Your First Visit to a Sailing Club — What Actually Happens?
Sailing clubs can look rather mysterious from outside. Inside, they're mostly full of people talking about boats.
For somebody who has never sailed before, one of the biggest obstacles may have nothing whatsoever to do with sailing.
It is simply this:
What am I supposed to do when I get there?
You drive through the entrance. There are boats everywhere. Some are upside down. Some appear to be held together by ropes. People are carrying sails, moving trailers, wearing strange combinations of waterproof clothing and shorts, and apparently speaking a language involving sheets, halyards, shrouds, kickers, cleats and cunninghams.
Somebody shouts, "Can you grab that painter?"
You wonder whether they are redecorating the clubhouse.
It can all seem rather intimidating from the outside.
But sailing clubs are generally much less mysterious once you walk through the door. And if you arrive at a friendly club and simply say:
"Hello. I've never sailed before, but I'd like to learn."
you have already completed one of the most difficult parts of learning to sail.
The First Surprise: It Probably Isn't What You Imagined
People sometimes have an image of sailing clubs as rather exclusive places involving blazers, expensive yachts and people discussing where they are going to berth in the Mediterranean.
Some undoubtedly exist like that.
Many ordinary sailing clubs are nothing of the sort.
At a club such as Upper Thames Sailing Club, where much of my own sailing takes place, you are far more likely to encounter people trying to find a missing shackle, wondering where they left their sailing gloves, debating whether there is enough wind to race, or drinking tea while discussing boats.
There may be some beautiful and expensive boats in the boat park.
There may also be somebody repairing a 30-year-old dinghy with a piece of string and remarkable optimism.
And both owners may be sitting at the same table afterwards discussing why neither of them quite managed to sail the course they intended.
That is one of the things I particularly like about sailing clubs.
The boat may matter on the water. The people matter much more ashore.
So What Will You Actually Find?
Every club is different, but most have broadly similar facilities.
Knowing what they are before your first visit makes the whole place feel considerably less mysterious.
1. The Clubhouse — The Centre of Everything
The clubhouse is normally the social and administrative heart of the club.
Depending upon the size of the club, it might contain:
- a lounge;
- dining area;
- kitchen;
- bar;
- club office;
- changing rooms;
- toilets and showers;
- race information;
- noticeboards;
- trophy cabinets displaying several decades of club history.
But don't make the mistake of thinking the clubhouse is merely somewhere you go when you have finished sailing.
A surprising amount of learning happens there.
You might hear someone discussing why their boat capsized.
Someone else will be explaining why they chose one route up the river rather than another.
Another sailor may be adjusting a piece of rigging while explaining precisely what it does.
And somebody will almost certainly be discussing the weather.
Sailors discuss the weather a lot.
This is understandable because the difference between 5 mph and 20 mph of wind can transform your afternoon quite dramatically.
2. Signing In
Many clubs ask visitors to sign in.
This may be through:
- a visitors' book;
- a computer;
- a tablet;
- an electronic membership system;
- or simply by speaking to whoever is organising sailing that day.
Don't worry about the procedure.
Ask.
One of the most useful phrases you can learn on your first visit is:
"What do I need to do?"
Nobody expects a newcomer to understand the club's systems.
In fact, asking questions is exactly what you should be doing.
If you are attending an organised introductory session, somebody may already be expecting you.
If you have simply come along to investigate the club, find a member and introduce yourself.
3. The Changing Rooms
Sooner or later, sailing involves water.
Occasionally rather more water than originally intended.
Most clubs therefore have changing rooms where sailors can put on appropriate clothing before going afloat and change afterwards.
You do not necessarily need to arrive wearing hundreds of pounds' worth of technical sailing clothing.
For your first gentle sail in suitable conditions, the club may be able to advise you on what you need.
Many clubs also have buoyancy aids available for newcomers or members to borrow.
This matters because one theme I want to emphasise throughout this series is:
You don't need to buy everything before discovering whether you actually enjoy sailing.
Try sailing first.
