Learn to Sail

Perfect for those who have never helmed a sailing boat or for those who simply want a fresh start. It focuses on developing wind-awareness, safety, rigging and storing the gear, and maneuvering under engine and sail.

If you have never helmed a sailing boat before the first day on the sailing course will be an unforgettable experience for you as it is one of the first things you will do. Next you will be introduced to the wind. Many of us in everyday life very much take the wind for granted – but can you always tell where the wind is coming from? It is a lot harder than it sounds and most people find it tricky when they first try it; but it is the most basic skill you’ll need to sail a yacht. If you don’t know where the wind is coming from, you will have nothing but trouble when you try to use it to power your boat and take you in the direction that you want to go.

Once you know where the wind is coming from and how to steer the boat in the direction you want to go, then you need to learn how to trim the sails so that they generate the power to keep the boat going. You also need to build your understanding of which directions, relative to the direction of the wind, you just can’t go, and what to do if your target destination happens to lie in that direction.

Your main target when you learn sailing is to build your knowledge and develop the practical skills you need to use that knowledge in actually sailing. The normal method is to sail a triangular course, or a large circle. Once you can do that, you can sail! True there are a lot of other things to learn, but you will already have made the transformation from landlubber* to sailor; you are on your way. You’ll be keen to sign up for your next sailing course with Sail in Asia.

* A landlubber is the traditional term sailors use to describe those with no knowledge of the sea.