SETTI NG a guide for the sail curious
SAIL FREE | 2019
SPECIAL PUBLICATION 48ยบ NORTH MAGAZINE
48ยบ NORTH
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How to use this guide!
6327 Seaview Ave. NW Seattle, WA 98107 (206) 789-6392 www.48north.com
Publisher Northwest Maritime Center Managing Editor Joe Cline Contributing Editors Andy Cross Andrew Nelson Design Benjamin Harter Advertising Sales Kachele Yelaca kachele@48north.com Photographers Jan Anderson Dennis Lussier
NORTHWEST
MARINE
TRADE
ASSOCIATION
48° North is published as a project of the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend, WA - a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to engage and educate people of all generations in traditional and contemporary maritime life, in a spirit of adventure and discovery. Northwest Maritime Center: 431 Water St, Port Townsend, WA 98368 (360)385-3628
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I’ll see you on the water, Joe Cline, Editor, 48° North
CONTENTS
This publication is made possible in part because of a Grow Boating Grant from the Northwest Marine Trade Association. Thank you to the NMTA members who fund that initiative and to the Grow Boating committee for their trust and support.
Greetings, future sailors! Thank you for picking up this booklet and taking the first steps on your adventure into the fun and rewarding world of sailing. The goal of this guide is to help answer the question: How do I get into sailing? If you already know you want to learn, the Sailing Schools Guide (page 8) will help you explore what schools near you offer. If you’re still wondering, ‘Is sailing for me?’ The answer is YES! You don’t have to be wealthy or athletic, you don’t have to own your own boat, and you can achieve safe, empowering proficiency within a few weeks. Sailing can take you all over the world, or offer transformative experiences of freedom, excitement, and relaxation right here in the Pacific Northwest.
4 New Sailor Profiles Who Gets in to Sailing? Why? How? 6 How Did I Get Here? From Zero to Sailor in a Few Short Years 8 Guide to the Sailing Schools of the Pacific Northwest 18 Point-Counterpoint: Learning on Big Boats vs Small Boats 20 Point-Counterpoint: Vacation Courses vs Day-by-Day Lessons 22 Get Your Child Involved in Sailing 26 Glossary of Sailing Terms aka How to Speak Sailor 28 29 30
Suggested Reads Get Inspired and Informed What to Wear Six-pack and Sperrys Getting Picked-up as Crew
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NEW SAILOR PROFILES
I just moved to Seattle a few months ago to work in the tech industry. I see so many boats on the water and am interested in sailing, but I’m also hoping to meet new people. > FIRST STEPS: Sign up for sailing lessons at a community sailing center. It should be inexpensive and not require a lot of time, and will give you a basic foundation of how sailing works. With that under your belt, it’s time to find some sailing friends! Look into getting hooked up with a race crew (see page 30 for one approach). In Seattle, casual summer races like the Duck Dodge or the Downtown Sailing Series are great places to try to get a ride. If racing doesn’t appeal, there are a variety of social groups, cruising clubs, and yacht clubs that can give you a chance to go sailing and to meet other sailors. > NEXT STEPS: Soon, you may wish to learn more and go sailing on your own. After another set of lessons or two, and you can start sailing on your own. Considering your interest in the social side of sailing, a sailing club would be a great choice for lessons, and would offer a way to go sailing with a built-in community. > FIVE-YEAR GOAL: Feel solidly part of the sailing community, and secure in your skills to skipper or crew. 48º NORTH
I dream of traveling the world by boat, but I don’t have a lot of money nor do I know where to start.
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> FIRST STEPS: With your big dreams, boat ownership will be a requirement, but it doesn’t have to break the bank! If you’re hoping to make your dream a reality soon, one of the best ways to defer the cost of a boat is to live aboard it. Many boats make surprisingly comfortable homes, and you don’t need to know how to sail to enjoy boat life. When you’re ready to start sailing, you can lean on others in the liveaboard community to sail with you on your boat. They can give you some pointers until you gain enough confidence to start sailing on your own. Since you’re budget conscious, you could do some significant selfstudy of sailing books in lieu of lessons. > NEXT STEPS: It’s time to start cruising! Start with a weekend at a dock and build to a week or more in more remote anchorages without services for you or your boat. Focus on self-sufficiency and safety. When you’re not cruising, get to know your boat from stem to stern, and start tackling maintenance and improvement projects. These skills are as important when cruising the world as being able to trim the sails. > FIVE-YEAR GOAL: Cast off the docklines and set sail on a long-distance cruise! SETTING SAIL
THE NOVICE Who Gets in to Sailing? Why? How?
