Small Boat Sailing – Living A Childhood Dream
It isn’t unusual for children to pretend they are pirates. They spend hours building imaginary pirate ships, and creating pirate crews and they weave exotic tales about hidden treasure. Nor is it unusual for these young pirates to grow up and still dream of spending time on the open sea. In an effort to indulge their inner child many of these former child pirates purchase small sail boats and take an active interest in small boat sailing.
Although the sailing vessels of our childhood were normally enormous creations with large billowing sails, elaborately carved bows, and creaking masts, such sailing ships require a full crew to manage. The large sailing ships are simply not practical for the weekend sailor’s abilities or finances. Small boat sailing is the best way for the weekend sailor to enjoy the feel of the open water without having to offer private charter services to pay for their boat.
In addition to using small sail boats for weekend excursions, many small boat sailing enthusiast are also involved in small boat sailing competitions.
Small Sail Boats
It doesn’t take a Quantum leap to realize that the sail boats used for small boat sailing are going to be considerably smaller then the great sailing ships of our fantasies. The small sail boats are no longer then 20 feet long. The small sail boats have a single mast that is called a mainsail. Some small sail boats also have a smaller front sail that is called a jib. Because the smaller boats are reasonably inexpensive many youth are taught to sail with these small manageable boats. Small sail boats are normally lightweight.
Learning How To Sail
Small boat sailing is dangerous and no one should try to teach themselves how to sail without seeking the advice of an experienced sailor. If a person who wants to learn how to become skilled at small boat sailing they should sign up for a instruction course. There are several schools located around the country that can make sure that you are fully certified for small boat sailing.
Contacting U.S. Sailing will provide you with a list of instructors and courses certified at instructing sailors in small boat sailing. While taking the courses you will learn about sailing in a variety of weather conditions, first aid, navigation, sailing terms, what to do in case of an emergency, and other small boat sailing requirements. With the proper education and equipment small boat sailing can be a wonderful activity you can enjoy with your entire family.
By Sailing Editor