Introduction
You don’t have to be a sailor to appreciate being on a sail yacht. As a matter of fact, I’m not one at all and yet the sailing lessons are some of the most valuable ones that I learned during this adventure. This blog will hopefully inspire others who are considering becoming sailors or just dreaming about sailing. There is no better way to learn than by doing so here is my personal account of how it went for me…
Beginner’s Luck
Beginner’s luck is something that we all love to experience. Whether it’s winning the lottery or finding an amazing pair of shoes on sale, beginner’s luck can bring happiness into our lives with little effort. As a sailor, your beginner’s luck could be anything from catching a fish while out fishing or finding a beautiful shell on the beach—or maybe even getting lucky enough to raise your sail before anyone else!
The key to getting more beginner’s luck in your life is being open to new experiences and being willing to step outside of your comfort zone. For example: if you are feeling anxious about sailing overnight and would rather stay in port than sleeping on board, think about ways that you can prepare yourself mentally for this type of trip (e.g., reading books/blogs). You may also want consider joining a club where other boaters will help guide through their first time experiences too!
There is No Best Time to Sail, Only Time to Sail
There is no best time to sail, only time to sail.
If you are a sailor, you might have heard this before. It’s true! As a sailor, I have the opportunity to go sailing in every season of the year and in any weather condition. If it is too hot or too cold where I live then it’s just as good an excuse as any other reason not to go sailing. The important thing here is that we always find ways around whatever obstacles there may be in order for us get out on our boats and enjoy ourselves! If your boat has a heater then use it! If your boat does not have one then bring some warm clothes and enjoy yourself anyway!
There are plenty of people who don’t understand why anyone would want to go out on their boat during winter but when those same people experience cold weather sailing first hand they will change their minds quickly! We’ve all heard about how nice it can be outside during those months of summer; however, imagine being able to feel those same nice temperatures while getting on top of your favorite waves instead of being stuck inside because there isn’t enough sun or warmth outdoors?
It’s All About the Wind
It’s All About the Wind
One of the first things you learn as a sailor is that wind is everything. The wind is what makes your boat go and without it, there would be no sailing. Without wind, sailors would be left spinning in circles. It may seem like a simple concept but just think about how much of your life depends on this invisible force that we cannot see or touch: electricity, cars and airplanes all rely on it to function properly! It’s amazing how much power can come from something so small and yet so powerful.
In addition to making your boat move forward through water at speeds up to 20 knots (22 mph), wind also provides significant challenges for both crew members onboard as well as for boats during different seasons when conditions change dramatically from one day to another due to weather patterns around Earth’s atmosphere which have been in place since long before humans existed.”
The Secret to Your Sails
Sails are the engine of a sailboat, and they’re the most important part of any boat. They determine how fast you go and how much power you have. Sails are made of fabric with wind pockets in them. When the wind gets into these pockets, it creates lift which makes your boat move forward.
It’s All About the Crew (Even if You’re Solo)
Whether you’re on a boat or at work, it’s always important to have a good crew around you. This can be hard to find sometimes, especially in the office. But sailing provides an excellent opportunity to hone your team-building skills and become more comfortable with working with other people.
Here are some ways sailing can help you develop your own “crew:”
- Communication is key. When everyone speaks up and communicates their needs, things run smoothly and everyone feels respected and appreciated for their contributions.
- Don’t take it personally if someone doesn’t like what you’re doing—it’s not about them; it’s about how they feel about the situation at hand! If someone doesn’t like how you handle something, learn from it so that next time things go better because of both parties involved doing their best job possible (which will probably mean getting along better).
- Learn new skills together as a team! For example: one person could help another learn how best use certain equipment while another helps clean up after dinner or sets up camp along shoreline before going out fishing again tomorrow morning.”
Sailing is not as Easy as it Looks on Television
Sailing is not as easy as it looks on television.
You can’t just hop into a boat, grab the wheel and start sailing across the ocean like you see on TV. There are many things to learn about sailing, such as how to maneuver your boat in different weather conditions and how to react when the wind changes direction or strength. It will take time for you to master each of these skills because each one requires patience, practice and perseverance.