My husband and I are nearing retirement. We are looking for an activity to share together when we start having more free time. > FIRST STEPS: For couples, it is not required, but is strongly advised, for each person in the couple to develop their own base of sailing skills and knowledge. For some couples, this can mean taking lessons together. For others, it can be a good idea to look for lessons separately, even in gender-specific programs like a women’s-only course. As a retirement activity, it’s likely that you’re going to want to sail on larger, more comfortable boats. Look for education on this type of boat. > NEXT STEPS: Depending on how frequently you want to go sailing, you two could be good candidates for an ownership alternative like an organized boat share or a sailing club, though a partnership with other boat owners, or full-fledged individual boat ownership may be a better fit. However you approach it, you will be able to go sailing together and entertain friends on the water. > FIVE-YEAR GOAL: Bareboat charter (meaning without a hired captain) a boat in an international location. Make sure your education includes certifications, a requirement at many charter operations. Sailing is an extraordinary way to travel and explore! SETTING SAIL
I have a need for speed. I live to snowboard expert terrain at mach ten, longboard down Seattle’s hills, and I like to race my carbon fiber road bike. Is there a way to go sailing that packs an adrenaline punch?
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> FIRST STEPS: Absolutely! High performance sailing can be one of life’s most exciting experiences. Just like with other sports, however, you do need to build up to it. Start with some lessons at a community sailing center and focus on sailing very small boats. Join the community sailing center and sail frequently, taking advantage of windy days. > NEXT STEPS: As you progress, look into faster small boats. Explore catamarans and trimarans and get to know the PNW multihull sailing groups. Keep sailing small, fast monohulls too, and find an opportunity to crew on a boat that uses a trapeze (a wire or line that attaches to a harness so your balance the power in the sails by moving your weight further outboard). It’s likely that you might be interested in racing too. You may be able to do this at the community sailing center, or look to get on a small sport boat crew. > FIVE-YEAR GOAL: Sail a boat that foils out of the water. It’s the cutting edge of the sport, and the fastest way to sail! 48º NORTH
HOW DID I
GET HERE? From Zero to Sailor in a Few Short Years
by Catherine Reynolds
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ike so many around the Pacific Northwest, I'm a transplant. I grew up in upstate New York, enjoying some time on lakes, but never tried sailing. When I moved to Seattle, I was, frankly, drawn to other outdoor activities more than sailing - skiing in particular - but the water was a key component of the Pacific Northwest's beauty that I found profoundly appealing. As I settled into life around Seattle, it seemed I couldn't escape the enticing view of sailboats out on Lake Union, Lake Washington, and along the city front in downtown Seattle. At the beginning of my second summer in the Pacific Northwest, my curiosity got the better of me, and I started looking for sailing classes. Serendipity struck before I made a decision, however. I mentioned that I was interested in sailing to my 48Âş NORTH
coworker Daniel, and learned that his wife was an accomplished sailboat racer with many connections to other sailors in the area. The next week, Daniel, his wife Amanda, and I were out sailing with friends of theirs on a 27' Catalina! It wasn’t a very windy day, but we had such a good time just being out on the water. Amanda and the boat owners did most of the sailing, but I got to trim the jib sail when we tacked through the wind. We swam off the boat, and even had a barbecue on a little grill on the back of the boat back at the dock. What fun! Daniel and I commiserated over our comparative helplessness on the boat. The others knew where to sit, which lines to pull, and they used what was basically a foreign language. Though it seemed like a mountain of skills and knowledge I
