Learning to sail
A first-hand account of what to expect on a beginners sailing course.
Sailing for beginners
Living inland in the picturesque Cotswolds, learning to sail had always felt like a far-off dream. A sailor I recently interviewed suggested that beginners start on a lake, and it made perfect sense. The UK is dotted with beautiful, often hidden freshwater lakes and reservoirs—ideal and far safer places to learn than the sea. After all, tides and coastal conditions can easily overwhelm anyone still trying to grasp the basics of wind direction. Inspired by Ocean Cruisers Andy and Hiba’s thrilling adventures at sea, I finally decided it was time to get out on the water myself. I signed up for an RYA Level One sailing course at Banbury Sailing Club, which came highly recommended by a friend who praised their excellent kids’ programme.
Above: Banbury sailing club. Image via Banbury Sailing Club.
Banbury Sailing Club: An ideal training ground
Although I was not consciously nervous, the night before arriving at the club I dreamed that I was sailing, capsized and found orca whales at the bottom of the lake. Arriving at Banbury Sailing Club I was excited to get out on the water. Our instructor, Andrew Rimmer, had been sailing since he could stand.
Above: Reading the water. Image via Emma Coady.
How do sails work?
In the classroom, Andrew used a diagram and a model yacht to help us grasp how sails interact with the force of the wind. As someone more inclined toward literary subjects rather than the technical or practical matters, I found both the practical and theoretical sides of sailing quite a challenge.
Above: How a sail works. Image via boats.com
Understanding portside and starboard
For those unfamiliar with nautical terms, the starboard side of a vessel is on the right when facing the bow (the front), while the left side is known as port. Thankfully, my fondness for wine helped that one sink in quickly—after all, port is traditionally passed to the left around the table.
Understanding wind direction
Andrew explained that there are several ways to identify the wind’s direction. A simple method is to take a moment to feel where the wind lands on your face. Then, observe the sailing club’s flag. The widest part of the flat is where the the direction the wind is coming from and the smallest part of the flag land where the wind is flowing towards. The wind strikes the flagpole, fills the flag at its widest point, and streams out toward the narrow end.
Another useful indicator is the pair of telltales — small pieces of yarn attached to the rigging or jib. When sailing downwind, the telltales should stream horizontally along the jib, showing the airflow direction. I found this particularly helpful, though I caught myself focusing on the telltales a bit too much instead of keeping watch for oncoming traffic!
For a deeper understanding, watch the video below for a masterclass on reading the water’s surface to determine wind direction.
Rig & launch
Before we could head out on the water, we first needed to learn the basic theory of sailing. We began by studying the anatomy of a boat, the parts of a sail, and some essential rope work. Each of us was given a length of rope or sheet, as I later learned it’s called in sailing terms. Andrew Rimmer and the other instructors demonstrated how to tie three key knots, all fundamental to basic seamanship. These knots allowed us to rig the boat properly and secure it to the shore. The three main knots we learned were the full turn and two half hitches, the figure of eight, and the reef knot.
Read 8 marine knots every boater should know
Preparing to launch the boat
Many beginners can be intimidated by sailing because rigging and launching a sailboat takes a long time to learn and there are lots of steps in the process. Unless you’re particularly technical or hands-on, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed trying to rememberthing at once.
The process of attaching and hoisting the sails is known as rigging. Our instructors demonstrated how to prepare the sails and attach them correctly, ready for hoisting. Before raising the mainsail, the boat must be pointed directly into the wind so that the sail can flap freely. The mainsheet and kicking strap should be completely slack before hoisting, and the mainsail can be raised either while the boat is on the shore or once it’s afloat.
Give me a saddle and a bridle, and I can tack on a horse in minutes — but rigging a sailboat felt far more complex. The number of knots we had to thread, tease, and tie had me in a spin, and every rope seemed to look exactly the same. I wasn’t even on the water yet, but I was already feeling slightly out of my depth.
Points of sail (Angle to the wind)
Andrew explained how the wind affects a boat’s performance in different positions, helping us understand how to adjust the mainsail, fine-tune the jib, and steer toward our destination safely and efficiently. It all looked very straightforward in theory, but once on the water I found it difficult to orient the boat in relation to the wind, which seemed to change direction constantly. I was doing mental gymnastics just trying to keep up and had to rely heavily on my coach’s instructions. Fortunately, they were patient, calm, and reassuring throughout.
Above: Points of sail. A tacking guide. Image via boats.com
Forecasting a gust
Gusts are a little tricky to get to a handle on. Watching the water's surface will help you to pre-empt a gust. Our instructor assured us that after a while we will be able to spot a gust on the water before it reaches us. When approaching a gust, you need to let the sails out before it hits the boat.
Above: Out on the water dinghy sailing before we got fell off! Image via Emma Coady.
Right of way/Rules of the road
When two sailboats are passing, the boat on a starboard tack has right-of-way over a boat on a port tack, and if they are both on the same tack, the windward boat gives way to the leeward boat.
While we learned the theory of this in the classroom, out on the water, I needed time to digest information before boats approached us. There were too many factors to consider in a matter of split seconds. Fortunately, our instructor made the decisions on our behalf to avoid a collision.