The expensive waterproof trousers can come later.
Possibly much later.
4. The Boat Park
Walk outside and you will probably encounter the boat park.
This is where dinghies are stored when they aren't being sailed.
At first it can look like organised chaos.
There may be:
- Optimists;
- Lasers or ILCA dinghies;
- RS boats;
- National 12s;
- Wayfarers;
- training boats;
- racing dinghies;
- trailers;
- launching trolleys;
- covers;
- masts;
- sails;
- mysterious collections of ropes.
At the Upper Thames Sailing Club, you might even encounter the remarkable Thames A-Rater: a very long, very narrow boat with a mast double the size of the other boats carrying an enormous amount of sail.
The important thing is that you don't have to understand any of them yet.
Walk around with somebody experienced and ask questions.
"What is that?"
"Why is this boat shaped differently?"
"What's that rope for?"
"Why does that boat have three people while this one has one?"
You can learn an extraordinary amount simply by wandering around a boat park with somebody who enjoys explaining boats.
And most sailors really do enjoy explaining boats.
Sometimes at considerable length.
5. The Slipway
Eventually boats have to get from the boat park into the water.
The slipway is one of the places where that happens.
A dinghy is normally moved on a launching trolley and wheeled down towards the water.
This is another moment when newcomers can feel slightly lost because experienced sailors appear to perform everything automatically.
One person is holding the bow.
Another removes the trolley.
Someone lowers the rudder.
Another checks the centreboard.
Somebody pushes the boat away.
Thirty seconds later it has disappeared up the river.
Don't worry.
The first few times you launch a boat, somebody should talk you through it.
Soon those apparently complicated actions become routine.
6. Pontoons and Jetties
Some clubs also have pontoons or jetties from which boats can be boarded.
These are particularly useful for:
- larger boats;
- safety boats;
- training boats;
- passengers;
- sailors who may find stepping directly into a dinghy from a slipway more difficult.
They are also excellent places from which to watch what is happening.
If you are nervous about immediately getting into a boat, spend a little time watching other sailors launch and return.
You will begin to understand the rhythm of the club.
Boats go out.
Boats return.
Crews change.
People help each other.
Someone inevitably forgets something and has to come back.
It all becomes much less intimidating surprisingly quickly.
7. The Race Hut — Where Mysterious Noises Originate
If you visit on a racing day, you may hear hooters, horns or klaxons and see special flags going up and dowm..
These normally come from the race hut.
The race team controls proceedings from there.
Depending upon the club, they may be:
- setting courses;
- displaying flags;
- recording finishers;
- monitoring timings;
- starting races;
- keeping an eye on conditions.
You certainly do not need to understand the racing system on your first visit.
You may nevertheless find it fascinating to watch.
Sailing races often appear utterly incomprehensible until somebody stands beside you and explains what is happening.
Then suddenly the apparently random collection of boats begins to make sense.
8. Safety Boats — Probably the Most Reassuring Boats at the Club
One question newcomers quite reasonably ask is:
"What happens if something goes wrong?"
That is why organised sailing often has safety boats on the water.
These are usually powered craft operated by experienced members.
They might:
- assist a capsized boat;
- help someone who is struggling;
- tow a disabled dinghy;
- recover equipment;
- provide assistance during racing or coaching.
Their presence doesn't remove personal responsibility.
You still need appropriate clothing, buoyancy equipment and sensible sailing decisions.
But knowing that competent people are watching proceedings can make those first trips onto the water considerably less daunting.
9. Noticeboards — Surprisingly Useful
Don't ignore the noticeboards.
Physical or electronic club noticeboards can contain all sorts of useful information:
- sailing programmes;
- coaching dates;
- social events;
- race results;
- boats for sale;
- requests for crew;
- members looking for crews;
- duty rotas;
- training opportunities.
For somebody without a boat, one particularly useful notice might effectively say:
Crew wanted.
That could be your route onto the water.
You don't always need your own boat.
Sometimes you simply need somebody whose boat requires another person.