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was missing, I never felt more committed to learning to sail than I did in that particular moment. I found a Groupon deal for lessons at a local sailing club. I’ll always remember my first trip there to pick up my course materials. The place was electric, if a little chaotic. Several dozen people headed out for a group sailing event. They were getting geared up, grabbing keys to the boats, and one asked for a spinnaker. I stood at the top of the dock, jealous of the sail these folks were about to go enjoy, and feeling intimidated by the way everybody seemed to know each other. A couple of weeks later, I showed up bright and early on Saturday for my first sailing class. Our instructor, Emily, spent the first few hours with us in the classroom. We started learning the language, learned how to tie some basic knots, and began to understand the principles of how the wind, the sails, the boat, and the sailors all work together. Then it was down to the boat. It was very windy for our first day. I was nervous and excited - kind of like how I feel when I’m about to ski a double black diamond. Emily showed us how to make the mainsail smaller at the dock, a process called reefing that’s used when it’s windy. We revisited the parts of the boat, talked about safety on the water, and then Emily motored the boat out of the slip. Once the sails were up, wow did the boat lean over. This is called heeling. On the 26’ boat we were sailing, it can lean way over, but won’t capsize because it has a heavy lead fin, called a keel, in the water to provide ballast. There was a bit more hanging-on than I was expecting, but it was exhilarating! Sunday’s conditions were mellower, and we got lots of practice rotating through the various positions of driving SETTING SAIL
“I didn’t start out dreaming of sailing my own boat in the Canadian wilderness, but it sure felt like a dream come true.” and trimming sails. We also each got to practice a crew overboard recovery, which somehow felt very empowering to me - that if I need to save someone, I could probably do it, even though I was so new to sailing. Did the lessons teach me how to sail? Sort of. They taught me how sailing works and gave me many important tools. But looking back on it, those first lessons, which I took six years ago, were just the first steps on my long journey to becoming a sailor. Every sail since has had an element of learning. The lessons did plug me into that sailing club community. I joined the club and started attending those group sails and took more lessons. I learned a lot by getting involved in a club race team, but enjoyed cruising to destinations like Bainbridge or Blake Island even more. I got to continue sailing the Catalina 27 with Daniel, Amanda, and our friends, and became a regular for Duck Dodge a race that’s so casual and fun that it’s hardly a race. These folks have become some of my best friends. And recently, I was able to buy a half-share in the boat! Last summer, my boyfriend and I took the boat for two weeks of cruising. It wasn’t fancy - not much more luxurious than camping - but we got to explore Desolation Sound. I didn’t start out in Seattle dreaming of sailing my own boat in the Canadian wilderness, but it sure felt like a dream come true once I experienced it!
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British Columbia
Vancouver
Bellingham
Victoria
North Sound & Islands
Port Townsend
Seattle
South & Central Sound
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WHERE to LEARN TO SAIL South & Central Sound Bainbridge Island Sailing Program Bainbridge Island www.biparks.org/sailing Bremerton Yacht Club Bremerton, WA www.bremertonyachtclub.org/youth/ Bruce Haulman Junior Sailing Program Quartermaster Yacht Club Vashon Island www.vashonparks.org City of Poulsbo Parks and Recreation Poulsbo, WA www.cityofpoulsbo.com CYC Seattle Youth Sailing Camp Seattle, WA www.cycseattle.org Footloose Disabled Sailing Association Mercer Island, WA www.footloosedisabledsailing.org Frog Prints e! STEM Camp for Girls Seattle, WA www.frogprintse.org Gig Harbor Sailing Club & School Gig Harbor, WA www.gigharborsailing.com Gig Harbor Yacht Club Junior Sail Gig Harbor WA www.ghycjuniorsail.org Green Lake Small Craft Center Seattle, WA 98103 www.seattle.gov/parks/boats Go Sail Vancouver, WA www.go-sail.org
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Adults
Dinghy
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South & Central Sound Island Sailing Club & School Inc. Olympia and Kirkland www.islandsailing.org Lake Union Charters & Adventures Seattle, WA www.LakeUnionCharters.com Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Mercer Island, WA www.mercergov.org Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club Youth Sailing Bellevue, WA www.mbycwa.org Mountaineers Seattle, WA www.mountaineers.org Mount Baker Rowing & Sailing Center Seattle, WA www.mbrsc.org Olympia Yacht Club Sailing Programs Olympia, WA oycadultsailing@gmail.com Poulsbo Yacht Club Junior Sailing Poulsbo, WA www.poulsboyc.org Puget Sound Sailing Institute Classes in Tacoma, Seattle and more www.pugetsoundsailing.com Queen City Yacht Club Sailing Camp Seattle, WA www.queencity.org Renton Sailing Center Renton, WA www.rentonsailingcenter.org Sail Sand Point Seattle, WA www.sailsandpoint.org Sea Sense Sailing & Powerboating School Courses around the Pacific Northwest www.seasenseboating.com Seattle Sailing Club Seattle, WA www.seattlesailing.com
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Adults
Dinghy
