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Are you jealous of those sailing all the time? Well, here’s a step-by-step manual on How to Start Sailing in 4 Weeks that will turn you, too, into a professional sailor! Just read on and make sure to follow the instructions hierarchically.
How to Start Sailing in 4 Weeks?
At Sailingyes, we believe any US citizen is a potential sailor. It’ll only take appropriate education and hands-on practices to have them on the water cruising freely. That’s why we’re determined to answer the question of How to Start Sailing in 4 Weeks to help prospective seadogs reveal their talent.
Our team has provided a 6-stage manual that will give the answer to the question of how to become a sailor in 28 days. History of sailing has shown that individual differences and management skills affect the learning process for sailors. So, you may even head out on the water faster than what we’ve predicted.
Week One
You must spend at least 7 days (20-30 hours) to take in the basics of seafaring and boat skipping. This is a vital process to cram as much data as possible prior to hands-on practices. So, follow the instructions below and gain the required knowledge before heading out on the water.
Learn the Fundamentals (Using This Guide)
Generally, you’ll need background knowledge about any subject you’re willing to learn. Sailing, therefore, is not an exception to that and you must devote at least seven days studying the basics of skippering a boat. We’ve already discussed this topic and came up with this article: how sailing works? Necessary fundamentals every sailor needs to know.
However, knowing the basics will just help you set the ball rolling and your progress will still depend on the acquiring information. So, keep yourself up-to-date and read as many textbooks as possible. For those on a budget, here’s the list of online sailing magazines in the U.S that are actually free. You can find thousands of boating-and yachting-related papers through the links provided on this list.
Online courses are also good options. There are several organizations such as ASA and NauticEd that offer free online courses for beginners. However, you’re most likely going to need to pay for more advanced lessons. Again, for any who may be on a budget, here’s how to learn sailing for free? easy tactics that actually work
including the list of educators in the US offering lessons at no cost.
Week Two
The second week of becoming a professional sailor process is going to be all about preparation for real-world matters. This is when you must purchase appropriate gear and find an institution to help you roll up the sleeves. Here’s what you need to do in the second week.
Buy These Apt Sailing Pieces of Equipment
You know what they say, “equipment is half of the progress.” So, as a beginner, you should have the proper tools and pieces of equipment to succeed. Here’s what you must purchase and why.
- Lifejacket: PFDs are a must-have for seadogs. You’re not safe and the chances of drowning are extremely huge when this piece of equipment is missing. So, get one before even heading out on the water. A budget of $20 to $60 is enough to purchase a top-notch a-grade PFD.
- Wetsuit: hypothermia is one of the main reasons why some find sailing a dangerous activity. Your body will almost always be wet and being exposed to cold winds will lead to body temperature loss. If you neglect to wear a wetsuit, facing hypothermia after a couple of hours on the water shouldn’t be surprising. So, don’t risk your health and buy one for $50-100.
- Cag or jacket: this is another way of protecting your body against hypothermia and shocks. Since the weather conditions are usually against the sailors, it’s easy to lose body temperature abroad. So, have a high-quality waterproof jacket in your arsenal—no matter what. (these pieces of equipment mainly cost $60-100 depending on the quality, brand, and size).
- Rash vest: you’ll not need to wear it unless you don’t have a wetsuit on. It’s another gear to keep your body warm abroad. ($20-70).
- Boots: slip-resistance waterproof boots are the key to stabilize yourself on the deck.
- Gloves: your hands are the most valuable tools for sailing. So, you must protect them by the book. A pair of gloves would reduce the chance of having slippery hands and, eventually, increase your capability of operating different mechanisms like the tiller. (They cost only $10-20).
Sing Up for These Courses
The best institutions in the United States are ASA and US Sailing. These two organizations have always been among the top-notch educators. That’s why we recommend the beginners to take at least one course in one or both these facilities.
Related article: How to Predict Sailing Lessons Cost?
