Australia is surrounded by such magnificent coastline; it’s little wonder why learning to sail is so appealing. The good news is that you can learn at any age and it’s never too late to start such a rewarding endeavour. Here is a beginner’s guide to sailing in Australia.
Catamarans
If you are thinking of sailing a catamaran, then you are in for some thrilling adventures. You can actually skipper a catamaran yourself and/or alongside a crew and enjoy some fantastic holidays. This has the potential to become a lucrative and thrilling business venture should you own your own vessel, such as one of these catamarans for sale. Skippering a vessel yourself is referred to a ‘bareboat’ charter and there are schools in Australia which offer multihull sailing experiences and are perfectly suited to those starting out with sailing.
These courses are perfectly suited to anyone; from complete novices who want a taste of sailing in a safe and controlled environment right through to those who just need a brush up on their pre-existent skills. If you have been trying to make a firm decision about purchasing a multihull, these experiences will set you in good stead and make your sailing aspirations that much more of a reality. Should you be planning to one day set off on a bareboat charter holiday, then sailing school is perfect for you.
Small dinghies
If you aren’t in the market for a long-term investment like a catamaran right off the bat, then learning on a small sailing dinghy can be a great option. Not only will it usually require less up-front-cost, but it also can be a very smart way to learn. This is because a smaller sailboat will have a more immediate ‘feedback’ (meaning your inputs will be registered quickly allowing you to understand exactly how sailing works). This is why many of the best sailors in the world actually started on sailing dinghies!
There are plenty of pluses about learning to sail a dinghy as your practice vessel (just be prepared to get a little wet). The forces on the lines on this smaller sailboat make docking a breeze (compared with what you will encounter when sailing something larger). You don’t even have to buy your own boat, as you can always charter or join a sailing club. However, there’s nothing quite like the freedom to be able to take a boat out at practically any time, so aiming to buy your ‘very own beauty’ quickly become every sailor’s dream.
The best spot for beginners
It’s all well and good to pick your type of vessel to start sailing, but how about the best spots for beginners? The great news is that in Australia you are really spoilt for choice and our beautiful coastlines are regularly rated as one of the top regions for beginners in the world! Melbourne’s ‘‘inland sea’ in VIC, the Whitsundays islands in QLD, and Geographe Bay in WA are just a few of the widely touted hot-spots for smooth sailing. With so many coastal locations on offer in the ‘land-down-under’ it shouldn’t be too hard to find the perfect place to accommodate your newly-acquired passion for sailing.
Ships ahoy!
Making the step to learn to sail is easier than you might think. There are plenty of options suitable for beginners available in Australia (this covers a choice of vessels, sailing schools, mariners and anchorage). If you’ve always fantasised about ‘sailing off into the sunset’, then there’s no time like the present to get started on making your goals ‘ship-shape’ today!
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