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Seattle Yacht Club Seattle, WA www.seattleyachtclub.org SheSails Seattle Seattle WA www.SheSailsSeattle.com Tacoma Junior Sailing Tacoma, WA www.tacomajrsail.org Tacoma Women’s Sailing Association Tacoma and Gig Harbor, WA www.twsa.org Tethys Offshore, Inc. Sailing for Women Port Townsend and Seattle, WA www.tethysoffshore.com The Center For Wooden Boats Seattle, WA www.cwb.org Windworks Sailing Center, Inc. Seattle, WA www.windworkssailing.com
North Sound & Islands Ace Sprague, Sailing Instructor Port Townsend, WA capt.spragg@gmail.com Anacortes Parks & Recreation Anacortes WA www.cityofanacortes.org/parks.asp Anacortes Yacht Charters Anacortes, WA www.ayc.com Bellhaven Yacht Sales and Charters Bellingham, WA www.bellhaven.net Chariot Adventures Bellingham, WA www.chariotadventures.com Community Boating Center Bellingham, WA www.boatingcenter.org
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Dinghy
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North Sound & Islands Gato Verde Adventure Sailing Bellingham, WA www.gatoverde.com Lopez Island Family Resource Center Lopez, WA www.lifrc.org Mahina Tiare Sailing Expeditions Friday Harbor, WA www.mahina.com Northwest Maritime Center Port Townsend, WA www.nwmaritime.org Oak Harbor Youth Sailing Foundation Oak Harbor, WA www.oakharboryouthsailing.org Orcas Island Sailing Olga, WA www.orcassailing.com San Juan Island Parks and Rec Friday Harbor, WA www.islandrec.org San Juan Sailing Bellingham, WA www.sanjuansailing.com Schooner Martha Foundation Port Townsend, WA www.schoonermartha.org Shearwater University Anacortes, WA www.shearwateruniversity.com South Whidbey Yacht Club Greenbank, WA www.swyachtclub.org/ Wahoo Adventures Hansville, WA wahooadv@earthlink.net
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Adults
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Oregon River House Outdoor Center Sailing School Eugene, OR https://www.eugene-or.gov/750/Activities GORGE Junior Sailing Hood River, OR www.gorgejuniorsailing.org Island Sailing Club & School Inc. Portland, OR www.islandsailing.org Oregon Women’s Sailing Association www.owsa.net Passion Yachts Portland, OR www.passion-yachts.com Portland Sailing Center Portland, OR www.portlandsailing.com Scovare Yachts Portland, OR www.sailscovare.com Willamette Sailing Club Portland, OR www.willamettesailingclub.com
Alaska Pacific NW Expeditions Serving the entire Alaskan coast www.nwexpeditions.com Sailing Inc. Seward, AK www.sailinginc.com Sound Sailing Sitka, AK www.soundsailing.com
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British Columbia Bewley Sailing Vancouver, BC www.seabc.com Blue Pacific Yacht Charters Vancouver, BC www.bluepacificcharters.ca Blackfish Sailing Adventures Brentwood Bay, BC https://blackfishsailing.com Capt. Mac’s School of Seamanship New Westminster, BC www.CaptMacs.com Cooper Boating Vancouver, BC www.cooperboating.com Desolation Sound Yacht Charters Ltd. Comox, BC www.desolationsoundyachtcharters.com Graham Evans - Stowaway Adventures Various ports in British Columbia www.cruiseandlearn.ca HerizenTM Sailing For Women Naniamo, BC www.herizensailingforwomen.com Hollyburn Sailing Club West Vancouver, BC www.hollyburnsailingclub.ca Island Cruising Sidney BC www.islandcruising.com Kitsilano Sailing School Vancouver, BC www.kitsilanoyachtclub.com LadySail Sailing in Beautiful British Columbia Gibsons, BC www.ladysail.com MacSailing Inc (Jericho Sailing Center) Vancouver, BC www.macsailing.com
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Adults
Dinghy
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National Catamaran Training Centre Compass Adventure Comox BC www.compassadventure.ca Nanaimo Yacht Charters & Sailing School Nanaimo, BC www.nanaimoyachtcharters.com Oceans101 Sailing School Vancouver, BC www.oceans101.com Sea to Sky Sailing West Vancouver, BC www.seatoskysailing.com Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club Sidney, BC www.snsyc.ca Simply Sailing Inc. Vancouver, BC www.simplysailing.ca Vancouver Sailing Club Vancouver, BC www.vancouversailingclub.com West Vancouver Yacht Club West Vancouver, BC www.wvyc.ca
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SMALL BOAT
VS
BIG BOAT
