There is always something new to learn.
Sailing gives you a whole new subject to explore, and you can start learning simply by taking part.
You don’t need to study before you arrive, but if you want to learn more beforehand, we can help you prepare.
Once aboard, you’re surrounded by people who know how it all works, with a real sailing vessel and the sea providing plenty to discover.
Every rope you pull, course you steer and question you ask adds something new.
The great thing about learning to sail is you can learn forever. There are so many variable conditions at sea and amongst the characters on board. There is always a new intriguing combination.
There are some great nautical phrases like ‘Sail full and bye’’ or ‘Splice the main brace’. When you know the last one you can really celebrate.
Start knowing nothing
That’s perfectly all right.
You don’t need previous sailing experience for most of our voyages. The professional crew expect people to arrive with different levels of knowledge.
At first, even the language may be unfamiliar. Then somebody shows you what a rope does, where to stand or how to steer a course.
You learn one thing. Then another follows.
Learn by doing
There is a big difference between reading about sailing and actually doing it.
Take the helm and feel how the vessel responds. Help set a sail and see what happens when its shape changes. Watch the wind and waves and begin to understand the crew’s decisions.
There isn’t an exam at the end. Unless, of course, you want one.
Ask questions
Professional sailors have accumulated knowledge through years at sea.
Why are we changing that sail? What is that rope for? Why have we altered course?
Ask. Follow what interests you.
The more you understand, the more there is to notice.
How much do you want to learn?
For many people, learning naturally during a voyage is enough. Ask questions, have a go and gradually understand more about what’s happening around you.
But you can take it further.
We also offer practical RYA sailing courses for people who want more structured training, time to practise and the opportunity to work towards a recognised qualification.
The Royal Yachting Association provides recognised training across sailing, navigation and seamanship.
So you can simply enjoy learning during a voyage or choose a course and develop your skills further.
How far you take it is up to you.
Discover how a sailing ship works
Traditional vessels make many of the principles of sailing remarkably visible.
A rope leads somewhere. A sail changes shape. The wind acts on it and the ship responds.
Something that initially looks complicated gradually begins to make sense.
You probably won’t understand the whole ship after one voyage. But you may be surprised by how much you recognise compared with your first day aboard.
Learn from other people
Not everything you learn will be about sailing.
The people joining a voyage bring their own experience, occupations and interests. Meals, watches and quiet periods on deck provide plenty of time to talk.
Someone you met that morning may know a great deal about wildlife, engineering, history, photography or something you’ve never considered before.
Sharing a voyage gives you time to find out.
Learn about the sea
Spend several days travelling by sea and you start noticing things that are easily missed from land.
The wind changes. The sea changes with it. Light, clouds, tides, wildlife and coastlines become part of your day.
You begin to understand why the professional crew watch conditions so carefully and why a sailing voyage cannot always follow an exact itinerary.
The sea isn’t just the scenery. It becomes part of what you’re learning from.
Learn before you go, if you want to
You don’t need to study before joining a voyage.
But some people enjoy knowing more before they arrive. You might want to understand the ship, learn some terminology, practise a few knots or find out more about the sailing area.
If that’s you, we can help you prepare before you join.
Then, once aboard, the things you’ve read about start becoming real.
What will I come home knowing?
That depends on you.
Perhaps you’ll know how to steer a course or tie a knot you couldn’t tie before. You may recognise a few sails, understand a little more about weather or know why the ship changed course during the night.
Or perhaps the most important discovery will simply be that you can do something you had never tried before.
You don’t need to come home wanting to become a sailor.
But you should come home knowing more than when you left.
Curious enough to learn something new?
You could read about sailing, watch ships from the shore or wonder what it would be like.
Or you can join a voyage and start finding out for yourself.
Learn as much or as little as you want. If sailing catches your interest, there are practical RYA courses to take you further.
You don’t have to learn how to sail before you join. You join, and then you start learning.
Adam Purser 23-08-26
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