Every Day is a Different Day At Sea
When you are out on the ocean, you can’t predict what will happen next. There is no way to know whether or not your ship will get caught in a storm. There is no way to know if a whale will swim right beneath your boat. And there is no way of knowing if the wind will suddenly change direction and force you off course.
So what does this mean? It means that every day at sea is different than the one before it and it also means that every year at sea is different than all other years because of this unpredictability factor!
The Following Seas. This is the Dream!
The Following Seas
The Following Seas are the ideal conditions for sailboats. You have a good wind and a little bit of swell, but not too much. The sky is not completely clear, but it’s also not raining—it’s basically perfect!
If It Moves, Tie it Down!
If it moves, tie it down!
This is the sailing rule of thumb that we all know and love. It might seem obvious, but I’ve seen a lot of people who don’t follow this rule.
The first time I noticed this was when we were getting ready to go out for our first overnight sail as a family. We had everything packed up in the cockpit except for our water bottle (which was secured with a bungee cord) and our sunscreen (which wasn’t). As soon as we went out on the open sea, our life jackets were whipped off by gusts of wind and flung overboard. Then our water bottles broke free from their ties and crashed into pieces on deck…and finally some sunblock exploded when it got too close to an open flame (sorry!).
The lesson here is that if something can move while you’re sailing, then you need to attach something to it so that it stays put! If not tied down or secured properly, valuable items could be lost forever if they slip out of your hands while underway or break apart in rough waters. This applies not just while sailing but also when traveling by car/airplane/train etc…you never know where your travels will take you!
You Can’t Force Friendships on a Yacht
A great lesson that I learned is that you can’t force friendships on a yacht. You don’t know who will cross your path and if they will be someone you get along with and vice versa. You have to be open to meeting people and accepting them for who they are, even if you don’t think it would ever work out.
You will meet people who aren’t your friends, but there are ways around this too. If someone is rude or treats others poorly, then it is up to YOU (as well as the other crew members) to address the issue in a respectful manner that does not make anyone feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Treat everyone with respect no matter what their social status is onboard the boat because at any time those rules could change due to an accident or emergency situation where everyone needs each other!
Be Prepared for Everything and Anything at Sea. Oh and it’s always something small that breaks down. Yay Murphy!
If you want to be prepared for everything and anything at sea, then you had better have a repair kit on board. This means having a small toolbox with the most common tools needed for repairs: screwdrivers, pliers, wires (Duh!), tapered ratchets, etc. A good idea is to also include some electrical connectors so that if something breaks down in the engine or electronics onboard it can be quickly fixed by someone who knows what they’re doing.
The second thing you should do is make sure that there are extra parts available on board in case one breaks during your trip or while underway. For instance: You may not need them but they could come in handy when an unexpected breakdown happens and being prepared makes all the difference!
You should also make sure that there are back-up plans just in case something unexpected happens during your voyage like an issue with your navigational equipment fails unexpectedly or maybe even a strong storm hits unexpectedly forcing us all back into port before our time was up? You never know what will happen next so its always good idea to have some kind of contingency plan ready just in case!
A Yacht is Not a Car – No One Can Hear You Scream! Okay so there was no screaming but you get the picture. This one came from my father after we did our first communications check when he showed up halfway through our trip. He said “I know you are okay, but can I please hear your voice?” Love him. Thank you for coming along for part of my journey in life. Adventure awaits us all every day and that adventure was sailing for me this time around and forever more!
- A yacht is not a car
- No one can hear you scream! Okay so there was no screaming but you get the picture. This one came from my father after we did our first communications check when he showed up halfway through our trip. He said “I know you are okay, but can I please hear your voice?” Love him. Thank you for coming along for part of my journey in life. Adventure awaits us all every day and that adventure was sailing for me this time around and forever more!
Conclusion
In short, sailing is a wonderful way to enjoy life. You get up early and watch the sun rise over the water while having coffee on deck. You can spend hours reading in silence or listening to music while sipping a glass of wine as you glide through different bodies of water. And when it comes time for dinner? Well there’s nothing quite like catching your own meal and preparing it over an open flame just steps away from where everything began: your home on the water!