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It may be hard to believe, but a person can learn to sail on a 40-foot boat or a 14-foot boat. Professional sailing education is offered on each end of the size spectrum and everything in between. So how does someone new to sailing choose? And what should he or she expect? SMALLER BOATS PRODUCE more rapid and direct feedback to a sailor’s actions. In many ways, this is a good thing. Small boat sailors quickly learn to “feel” what the boat does as a result of wind and sea state. Turn the bow (front) of the boat too close to the direction the wind is coming from and the sails will quickly flap (called “luffing”) and the boat will slow down. Let the sails out when turning from a course close to the wind to one that’s across the wind, and the boat will accelerate quickly. On the other hand, that fast response may not appeal to every learning sailor. On small boats that use a centerboard instead of a heavy and stable keel under the boat, the feedback may occasionally mean a capsize if a sailor has his body weight on the wrong side of the boat or if he doesn’t ease the sails in a big puff of breeze. Most smaller boats will use a tiller to steer instead of a wheel; tillers are a simpler mechanical device and are part of a small boat’s more direct feedback loop. Good candidates to learn on small boats will be people who don’t mind being near or potentially in the water, have reasonably good physical mobility, and enjoy exciting or active endeavors. LEARNING ON BIGGER BOATS can give a prospective sailor the advantage of a much broader learning experience. In addition to sailing basics, those learning on a larger boat will likely learn how to use other systems on the boat, such as winches for trimming sails, instruments for information about the wind and water depth, and practical systems like an on-board galley and toilet. One advantage to this broader experience is that it may provide a better foundation for someone who wishes to own a boat someday, since most will have some similar systems. Learning on a bigger boat will be also be much drier and generally more comfortable, but what you gain in comfort, you lose in feel. Bigger boat sailors will be less aware of how weight and sail trim affects a boat’s ability to sail, and the boat’s reactions to a sailor’s actions will take more time to manifest themselves. For this reason, the pathway to real understanding may be an educational blend of theory and practice.
Whether learning to sail on a big boat or a small boat, expect the process to be both safe and fun. One consideration is that it is often thought of as easier to translate skills learned on a small boat to sailing a bigger boat than it is to translate skills learned on a large boat to a smaller boat. SETTING SAIL
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VACATION VS DAY-by-DAY
DAY-BY-DAY COURSES
The most common and inexpensive approach is to take a learn to sail class right in your own backyard. Taught on dinghies and small keelboats, beginner sailing courses will have you showing up each day for a mixture of classroom and on-the-water learning. These daily courses can typically be spread out over multiple days and months, or throughout a weekend depending on the school and program of your choice. One pitfall in spreading out a learn to sail experience over multiple weeks 48ยบ NORTH
Photo courtesy of Windworks Sailing.
EDUCATION
is that the language and concepts might not stay fresh in your mind. But there are many upsides. You will learn your local waters from knowledgeable instructors, will meet like-minded fellow sailors and build a rapport with the school and its staff, and some students may find value in the repetition of splitting your sailing hours into more separate trips on the water. Sailors in the Pacific Northwest are fortunate to have many options for this type of learning, but if you are searching for a different experience you may want to look towards a learning getaway.
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Learning to sail has never been easier, and a big reason is that there are so many options available to those aiming to feel the pull of the tiller in their hand and the wind in their hair. When a starry-eyed would-be sailor sifts through all the learn to sail choices available, though, picking the right one can seem daunting. One big questions becomes: Do I take a day-by-day course, or go for a long weekend or week long vacation course?
VACATION LEARNING Vacation courses are appealing, especially for folks in the PNW, because many are held in tropical locales with picture-perfect sailing conditions. But they can be found closer to home as well. While a vacation sailing class is more expensive due to travel and room and board, they can also offer a priceless learning experience. Most vacation learn to sail classes can be thought of as an intense immersion program in sailing. You’ll likely spend multiple days in a row with the same crew and instructor, and will feel SETTING SAIL
as though you’re living and breathing sailing. Students who choose this route tend to enjoy the fast pace of learning and the confidence that comes with it. Once you’ve completed this type of course, you can then head back to your home waters to gain more experience and keep your skills sharp. And you may find that you’re ready to make a quick jump into the next level of sailing classes. Whichever type of entry level sailing class you start with, you’ll be charting a lifelong course into an incredibly rewarding new sport and lifestyle.
