Recreational boating and sailing, as figures show, is extremely popular not just in the US but across the globe. An excess of 11.5 million recreational yachts, cruisers and other vessels were registered in the US alone.

Suffice to say, boating as a hobby or recreation is something that most people, if given the opportunity, would gladly partake in.

What You Need to know if You Plan to Sail a Yacht

You may have recently purchased a yacht or may be looking to buy one. Yachts are available with motors as well as with sails. What you go for is really about personal preference and what you’re comfortable with.

If you’re planning on sailing a yacht, we’ve got some important tips and pointers for you!

Know the Terminology

If you want to learn how to sale, being comfortable with the jargon is important. This is so that you can communicate with other sailors and can understand any instructions that may be given. Terms like points of sail, boat positioning and trimming the main sail are just a few terms used to described specific actions.

Though you will not necessarily need to memorize all these, it helps to have a clear sense of what action each may be referring to.

Boat Parts

Apart from knowing the lingo used to describe various actions that relate to sailing, knowing the parts that make up your boat is important too. You probably already know the bare basics; sails, mast, hull and rudder, for instance.

Some terms you might not know (unless you’re already a partly seasoned sailor) include Ballast, forestay and winch for instance. Go over a list of different sailboat parts so you have some sense of what is what before you learn to sail! This should make the learning process a lot simpler.

Look at your Learning Options

There are a number of ways that you could learn to sail whether or not you own a sailing yacht. You could tag along with someone you know who is willing to show you the ropes. You could register yourself at a local sailing institute for a formal course. Alternatively, you just invest in a sailing yacht and hire a trained sailor as crew who you may then learn from.

See what learning option works best for you and pick accordingly. In any case, it helps to have basic training before you go out to sea!

Know your Knots

As you may have noticed, knots are a big part of any sailboat. They are used to hold things in place and different knots serve different functions. If you want to make sure everything stays as it should even when winds are strong, know your knots!

Understanding commonly used and basic sailing knots is imperative if you want to rig your own yacht.

Rigging

Once you’re done learning terminology and sailing actions and have don’t the needful by way of teaching yourself to sail, it’s time to attend to your own vessel. If you have recently purchased a yacht or sailboat, it might not be pre-rigged. If this is so, rigging your boat is the next thing you need to do.

Rigging involves attaching sails as well as any other parts of your boat that need to be fitted. Apart from attaching, rigging also involves securing, tightening and double checking various parts of your sails, mast, outhaul and other sailboat components.

Moving and Maneuvering

Once you’ve prepped and rigged your boat, it’s time to set sail. It’s important to know the difference in required skill when sailing in a straight line or holding direction, as opposed to when you’re required to maneuver.

If you’ve got a strong wind, sailing straight simply involves keeping your sails reasonably taught and holding your tiller in position. Turning or maneuvering however is another story. There are two crucial maneuvering methods that every sailor should know. The first is called tacking. The Second is called gybing. Make sure you’re comfortable with these maneuvers before you travel out solo!

Understand What Causes Boats to Capsize 

Where gybing is a useful maneuver, if done incorrectly or at the wrong time, the same can result in your boat capsizing. Understand what situations this occurs in and practice preventing your yacht from doing so. Also practice controlling and stopping any accidental gybes while on the move.

Slowing, Stopping and Docking   

Knowing how to stop or slow your boat down is just as important as knowing how to speed it up and maneuver it. If you’re sailing a yacht, you want to streamline your docking as well as your anchoring skills as well.

There is equipment present within your yacht that can help with this. Understand the available equipment and get comfortable with slowing down and bringing your yacht to dock.

Sail Safety

Finally, once you’ve gotten a hang of setting up, sailing, handling and docking that yacht, there is one last thing we recommend you do. Look into safety protocols related to water travel and sailing. Even if you are a skilled and seasoned sea person, accidents and mishaps can and do occur.

Under such circumstances, you can mitigate damages and save lives simply by being clear on sail safety protocols. Make sure you and those sailing with you know what to do in case of various emergency situations.

Establish other security related details like emergency frequencies and stock equipment like life vests for those who may need them. Sailing is better if you do your bit to keep yourself and everyone involved safe!

Winding Down

The thing is, though this blog is helpful, you can only truly understand what sailing a yacht is all about, if you sail one yourself! If you’re interested in purchasing a sailing yacht for personal use or as a hobby, you’ve got some great options!

Our yacht business and brokerage offers customers new and used yachts and other boats as well as cruisers for sale. Feel free to review the sailing boats we have on offer or alternatively, connect with us for more information!