US Sailing has many lessons to offer, including some amateur to advanced courses designed to teach the learners everything about seafaring—from A to Z. However, the finest package they have is progress called US Captain’s Training. Of course, it’s a path to prepare the nominees for the US Captain’s License. But anyone can benefit from their 4-stage lessons including Rules of the Road, Navigation General, Chart Navigation, Deck General and Safety.
For more information on this course read our how to get a sailing captain’s license? complete manual.
ASA, on the other hand, is one of the oldest educators in the US with a respectable arsenal of various lessons. But we suggest the beginners take an ASA 101 course as the starter and then continue the progress with ASA 103 and 104. The combination of these 3 lessons will give you all the basic knowledge about seafaring as well as some hands-on practices. Plus, the organization will issue a valid certification by the time you finish off the courses and pass the tests.
Week Three
This is when everything gets going real. You are almost ready to feel the wind in your hair and see the blueness of the sea all day long. But there’s one big problem, where’s your boat? Are you planning to get one? Or, chartering a vessel once a while seems like a fairly good idea to you? Well, the third week of starting sailing is the time to make up your mind.
Get Your Own Boat or Charter One (Here’s How)
One week is definitely not enough to find, inspect, and buy a proper watercraft. So, you should plan for this stage several months ago. Have a budget in mind and try to keep an eye on the classified ads and NADA Boats Pricing Guide.
However, the big question for many amateur sailors at this stage is how to buy a boat? That’s why we tried to prepare a list of the most affordable trawlers in the US. But in case you want to hunt a watercraft on your own, here’s the list of the best boat brands 2019 and free advice and guide for buying boats to prepare you for the chase.
Sailingyes has also provided a guide on how to buy a fishing boat for under $20,000 for all those sailors looking to keep things cheap. Plus, you can check out our cherry-picked inventory of the top 10 boats every boater wants to own to come up with some ideas.
Don’t forget that buying a vessel is not vital at this stage. So, you can take your time, make more researches, and purchase a watercraft when you’re ready. Before that, you can always charter a sailboat, powerboat, and or small-sized yacht to brush up on your skills.
Sing Up for a Private Sailing Lesson
Now that you have access to watercraft to skip on your own, it’s time to sing up for a private lesson. This will create the best opportunity to practice all the seafaring and skipping techniques in front of an actual mentor who can correct you instantly.
Moreover, it’ll provide you with enough time to get to know your boat and build up trust.
Many beginners find it a stressful process to head out on the water by themselves. But having an instructor will ease the pressure and give you the confidence to set off your own journey.
How much does a private course cost?
Each institute can predict distinctive principles to calculate the cost of private lessons. But generally, most of them charge $250 per each day. So, if you take a 4-day course, the overall cost will be $1000. But don’t forget that extra expenses such as food are not taken into account in the given numbers.
Week Four
There’s a theory indicating anyone can become an expert in a field after 10,000 hours of experience. So, here comes the chance to complete your 10,000-hour progress and eventually become a sailor. But bear in mind that at this stage you’re the person in charge of the vessel. Acknowledge your responsibility and try to launch the journey on calm and reliable waters like Clear Lake in Texas.
Expert tip: in case there will be family members and/or other amateur people on the board, prepare a kit for seasickness.
Set Off the First Solo Sailing Journey Having These in Mind
By the end of the 4th week, you’ll be ready to sail on your own. However, you should comprehend that the water is still dangerous for you. So, take the safety cautions seriously and prepare yourself for the worst.
There are several gadgets and pieces of equipment such as the Emergency Beacons for boats that would allow you to ask for help in case of difficulty. Plus, we created a list of 6 apps every sailor must have to help you enrich your arsenal while on the water. These apps can assist you to predict the weather conditions and/or plan the safest route for the trip.
Extra advice about safety:
- Never take off your PFD.
- Always let someone on the shore know when you’ll set off and when you’ll return.
- Learn how to perform CPR and teach it to all the crew members.
- Buy PFDs for kids and don’t allow them to take them off at any circumstances.
- When having kids abroad, put someone in charge of keeping an eye on them.
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