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GETTING STARTED in
JUNIOR SAILING
I
f you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you’re less than 30 minutes away from a program that teaches children how to sail. In the Seattle area alone, there are a dozen learn-to-sail options to choose from. If you’re a non-sailing parent, don’t be intimidated by the choices. There are a lot of great youth sailing opportunities across the Northwest. Below are a few basic pointers and some questions you should ask when selecting a learn-to-sail program. AS A PARENT, WHAT SHOULD I KNOW AHEAD OF TIME? The minimum starting age is usually 6-8 years old. Basic swimming skills are generally the only prerequisite. Water safety is a huge component of any learn-to-sail class, as is comfort on and in the water, so expect your child to 48º NORTH
get wet most days. Boats and all other equipment will be provided. The only exception is that some programs may require participants to bring their own lifejacket. YACHT CLUB OR NON-YACHT CLUB PROGRAM? It used to be that yacht clubs were the only places offering junior sailing classes. That’s no longer the case. There are an equal number of non-profit “community sailing centers” out there, plus several area parks and rec departments offering learn-to-sail programs. There is not a significant price difference between yacht club and non-yacht club programs; and in some cases, yacht clubs may be cheaper. Even the most prestigious yacht clubs open their junior sailing classes to the public. At the end of the day, yacht club and non-yacht club programs have a
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lot in common. Convenience and “vibe” are more important considerations than the type of organization running the classes. WHO ARE THE INSTRUCTORS? Instructors are very important people, because they’re responsible for keeping your child safe. Hopefully they make sailing fun and teach proper technique too. For these reasons, you should ask if the program uses US Sailing certified instructors. To become certified, instructors must pass a rigorous four-day course. Teaching skills, sailing knowledge, risk management, and power-boating are part of the certification course. Certified instructors are also expected to follow US Sailing’s curriculum and standards, which have been developed over several decades by professionals across the country. A good instructor makes all the difference.
the direction you see your child heading. It may be necessary to switch programs if you feel your sailor has reached a dead end. One of the coolest things about sailing is the different possibilities it offers: big boats, small boats, racing, STEM education courses, overnight expeditions, and even windsurfing. Those opportunities are out there if you look for them.
WHAT COMES NEXT? Say your child falls in love with sailing. What’s next? The best programs provide pathways for your child to continue growing as a sailor. A typical progression often goes: “Guppies,” beginners, intermediates, advanced, and beyond. By default, many programs will funnel kids towards racing as they get more advanced. Some percentage of learn-to-sail participants will end up on the race team or high school sailing team if those are offered. These are fantastic opportunities, but racing isn’t for everyone. Look in the program guide or brochure to see what kind of nonracing opportunities exist if that’s not
WHAT KIND OF BOATS DO THEY USE? My two points of emphasis are that children should learn on small boats (dinghies) and that they should sail boats appropriate for their size. Dinghies are responsive and fun, and when you make a mistake the worst that happens is you go swimming. Small boat sailors develop a unique understanding of how to make a boat go. The skills learned in a dinghy will transfer easily to larger boats, whereas the opposite isn’t necessarily the case. A boat that fits the sailor is important. It’s also key part of the “What’s next?” question. The Opti, el Toro, and O’Pen Bic are a few examples of beginner boats
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suitable for sailors weighing 50-110 lbs. These are all singlehanded boats, meaning they’re sailed by one person. That’s right, we teach 8-year-olds how to sail by themselves; it’s for the same reasons we don’t teach children how to ride a bike using a tandem. When they are sailing solo, they learn to master all of the tasks on the boat. As children get bigger they often graduate into doublehanded (twoperson) boats like the FJ, 420, or V15. These are designed for a combined weight of 230-300lbs. Bigger dinghies are faster and offer new challenges, including working with a partner, which teens and tweens enjoy. A boat that is too small will be an uncomfortable, slow, and frustrating experience. A dinghy that is too big will be harder to physically control, which can be exhausting and 48º NORTH
potentially dangerous. If a program has two or more boat types, then there’s likely a Goldilocks solution available for everyone. IS FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE? Yes! Many programs offer financial aid on a case-by-case basis. The Sailing Foundation offers scholarships for any child meeting the free/reduced lunch criteria. These scholarships may be used at any learn-to-sail program in Washington or Oregon. Visit www. thesailingfoundation.org/what-we-do/ scholarships/ for more info. LOOKING FOR MORE ANSWERS? Visit www.nwyouthsailing.org for information about all things youth sailing. Or send your questions directly at: ysd@thesailingfoundation.org.
