After years of talking about it, you have finally decided to get some sailing lessons and get out on the water. But before leaping aboard, you need to locate a good sailing school so that your investment in sailing tuition returns the best results.
One good way to do this is by seeking referrals from people whose opinion you trust. So, ask your friends or colleagues for their recommendations. Try to get the names of at least three sailing schools so that you can make comparisons.
If possible, visit each of your short-listed schools. You will be able to judge much more accurately the type of operation from the behaviour the staff and look of its office.
When face-to-face, ask each the same set of questions and record their answers. This is important so that you can compare like with like.
What are the questions you should ask
1. What is your program and what are the qualifications I can achieve with your training?
As you're starting out, you will be enrolling in a competent crew course (or equivalent). Successful completion of a competent crew course should make you a welcome asset on any sailboat. From this qualification, you can move on to inshore skipper training.
2. Are you recognised by a local or international organisation?
If you are learning to sail with a view to chartering a yacht overseas, say in the Med or Caribbean, you should ensure that the course you undertake is recognised internationally. This means endorsed by either the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) or ASA (American Sailing Association).
3. Who will be conducting the training?
You can't expect that the owner/boss of the sailing school will be conducting all the training, particularly the basic training.
4. What are the qualifications and experience of my instructor?
It's great that the business owner has the highest qualifications possible, but you need to know that the person who will be teaching you, both on and off the water, has relevant qualifications and experience.
5. When did the school start?
If it's been around for a few years, it's had to survive good and bad times. But you need to be reassured that it's not using tired old boats and teaching methods.
6. What is your success rate?
By success rate, I mean the percentage of students who gain the qualification for which the sailing course is training them.
7. Do you have an introductory evening or other getting-to-know you function?
These evenings give you the opportunity to meet your prospective sailing instructors and other would-be students. These are the types of people you will be spending your weekend(s) with for the next month or two. You need to feel confident that they are the types of people you feel happy with.
8. How many hours of training are involved? On the water? Off the water?
It's all very well to spend hours in the classroom, learning sailing theory but there needs to be a good balance with hands-on sailing experience. You need to be reassured that you will spend plenty of time on the water, practising the sailing skills.
9. Will I receive a manual and/or textbook?
If not a manual or textbook, at the very least you should receive a substantial set of handouts to support your learning of sailing theory. To keep track of your on-the-water experience, you will need a log book.
10. What is the cost involved?
The cost of sailing tuition provided by different sailing schools may vary considerably. One way to compare costs is by dividing the fee by the number of hours. But you need to keep in mind the on and off water components of the sail training.
Remember, you don't have to choose any of the three sailing schools, if you don't feel that they are right for you. It is not just that you will be investing some of your hard-earned money, but learning to sail should be fun too. So it makes sense to feel comfortable about where you decide to learn.
Copyright 2009 Bevanda Pty Ltd
Learn more about sailing in The Boating Bible Manual of Seamanship, http://www.theboatingbible.com/Product.htm
Download the FREE Introduction to The Boating Bible Manual of Seamanship when you subscribe to our weekly newsletter - http://www.theboatingbible.com/NewsletterArchive.htm
Read our newsletter archive. It's full of hints and news and good advice based on over 60 years' experience.
It's all about Sailing!
One good way to do this is by seeking referrals from people whose opinion you trust. So, ask your friends or colleagues for their recommendations. Try to get the names of at least three sailing schools so that you can make comparisons.
If possible, visit each of your short-listed schools. You will be able to judge much more accurately the type of operation from the behaviour the staff and look of its office.
When face-to-face, ask each the same set of questions and record their answers. This is important so that you can compare like with like.
What are the questions you should ask
1. What is your program and what are the qualifications I can achieve with your training?
As you're starting out, you will be enrolling in a competent crew course (or equivalent). Successful completion of a competent crew course should make you a welcome asset on any sailboat. From this qualification, you can move on to inshore skipper training.
2. Are you recognised by a local or international organisation?
If you are learning to sail with a view to chartering a yacht overseas, say in the Med or Caribbean, you should ensure that the course you undertake is recognised internationally. This means endorsed by either the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) or ASA (American Sailing Association).
3. Who will be conducting the training?
You can't expect that the owner/boss of the sailing school will be conducting all the training, particularly the basic training.
4. What are the qualifications and experience of my instructor?
It's great that the business owner has the highest qualifications possible, but you need to know that the person who will be teaching you, both on and off the water, has relevant qualifications and experience.
5. When did the school start?
If it's been around for a few years, it's had to survive good and bad times. But you need to be reassured that it's not using tired old boats and teaching methods.
6. What is your success rate?
By success rate, I mean the percentage of students who gain the qualification for which the sailing course is training them.
7. Do you have an introductory evening or other getting-to-know you function?
These evenings give you the opportunity to meet your prospective sailing instructors and other would-be students. These are the types of people you will be spending your weekend(s) with for the next month or two. You need to feel confident that they are the types of people you feel happy with.
8. How many hours of training are involved? On the water? Off the water?
It's all very well to spend hours in the classroom, learning sailing theory but there needs to be a good balance with hands-on sailing experience. You need to be reassured that you will spend plenty of time on the water, practising the sailing skills.
9. Will I receive a manual and/or textbook?
If not a manual or textbook, at the very least you should receive a substantial set of handouts to support your learning of sailing theory. To keep track of your on-the-water experience, you will need a log book.
10. What is the cost involved?
The cost of sailing tuition provided by different sailing schools may vary considerably. One way to compare costs is by dividing the fee by the number of hours. But you need to keep in mind the on and off water components of the sail training.
Remember, you don't have to choose any of the three sailing schools, if you don't feel that they are right for you. It is not just that you will be investing some of your hard-earned money, but learning to sail should be fun too. So it makes sense to feel comfortable about where you decide to learn.
Copyright 2009 Bevanda Pty Ltd
Learn more about sailing in The Boating Bible Manual of Seamanship, http://www.theboatingbible.com/Product.htm
Download the FREE Introduction to The Boating Bible Manual of Seamanship when you subscribe to our weekly newsletter - http://www.theboatingbible.com/NewsletterArchive.htm
Read our newsletter archive. It's full of hints and news and good advice based on over 60 years' experience.
It's all about Sailing!