The Most Important Thing You Can Do: Introduce Yourself
There is a temptation when entering an unfamiliar club to stand quietly at the edge and hope somebody works out why you are there.
Don't.
Walk up to someone and say:
"Hello, I'm new here. I'm interested in learning to sail. Who should I speak to?"
That one sentence can open an enormous number of doors.
You may be introduced to:
- the Sailing Secretary ( That's Me at UTSC);
- a training officer;
- a coach;
- an experienced member;
- somebody running an introductory session;
- a boat owner looking for crew.
And don't worry if the first person you approach cannot help.
They will probably know somebody who can.
Sailing clubs operate largely through networks of people who know other people.
"But I Don't Know Anybody"
Neither did most members when they first arrived.
That is worth remembering.
The confident sailor walking around the club today may once have stood exactly where you are standing, wondering what all the ropes did.
One of the quickest ways to become part of the club is simply to become involved.
Ask:
"Can I help?"
Help move a boat.
Hold a rope.
Carry a sail.
Push a trolley.
Help somebody launch.
You should obviously avoid touching equipment without asking, but small practical jobs are a very natural way of becoming involved.
Before long, you stop being "the visitor" and become another person helping to get boats onto the water.
How Do I Actually Get Someone to Take Me Sailing?
This is the bit many people worry about.
They imagine needing to book formal lessons before they can ever step into a sailing boat.
Formal training is extremely valuable, and I strongly recommend structured instruction as your skills develop.
But your first experience might be considerably simpler.
An experienced sailor might say:
"Come out with me."
That first sail does not need to involve complicated instruction.
You might simply sit in the boat while somebody explains:
- where the wind is coming from;
- what the tiller does;
- what happens when the sheet is pulled;
- why the sail changes shape;
- what happens when the boat turns.
Perhaps after a while they hand you the tiller.
That can be the moment everything changes.
You are no longer watching somebody sail.
You are sailing.
Your First Sail Doesn't Need to Be Dramatic
In fact, it is probably better if it isn't.
Your first sail does not need:
- strong winds;
- racing;
- spinnakers;
- enormous waves;
- Olympic-level boat handling.
A gentle day can be ideal.
Imagine sailing slowly away from the club while somebody experienced sits beside you.
They say:
"Push the tiller slightly away."
The boat turns.
"Now pull the sheet in a little."
The sail fills.
The boat accelerates.
That very simple experience teaches something that pages of diagrams struggle to communicate.
You begin to understand that the boat is responding to you.
That is when sailing starts becoming addictive.
And Then There Is Tea
This deserves its own section.
Because sailing clubs are social places.
After sailing, people come back into the clubhouse.
They make tea.
They have lunch.
Perhaps the bar opens.
And then everybody starts doing something tremendously educational.
They talk about what happened.
Someone says:
"I couldn't get around that mark."
Another replies:
"You were pinching too much."
Somebody else says:
"I thought the wind had shifted."
Another sailor explains why it had.
A beginner sitting nearby might quietly learn three useful things without anyone formally teaching them anything.
The Clubhouse Conversation Is Part of Learning to Sail
This is something formal courses sometimes struggle to reproduce.
Sailing knowledge isn't only contained in manuals.
It exists within communities.
Experienced sailors carry around years—sometimes decades—of observations.
They know:
- where the wind behaves strangely;
- how different boats respond;
- what happens when the current changes;
- how to recover from mistakes;
- what equipment lasts;
- what equipment doesn't;
- which knots are actually useful;
- which boat might suit you;
- when not to go sailing.
You absorb this knowledge gradually.
A comment over lunch may suddenly make sense three months later when exactly the same thing happens to you.
Sailing Is Full of Stories — Listen to Them
Another thing you quickly discover is that sailors tell stories.
A lot of stories.
There is the race they nearly won.
The capsize they weren't expecting.
The day there was no wind.
The day there was far too much wind.
The boat they should never have bought.
The boat they should never have sold.
And occasionally the race which becomes slightly more impressive each time the story is told.