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Youth Camps • Adult Classes • Group Events • Open Boating Rentals
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(253) 383 -1174 pugetsoundsailing.com SETTING SAIL
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GLOSSARYof
SAILING TERMS aka HOW TO SPEAK SAILOR
Learning to sail isn’t just about raising sails, pulling lines and steering, it’s also about absorbing and understanding an entire new language. Everything on a boat has a name, and many of the terms used in sailing have been passed down hundreds of years. Here’s a glossary of sailing terms to help get you started. Boom: The horizontal spar that holds the bottom of the mainsail. Watch out for this when it swings across the boat. When someone says “Duck!” it’s usually because of the boom. If someone says “Boom!” it means, duck! Bow: The bow is the front of the boat, better known as the pointy end. Anything near the front of the boat is referred to as being “forward.” Stern: The stern is the back of the boat. Anything near the back of the boat is referred to as being “aft,” and if it’s behind the boat, it’s “astern.” 48º NORTH
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Charlie Noble: Impress your salty friends when you drop this knowledge. A “Charlie Noble” is the smoke stack on a ship’s galley or heater. Also interesting to note that the current Executive Director of the American Sailing Association is named Charlie Nobles. Port: When facing forward, this is anything to the left of the boat. This side of the boat has red navigation lights (the color of Port wine). Starboard: When facing forward, this is anything to the right of the boat. This side of the boat has green navigation lights. SETTING SAIL
Point of Sail: The boat’s direction relative to the wind. For example, if you’re going straight into the wind, your point of sail is called “in irons.” (Note: This isn’t a good place to be!) If the wind is blowing straight over the side of the boat, that’s called a “beam reach.” There are 8 commonly used points of sail, and it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with them before going out. Helm: Where you steer the boat. Usually this is a big wheel, but on smaller boats it can be a tiller, which is basically a long wooden stick. Either of these can be used to control the boat’s rudder. Rudder: A boat’s rudder is the steering fin that sticks down into the water and is controlled by the helm. Mast: The tall vertical spar that carries the sails. Keel: The keel is a long, heavy fin on the bottom of the boat that sticks down into the water. It provides stability and is the reason why large modern sailboats are nearly impossible to capsize. Heeling: This is the term for when a sailboat leans over in the water, pushed by the wind. Remember, on a boat with a keel, you won’t tip all the way over! Tack: This term has three meanings, because of course it does! As a verb, to tack is to change direction by turning the bow of the boat through the wind. As a noun, your tack is the course you are on relative to the wind. For example, if the wind is blowing over the port side, you are on a port tack. Lastly, the tack is the forward lower corner of any sail.
Windward: The side of the boat closest to the wind. When heeling over, this will always be the high side. Leeward: The side of the boat furthest from the wind. When heeling over, this will always be the low side. Lines: On board a boat, this is what you say instead of “ropes.” Sheet: Often confused with the sails, a sheet is a line used to trim or ease sails based on your point of sail. Halyard: A line used to raise and lower sails. Mainsail: The big triangular sail just aft of the sailboat’s mast. This is the boat’s largest and most important sail. Jib: The next most common sail on any boat. The jib can always be found forward of the mast, and unlike the mainsail, does not have a boom. Head: Another term with more than one use. The head is the top corner of any sail. This is where you attach the halyard to raise and lower the sail. The head is also a ship’s toilet...take a sit and ponder that one for moment. Clew: The aft lower corner of any sail. On a jib, this is where the sheets attach. On a mainsail, the clew is connected to the boom.
Jibe: A jibe is another way of changing direction, in which you bring the stern of the boat through the wind. Whether you choose to tack or jibe entirely depends on the situation–what’s around you, and the direction of the wind. SETTING SAIL
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SUGGESTED READS ADVENTURE AND DISCOVERY MAIDEN VOYAGE - By Tania Aebi Tania Aebi was an unambitious eighteen-year-old, a bicycle messenger in New York City by day, a Lower East Side barfly at night—until her father offered her a challenge: Tania could choose either a college education or a twenty-sixfoot sloop. The only catch was that if she chose the sailboat, she’d have to sail around the world, alone. She chose the boat, and for the next two and a half years and 27,000 miles, it was her home. Though troubles, toils, and extremes, what began with the sheer desire for adventure turned into a spiritual quest. THE COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP - By John Rousmaniere Since the publication of the widely-hailed first edition in 1983, The Annapolis Book of Seamanship has set the standard by which other books on sailing are measured. Used throughout America as a textbook in sailing schools and power squadrons, The Annapolis Book of Seamanship thoroughly and clearly covers the fundamental and advanced skills of modern sailing. As big and detailed as the book is, the wealth of technical information (including dozens of step-by-step instructions) is presented here in a way that is uniquely readable; it’s both useful and easy to use. It emphasizes the standard skills and proven methods that eliminate error and confusion, ensure security in emergencies, and allow every sailor more time for enjoyment on the water. LIGHTHEARTED LOCAL FLAVOR TIGHTWADS ON THE LOOSE - By Wendy Hinman Imagine spending 24 hours a day with your spouse in 31 notso-square feet . . . for years; crossing the Pacific Ocean on two gallons of fuel; and tossing spaghetti marinara around your living room, then cleaning it up while bouncing like ice in a martini shaker. Tightwads on the Loose tells the story of Puget Sound sailors,Wendy and Garth, lured to sea by the promise of adventure. They buy a 31-foot boat that fits their budget better than it fits Garth’s large frame and set sail for an open-ended voyage, never imagining they’d be gone seven years, or cover 34,000 miles at the pace of a fast walk. Tightwads on the Loose offers a fun read to the armchair adventurer -- or anyone afflicted with wanderlust. 48º NORTH
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SETTING SAIL
WHAT
WEAR to
Brought to you by Fisheries Supply Co.
