds” and the shorter ones “lower shrouds”.

Chainplates
Shrouds attach to heavy fittings on the deck called chainplates. These must be extra strong to support the high loads on shroud wires.

Companionway
A hole in the forward part of the cockpit gives you access to the cabin (or cuddy cabin). This companionway may or may not contain a companionway ladder to take you down into the cabin below the deck.

Learn to sail smooth and easy once you understand the language of sailing. You will boost your sailing skills and get sailing faster once you learn the lingo!

If you are anything like me, when you first learn to sail, it seems that sail trim can be about as understandable as calculus. There has to be an easier way! Think of sail trim as the way to shape your sails for maximum speed and power.

Use the easy method of sail trim called feathering anytime you want to achieve just the right shape for maximum speed. Follow these three easy steps every time you change to a new point of sail:

1. Ease out the Genoa

Watch the luff (forward part) of the Genoa as you ease it out. As soon as you see it start to flutter, pull it in just enough to “put the flutter to sleep”. Now you have it trimmed just right!

2. Let out the Mainsail

Ease the mainsheet to repeat the technique described above. Watch the forward part of the main (luff). As soon as it starts to flutter, pull the mainsheet back in just a bit to “put it to sleep”.

3. Watch the Shoreline

After you make any sail adjustment, look at the shoreline to see how fast your are going. Watch how objects appear to move ashore. If you slowed down, you did something wrong. Start over and try again. If you speed up, you did things right. Trust what you see to tell you right or wrong.

Use these three easy sailing tips to learn to sail with more speed, power and performance. You will soon gain the confidence to sail a boat of any size—wherever in the world you choose to go sailing.