Listen to them.
Behind the humour there is often valuable experience.
Someone saying:
"We went out once when the forecast was much stronger than expected..."
may actually be giving you an excellent lesson in weather forecasting and judgement.
Don't Be Frightened by Sailing Language
You will hear unfamiliar words.
Lots of them.
Port.
Starboard.
Sheet.
Halyard.
Tack.
Gybe.
Leeward.
Windward.
Kicker.
Centreboard.
Painter.
Burgee.
Don't attempt to memorise everything on day one.
The terminology gradually becomes meaningful because you begin attaching the words to real objects and actions.
Someone saying:
"Ease the mainsheet"
means much more when you are actually holding it and watching the sail respond.
That is one of the great advantages of learning within a club.
Theory and experience occur together.
A Very Practical First-Visit Checklist
If you are thinking about visiting a sailing club, you really do not need a complicated plan.
Try this:
-
Contact the club first if possible.
Tell them you are interested in learning to sail and ask when would be a good day to visit. -
Wear practical clothing.
You aren't attending a yacht-club fashion show. -
Introduce yourself when you arrive.
Explain immediately that you are new. -
Ask for a tour.
Understand where the clubhouse, changing facilities, boat park and launching areas are. -
Ask about beginner sailing.
Find out whether the club runs introductory sessions or coaching. -
Ask about club boats.
You may not need to own anything. - Ask whether buoyancy aids are available.
- Ask whether anyone needs crew.
- Stay for tea or lunch.
- Talk to people.
That final point may be the most important.
Don't Rush Out and Buy a Boat
After your first few successful sails, something dangerous may happen.
You start browsing boats for sale.
Resist.
At least initially.
Sail different boats if you can.
Crew for different people.
Try helming.
Try a single-hander.
Try a double-hander.
Try something stable.
Try something slightly more exciting.
Discover the sort of sailing you actually enjoy before spending substantial amounts of money.
You may eventually want your own boat.
Or you may discover that your club has boats available that suit you perfectly well.
Either is fine.
The objective is not boat ownership.
The objective is sailing.
The Club Is More Important Than the Boat
When people ask me about getting into sailing, it is very easy to start discussing boats.
But increasingly I think the more important question is:
Have you found the right club?
A welcoming club provides something a boat cannot.
It provides:
- experience;
- encouragement;
- training;
- safety;
- friendship;
- opportunities;
- people to sail with.
A £10,000 boat sitting unused on a trailer teaches you very little.
A borrowed club boat with an experienced sailor beside you can teach you an enormous amount.
That is why, throughout this series, I keep returning to the same idea:
You don't need to own a boat to become a sailor. You need an opportunity to get on the water.
Your First Visit Might Be the Beginning of Something Much Bigger
Walking through the gates of a sailing club for the first time can feel surprisingly intimidating.
There are unfamiliar boats.
Unfamiliar equipment.
Unfamiliar terminology.
And unfamiliar people who apparently know exactly what they are doing.
But stay for a while.
Ask questions.
Help launch a boat.
Go sailing with somebody.
Then come back inside and have a cup of tea.
Before long, the strange vocabulary begins to make sense.
The boat park stops looking mysterious.
You start recognising people.
And one day somebody new may walk into the club looking slightly uncertain and ask:
"I've never sailed before. Who should I talk to?"
And perhaps this time, you will be the person who says:
"Come with me. I'll show you around."
That, to me, is one of the nicest things about sailing.
The boats bring us onto the water.
The people bring us back.
My name is Philip. I started sailing when I was 65.
I joined a club and because my son had already been part of a club for many years - borrowing all types of boat. He knew what we needed and the type of boat I would require.
So we did by an RS Toura - a virtually unsinkable dinghy which has given me the confidence to experiment and learn and take my RYA exams and become a competent sailor and then to move up to the boat of my dreams - the A-Rater.
Next in the series: Meet the Sailing Dinghy — What Are All the Bits Called?
Return to https://pmrsailing.uk/Lessons.html