HAT: Keep the sun (or rain) out of your eyes. Tether or chin strap is a bonus. Choose a fleece knit hat if it’s chilly. Zhik waterrepellent Structured Sailing Cap, $35 WATERPROOF JACKET: For rain, spray, and wind protection. The jacket should get heavier in weight and more sailing-specific as the predicted weather gets more inclement. Look for a high fleecelined collar, high-visibility hood, and abrasion resistant fabric. Musto BR2 Offshore Jacket, $349 INSULATING LAYER: Fleece or synthetic (not down or cotton) materials that will keep you warm even if they get wet. Patagonia Crosstrek 1/4zip Fleece, $119 BASE LAYER: Wicks moisture away from the skin, a key part of a layering system. Smartwool Merino 150, $84 WATERPROOF PANTS (PREFERABLY BIBS): Likely to be your most used piece of kit - they’re often worn even on sunny days to protect from wet decks and spray. Bibs give better coverage when seated than waist-height options. Helly Hansen Pier Pants, $160 SAILING GLOVES: Protect your hands when handling lines. Gill Championship Glove, $36.95 BOOTS or SHOES: It’s essential to have non-marking rubber soles. Waterproof boots are a must in windy or wintry conditions. Gill Short Yachting Boot, $69.95 OTHER ESSENTIALS: Polarized Sunglasses and a Lifejacket. Note: For warm-water summertime small boat sailing, the outfit changes to shorts and a t-shirt, or even swimwear. Pro Tip: Salt water is hard on everything. Rinse your gear in fresh water before drying it out. www.fisheriessupply.com SETTING SAIL
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sk a few sailors “How can I get into sailing?” You’re sure to hear a response that sounds something like this: “Show up to a club or marina on a race night, wear some boat shoes, bring a life jacket if you have one, and come bearing the gift of a six pack of beer – and you’ll get a ride!“ This adage is generally true, and many sailors do love beer (NOTE: cans are better on boats than glass bottles)! Racing sailboats almost always require a crew – in other words, they need you as much as you need them. For casual races, many boats will have a more-themerrier kind of attitude. Racing is fun 48º NORTH
and you don’t have to be experienced or competitive to try it. Even if you’ve never been sailing, you can sit on the rail and add value as ballast; you’ll be affectionately referred to as “rail meat.” It’s a compliment! For a new sailor, the experience can be invaluable. Not only do you get to go sailing and interact with more experienced sailors, but you have the opportunity to get plugged into a community, both within a particular crew, and potentially within the entire racing fleet. If everything goes well, this first ride can often lead to future sailing opportunities.
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SETTING SAIL
THE SIXPACK &
SPERRYS APPROACH by Joe Cline
Before you go, there are a few things to know. First, the more serious the race, the less likely it is that you’ll be involved in actually sailing the boat. For that reason, casual race nights are your best bet. Ask a sailor for a recommendation in your area. Second, it’s wise to show up about 90 minutes in advance of the race. Some clubs or marinas have something called a “crew circle” where boats in search of crew will look to find extra help. If there’s not something like this, just start asking people headed down the dock. Third, in addition to your six-pack and Sperrys, don’t bring too much stuff. SETTING SAIL
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Space and weight can be at a premium on some race boats. However, do come prepared for the weather. If you’re wondering what that means, check out page 29 for some recommendations. Finally, it’s good to keep in mind that future invites often depend more on how you fit in as a person than whether or not you’re an expert sailor. Ask questions like, “How can I help?” and, “Where should I be to stay out of the way?” Meet the other crew on their level. If they joke and talk a lot, don’t be shy! If they’re pretty focused, don’t be the distraction. Mainly, just be yourself and have fun. 48º NORTH
LEARN TO SAIL THIS SUMMER!
CLASSES FOR KIDS AND ADULTS On picturesque Port Townsend Bay!
DETAILS AT NWMARITIME.ORG
4 NO OR RT TH H 48 8 ºº N
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