Have you always dreamed of venturing onto the open ocean, wind blowing in your hair, with only the vast blue ocean in front of you?
You ought to try sailing. Sailing is fun variation of ancient boating practices that is now an accessible recreational sport for everyone. Although the best way to learn how to sail is by, quite literally, getting your feet wet, having some knowledge of boating styles and terminology is helpful before getting started.
There are a few types of sailing. Social sailing is very popular; this is a popular activity where friends just go for a casual jaunt. There is also cruising, a type of social sailing where a particular destination is chosen. On the other end of the spectrum is competitive sailing; racing. There are various levels of competitions, from international regattas to ocean races. Whatever fits your lifestyle, you can find the sailing culture for you!
- Safety is of the utmost importance – You’ll learn this your first few times out. Respect the boom and always wear a lifejacket! See more tips here.
- Find a mentor – Learning any new skill is easier when you have a great guide. Invest in a sailing course, do research from books, and find a friend with experience to talk you through the harder challenges.
- Practice – Practice will make you more comfortable on the boat.
Here are four important words you should get situated with before getting started. When aboard ship, your orientation is based completely on the ship’s orientation. Let’s learn how to negotiate directional terms:
- Aft – The back of a ship or sailboat; also known as the stern.
- Bow – The front of the ship is called the bow. Defining the front from the back is necessary for defining the two other most common sailing terms: port (left of the bow) and starboard (right of the bow).
- Port – Port is always the left-hand side of the boat when you are facing the bow. Because “right” and “left” can become confusing sailing terms when used out in the open waters, port is used to define the left-hand side of the boat as it relates to the bow.
- Starboard – Starboard is always the right-hand side of the boat when you are facing the bow. Because “right” and “left” become confusing sailing terms when used in open water, starboard is always defines the right-hand side of the boat as it relates to the bow.
Stay tuned at ericvorm.org for more sailing tips.
