Go Sailing: The Complete Beginner's Guide to Getting Afloat by Bloomsbury Publishing

Go Sailing

The complete beginnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide to getting afloat SIMON JOLLANDS

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ADLARD COLES Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP, UK BLOOMSBURY, ADLARD COLES and the Adlard Coles logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc First published in Great Britain, 2020 Copyright © Simon Jollands, 2020 Simon Jollands has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the Author of this work All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication data has been applied for ISBN: PB: 978-1-4729-6900-2; ePDF: 978-1-4729-6901-9; eBook: 978-1-4729-6902-6 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Typeset in 9.25/12.75pt IBM Plex Sans by Margaret Brain Printed and bound in India by Replika Press Pvt. Ltd.

To find out more about our authors and books visit www.bloomsbury.com and sign up for our newsletters All illustrations by Simon Jollands except: Andrew Perris – 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50; Caiaimage/Trevor Adeline/Getty – 104; Freya Lister – 9, 12, 16t, 16bl, 18, 31, 33, 36, 38, 42r, 53, 54, 57, 60, 74, 79, 115; Kupicoo/Getty – 89b; Sunsail – 52t, 66; WRESPhotography/Alamy – 80

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CONTENTS Introduction 5

01 Getting started 7 When is a sailing boat a yacht? 7 | Sailing clubs 9 | Starting yacht sailing 9 | Yacht sailing courses 10 | Sailing holidays 12

02 Kit bag 15 Clothing 17 | Footwear 19 | Wet weather gear 19 Toiletries and medication 21

03 The yacht 23 Parts of the boat 23 | Sails 24 | Ropes 27 | Electrics 29

04 LIVING ABOARD 31 Before setting sail 32 | Below decks 34 | Fresh water 37 Cooking 37 | Keeping tidy 39 | Seasickness 39

05 crewing 42 Coiling a rope 43 | Knots 45 | Winches 51 | Mooring lines 53 Leaving a berth 55 | Arriving at a berth 57

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INTRODUCTION Go Sailing introduces the basics of yacht sailing to those with little or no hands-on experience. How will it help you? The aim of this book is to help those with little or no experience get to grips with the basics of yacht sailing so that once afloat they will be able to focus on having a great time. Go Sailing provides plenty of information about the parts of a boat and an understanding of the many crewing activities involved in sailing a boat, everything from handling the lines, to hoisting sails, operating a winch and tying knots. Learning the theory of how it all works helps prepare you for going out on the water and getting hands-on experience, which is where the fun really starts. You will soon pick up the sailing skills you need to become an active crew member of a boat under sail.

Sailing is for everyone One of the joys of sailing is that anyone can take part. You can start learning at any age and once you have got to grips with the basics you can develop your skills at your own pace, choosing to become a relaxed cruiser or a competitive racer. Whatever your experience and aspirations, Go Sailing is here to help you get started. It covers a range of subjects such as the practicalities of what to wear, what to bring with you, the meanings of all those strange nautical words and terms, what crewing is all about, as well as how to stay safe at sea. While Go Sailing is all about sailing on yachts, the basic principles of dinghy sailing are the same and many people enjoy sailing smaller dinghies as well as yachts. There is a lot of crossover between these difÂferÂent branches of sailing, including how a boat sails, steering, sail trimming, rights of way on the water, learning about ropes, knot tying, the tides, boating words and more.

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â&#x20AC;&#x201A; GO SAILING

The main sections in this book are: GETTING STARTED

What is sailing all about? Ways to get started, including joining a club, sailing courses for novices, plus going on a sailing holiday.

KIT BAG

Tips on clothing, wet weather gear and the essentials to take with you.

THE YACHT

Information and diagrams covering the parts of a boat above and below decks. How sails work. How to use the heads.

living aBOARD

The dos and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ts about being on board a yacht. Tips on seasickness prevention.

CREWING

The practical aspects of boat handling, including hoisting sails, coiling ropes, tying knots and operating winches.

CREW TASKS UNDERWAY

Explains how a yacht is sailed at different angles to the wind, including tacking and gybing manoeuvres.

NAVIGATING

Introduces traditional navigation methods used for finding your way at sea. Includes passage planning, how to use paper and electronic charts, as well as information on weather and tides.

BEING SAFE AT SEA

Describes first aid, man overboard drills, fire prevention and personal flotation devices.