Above: Windward rule. Image via boats.com
Moving through the water, I felt a sense of elation and a big sense of achievement when I completed my tacking turns. There were no noisy engines, or toxic fumes. I have cruised on a powerboat, but nothing comes close to feeling of being propelled through the water by harnessing the power of the wind.
Learning basic sailing terminology
Something I found a little bit confusing on the course were the casual wind references that our instructors slipped into conversation. Here is a breakdown of the terms you can expect to understand on the open water.
Our instructors slipped wind references into conversation which left me discombobulated. Here is a breakdown of the terms you can expect to understand on the open water.
Windward
Towards the direction from which the wind is coming. The windward side of a boat or object is the side facing the wind. Sailing to windward means sailing as close to the direction of the wind as possible, which is typically achieved by sailing on a close-hauled course.
Ashore
To or on the shore or land from the direction of the sea.
Leeward
Situated on or towards the side sheltered from the wind.
Upwind
Upwind sailing, also known as sailing close-hauled or beating, refers to the act of sailing a sailboat as close to the direction the wind is coming from as possible, typically at an angle of about 45 degrees.
Downwind
Downwind generally refers to sailing with the wind coming from behind the boat, allowing it to travel in the same direction as the wind.
Coming alongside
Manoeuvring a sailboat alongside a dock, pontoon in a controlled manner to moor.
Land drill tacking
Andrew demonstrated the tacking manoeuvre and explained how to communicate effectively with your crew while ashore.
When you push the tiller extension away from you while sailing, the boat turns through the wind — this is called tacking. Facing forward, you push the tiller across the boat. As soon as the rudder is hard over, you pass the tiller extension forward across your body and then re-centre the tiller to steady the boat’s course.
It all looked simple enough when Andrew did it, but once I had the tiller in my own hand, things felt very different. Trying to re-centre the tiller while holding the mainsheet and keeping my body facing forward was a real coordination challenge.
Steps of a tacking manoeuvre
The helmsman asks, “Ready about?”
- The crew looks 360° around the boat, for oncoming traffic gets ready to jibe. If the area is clear, the crew replies, ”Ready.”
- “Lee-ho!” The helmsman chants before lunging across the boat with careful attention given to the tiller positioning.
- The helmsman steers the boat, turning the boat towards the wind, initiating the turn.
- The crew releases the jib. As the boat turns, the jib will start to luff (flap) as it loses wind.
- Trim the jib. The crew quickly trims the lazy jib sheet to pull the jib across to the new side of the boat.
- The helmsman will adjust the mainsail to the new wind direction, easing or trimming the mainsheet to align the sail with the new course.
- Duck as the boom swings across the boat
- Continue turning. The helmsman continues to steer the boat through the wind until it is on the new course.
Post tacking
Trim sails
Once on the new course, the crew trims the jib and mainsail to the correct angle for optimal sailing.
Check for safety
The helmsman and crew ensure the boat is on course and that the sails are properly trimmed.
Neaten up
The jib sheets are tidied up.
Shouting “Lee-ho” in front of the class felt like I was auditioning for the part of a pirate in panto. On the water, I found myself pushing the tiller in the wrong direction. Fortunately the RYA’s instructors are well practiced with working with novices such as myself and jumped in to rescue the tacking operation.
Sailing upwind
While gibing may sound like a funky dance move, it is a sailing manoeuvre where the boat turns its stern through the wind while sailing downwind, causing the sail to switch from one side of the boat to the other.
A jibing manoeuvre
- Helmsman gives the first command, “Ready to jibe?”
- The crew looks 360° around the boat, gets ready to jybe by picking up the new jib sheet, and says, “Ready!”
- Helmsman pulls the mainsail all the way in to reduce the amount of travel for the boom and slows it down.
- Immediately prior to jibing, helmsman heralds, “Jibe Ho!”
- Helmsman pulls the tiller away from the mainsail.
- As the sail switches sides and swings across the boat (90 degrees) the helmsman and crew switch sides.
- Helmsman lets the mainsail back out.
- Once on course, helmsman brings the tiller back to the center of the boat.
- Trim sails and sail away.
On the water we were instructed to alternate between tacking and gibing and I found myself confused about the differences between the two manoeuvres. Now that a couple of weeks have passed, I have time to digest the theory and have figured it out. Tacking involves turning the bow (front) of the boat through the wind, while gybing (or jibing) involves turning the stern (back) of the boat through the wind. The tiller is moved in a different direction, and most importantly, you must pull the mainsail in before you jibe, or you will encounter problems.
Capsize /MOB
This was the part of the course we had all been dreading — but our fears were met with a surprisingly refreshing dip in the warm, shallow water. As I rinsed off my soggy sports trainers, I realised it might finally be time to invest in a proper pair of sailing shoes.
By the end of the course, I felt that I was only just beginning to get to grips with the Five Essentials. After chatting with my classmates, I discovered they too felt a little out of their depth which was hardly surprising after spending less than six hours on the water.
All that’s left now is to spend more time sailing at Banbury Sailing Club. With its well-regarded kids’ club, friendly Friday night socials complete with barbecues and beers, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere, I was left with one burning question:
When can I get back out on the water?
If you would like to buy a beginners sailing dinghy, you might be interested in 25 Best Beginner Sailing Dinghies.
