Those who sail often know how therapeutic the effect of the waves can be. Sailing is an exciting activity; steering your boat across the deep blue sea can increase your ‘happy hormones’ and boost creativity. However, if you’re yet to try your hand at sailing, you may feel slightly nervous or even unsure about the task.
hose who sail often know how therapeutic the effect of the waves can be. Sailing is an exciting activity; steering your boat across the deep blue sea can increase your ‘happy hormones’ and boost creativity. However, if you’re yet to try your hand at sailing, you may feel slightly nervous or even unsure about the task.
And that’s okay! Sailing for the first time can bring mixed feelings. But once you find yourself behind the helm, let the excitement take over and keep in mind a few sailing basics. In this blog, we’ll go over tips that can help make your first-time sailing experience smooth and memorable:
Practice in calm waters
Low-traffic areas and calm waters are the ideal conditions for your first-time sailing trip. Think of this as your initial months of driving; your instructor made you practice on empty roads because they wanted you to focus on the workings of the car before worrying about nearby traffic.
Similarly, by practicing in areas of light wind, you can make sure that you’re staying as safe as possible during your first sail. Don’t forget to check the weather forecast before setting out and learn the sail control to respond to different weather conditions.
Reminder: In conditions of light or strong wind, the sail should be flat whereas, in moderate wind, it should be full.
Pack the basics
Life jackets and rubber-sole shoes are essential to keep yourself and your crew safe in the waters. However, you should also make sure to pack clothes for bad weather, a first-aid kit, any essential medicine, sunscreen, glasses, gloves, and plenty of food and water.
You should also keep a flashlight handy to navigate in the nighttime. Pack some specialized tools such as a GPS and binoculars and spare boat equipment such as extra line, fenders, anchor and anchor rode.
Learn your sailing terms
To communicate with the people on board, learn a few basic boating terminologies such as:
- Aft: The back end of the ship.
- Bow: The front part of the ship.
- Starboard: The right-hand side of the ship when you’re faced toward the bow.
- Port: The left-hand side of the ship when you’re facing the bow.
- Windward: The direction in which the wind is blowing.
- Leeward: The opposite direction of the wind.
Keep in mind the waterway traffic rules
To prevent accidents in the sea, follow the waterway traffic rules. Here’s a refresher:
- The leeward boat has the right of way over the windward vessel. Similarly, the ship on the starboard tack has the right of way over the port track ship.
- If your boat is moving, it must always avoid a standing ship.
- Large ships have the right of way over smaller ships in constricted areas such as a channel.
Keep in mind these rules to stay safe during your sail! If you’re looking for the perfect yacht, visit our website to check our collection of luxury yachts. At Cabo Yacht World, we offer a wide variety of Catamaran yacht charters such as the Azimut 50 Atlantic 2016 and the Azimut 43 Atlantis 2016 for sale in Cabo, San Lucas. Call us on our toll-free number 011 521 624 168 9544 for technical assistance!