BOAT WORDS

A glossary explaining the meaning of more than 200 nautical terms.

Thank you for choosing this book, and have fun afloat!

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chapter

getting started

With limited or no experience of sailing, what is the best way to get started, learn some new skills and have fun on the water? Although this book focuses on yacht sailing, it is worth mentioning that there are several ways to get started in sailing. Sailing boats come in an almost endless variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from small dinghies a couple of metres in length, to ocean-going yachts that can accommodate eight or more people.

When is a sailing boat a yacht? Sailing boats can be divided very broadly into three main groups: Sailing dinghy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A small open boat with an adjustable centreÂ board (shaped like a fin) underÂ neath the boat that is lowered for stability. There are many shapes and designs, but broadly speaking dinghies with wide, deep hulls are the most stable. These types are often used for training and cruising, and are ideal for families. Dinghies with flat, shallow hulls are designed for high performance and are more challenging to sail. Multi-hull dinghies have more than one hull and are mostly used for racing, and are again quite challenging to sail. Typical lengths range from 2 to 5 metres.

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GO SAILING

Keel boat – An open boat, larger and heavier than a dinghy, with a fixed, weighted keel underneath making it difficult to capsize. Used mainly for racing or day sailing. Not as physically demanding as a dinghy. Typical lengths range from 6 to 9 metres. Sailing yacht – A sailing boat with a cabin below the deck used for sleeping and living on board. Usually has an engine in addition to sails. Most yachts are designed for cruising, some for racing. They include monohulls (single hull) and multi-hulls (catamarans and trimarans). Some yachts have one mast, others have two or more. Typical lengths range from 8 to 15 metres.

WHAT KIND OF SAILING ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Choosing the best type of sailing for you will depend on whether, for example, you prefer the idea of racing smaller boats close to the shore, or day sailing where you might sail in an open boat near the coast for a few hours, or cruiser sailing where you might go offshore on longer voyages, living aboard for a few days or more.

• Do you want to get into a high adrenaline, competitive sport,

bashing through the waves in state-of-the-art performance dinghies? Or do you aspire to cruising in the sun with friends on big comfort able yachts, exploring idyllic anchorages and perfect beaches?

•

If you are after a high adrenaline sport, then it would be best to join a club, learn on training dinghies and join in the club’s racing activities. After you have gained some dinghy experience, you will be able to progress in any direction you choose from small open boats to ocean-going racing yachts. For those who are after a more relaxed cruising pastime, there are some excellent starter courses available for yacht sailing and these are becoming an increasingly popular way of getting into sailing (see page 10). If you are interested in yacht racing then gaining some dinghy racing experience first would definitely help you progress in the sport.

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g e t t ing s ta r t e d

Sailing clubs Many people start sailing by joining a sailing club. The basic principles of sailing apply to all sailing boats, large or small. Learning on a small sailing dinghy has many advantages, as it will be easier to handle and more responsive than a yacht. You will learn core skills that transfer to sailing all kinds of other, larger sailing boats.

Ti pS

• Joining a sailing club is a good

way to start as th is brings you into contact with other sailors. Look for a club that offers small and big boat sailing. Most clubs offer beginner, interm ediate and advanced din ghy sailing course s. Some boat show s offer opportunit ies for visitors to try out sailing and other water spor ts with instructors on ha nd to give expert tuitio n.

•

• •

Starting yacht sailing Yacht sailing is a generally more relaxed experience than dinghy sailing, which tends to be more physically demanding. Yachts are more stable than dinghies, with heavy keels which prevent capsize.  Having some idea about the different types of sailing there are will help when you are beginning.

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If you have friends who sail, ask Ti pS them if you could go along one day In the early days , take to get a feeling of what sailing is things step by ste p. like. By joining in with some of Try to get some ex perience of the basic crewing activities it the different kinds of sailing on offer. will help you learn some of Sailing is a very sociable activity and the fundamental skills. there are plenty of keen sailors wh o One of the joys of will help get you started. sailing is that you never You don’t have to sign up for a training course rig stop learning. Once you are ht away, but it is worth finding ou comfortable with the basics, t which courses might be suitable for you. then you can develop your skills and knowledge at your own pace.

•

Yacht sailing courses The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is the UK governing body for most water sports and runs a multitude of different courses at training schools in the UK and in more than 40 countries around the world. The two courses to take a look at are RYA Start Yachting and RYA Competent Crew.

Start Yachting course

The Start Yachting Course is a twoTi pS day practical course. If you are a Some sailing ho liday companies offer complete beginner and have training courses – an increasingly zero experience then this popular way of learning. course is ideal. You will A lot of yacht sk ippers need crew get experience of being to help sail their boats, bu t the usual minim aboard a yacht with trained um requirement is th at they have a Co mpetent instructors who will show Crew certificate. you how to steer a yacht There are more advanced RYA co urses and handle the sails, teach available for yach t sailors, including you rope work, as well as Day Skipper, Coas tal Skipper and Yachtmaster explain about safety at sea, ™. meteorology and the rules of the road. This is a fun, informative way to start sailing and well worth considering.

•

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â&#x20AC;&#x201A; g e t t i n g s ta r t e d

ď ° The RYA Competent Crew course is a hands-on learning experience and an ideal introduction to yacht sailing.

Competent Crew course

The RYA Competent Crew course is also a good place to start, even with no pre-course experience and little knowledge of sailing. The syllabus covers many of the topics featured in this book. The course takes five days, or can be done in stages over a series of weekends. As the name implies, the Competent Crew course should set you up well and will enable you to go sailing with confidence and take an active part in handling a yacht. Most of the course is hands on. You will learn how to steer a yacht, handle the sails and keep a lookout. After you have completed the course you will be given a certificate which will pave the way for you to take more advanced courses in the future, should you wish to learn how to navigate and become a skipper. To check out the RYA Start Yachting and Competent Crew courses, and find training centres near you, go to: www.rya.org.uk.

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â&#x20AC;&#x201A; GO SAILING

Sailing holidays If you are the type of person who likes an adventure, then you will definitely find a sailing holiday a great experience. You will be joining likeminded people who enjoy travelling, getting away from the pressures of modern living and making new friends.

ď ° Joining a professionally skippered yacht makes an ideal holiday for those with little or no previous experience.

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g e t t ing s ta r t e d

bareboat chartering An ideal type of sailing holiday is to go with a group of friends and charter a boat together. This type of holiday is known as a bareboat charter. In most countries, in order to charter a yacht bareboat the skipper is required to hold an RYA Day Skipper (Practical) certificate or an International Certificate of Competence (ICC) or an equivalent national qualification. It is also normal practice that one other person needs to hold an RYA Competent Crew certificate or equivalent experience. One of the advantages of bareboat chartering is it gives you maximum freedom to go where you want and plan your holiday in detail, without having to fit in with a flotilla which will keep to a group plan. The more shared effort your group of friends makes before a holiday like this the better, agreeing where and when to go and planning the trip together. There’s also the opportunity to fine-tune your plan once you are aboard – for example you might find a magical bay where you can anchor and decide to stay there for a few days. Local knowledge is also worth factoring in. You might well discover a place where most charter boats never go. It is still possible to find secluded islands and have them all to yourself, even in the high season.

There are many popular destinations to choose from, including the Greek Islands, Croatia, the Caribbean, the Scottish Isles and more remote places such as Iceland or the southern tip of Argentina – in fact the whole world is out there waiting for you to explore. Most sailing holidays do not require you to have previous sailing experience. Some holidays have sailing courses built in – a great way to get expert instruction while enjoying fabulous locations.

Go solo or in a group?

A large cruising yacht might have a crew of eight people, so you might choose to sign up solo or go with a group of friends. A lot of people travel solo, with sailing experience varying from none to some. With professional skippers aboard, there is scope to helm, trim sails and help with the navigating. The expectation is usually that you are there to join in and socialise with the other crew members, who will all be looking forward to the experience as much as you are.

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GO SAILING

Things to think about before you sign up for a sailing holiday might seem obvious but include:

• Checking out the cruising area. Sailing holidays are not just about

being at sea. In many ways it is the places you stop in that make them truly memorable. Check the weather patterns for the cruising area at the time of year you are planning to go. Is this the best time weather wise? If it is the stormy season, should you be thinking of another destination? How long are you going to be at sea between stopovers? Will your yacht be sailing alone or in a flotilla with others?

• • •

 Kalymnos is one of countless islands in Greece with hidden coves and inlets that make ideal places to anchor.

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The ultimate beginner's guide to sailing: no matter where you are or how old you are, this book shows you how to get afloat and what to do once you're aboard.

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