What are the Benefits of Sailing?

Ahh the sea. The sea represents freedom and adventure to many. On her surface you can see amazing natural beauty, but you can also be killed by her temper. Yet we feel the need to conquer the sea and prove that we can use her power to travel the world with just the wind.

In the British Virgin Islands there’s a bar called the Soggy Dollar Bar. Aptly named because to get there you sail up, leave the boat at a mooring ball and swim in to have a drink. So all those dollars in your pocket get a little salty and a little soggy. Having a drink at the Soggy Dollar bar on a sandy island beach is just one of the sailing experiences that you’ll never forget. That’s why we sail. A rum drink with friends at a bar that can only be enjoyed by those sailing in. It’s a tale that you can keep telling for the rest of your life.

Sailing has survived for centuries precisely because it requires effort and gives reward on the other side. Oh, and it’s fun as hell.

A Beautiful Place to Escape

Gyms are ugly. And a psychiatrist’s couch is comfortable but not very enticing. Why not find an escape from modern life that starts with the sea? Natural beauty will always surround the sailor from the inexplicable waves to the open ocean to the tropical island. And there’s a little sun and Vitamin D as well. Sailing lets you get out of your home to a place that feels and looks different. It changes your views and can change your life experience.

Sailing offers the modern man a place to escape from the stupid absurdities of life and find his soul while mastering the sea. A refreshing way to re-imagine your life.

Physically Challenging – to a Point

It seems like half of society is happy just sitting on their ass watching TV. And our weight proves it. Sailing is the opposite of this: amazing view that you’re going to have to work for. It doesn’t require huge muscles or insane stamina. But it does require you to move and adjust to the motion of the ocean. And as you sail, you slowly build a little more muscle and drop a little more weight. Not so challenging that you can’t do it at 70 (I know many salty sailors in their 70’s), but much more involved than curling a beer in front of the idiot box.

When you sail, you will have to pull ropes and move things around. You will be moving forward, backward and side to side. And constantly watching the wind and waves. Sailing allows you to exert energy and effort to keep things moving while pushing yourself to do a little more. It’s a physical, focused form of exercise that is amazingly enjoyable.

Requires Learned Skills

A sense of accomplishment and confidence go far in life. And learning to handle a 30 foot schooner can give you both. Sailing requires teaching and experience, but it’s not impossible to learn. So learning sailing is a great way to add to your skills, increase your knowledge and generally grow as a human. As you learn to sail, you’ll learn to read maps and charts. You’ll learn to tie knots well. You’ll learn a lot about the weather. And you’ll take part in a long tradition of capturing wind energy and turning it into movement.

We recommend starting with a sailing school near you. Soak in the knowledge from an experienced sailor. But don’t stop there. Find a way to sail regularly. Like driving a car, you improve with experience. Your skills improve. Your confidence improves as you deal with new situations and apply your knowledge.

One other benefit: sailing lets you vacation with friends. Once you gain the skills to rent a sailboat, you can fly off to the British Virgin Islands and rent a boat for a week. Maybe just with your spouse or maybe with another couple or two. As the captain, you can safely sail them from island to island while enjoying some snorkeling, fishing or the local restaurant scene (Soggy Dollar bar?). This is a surprisingly inexpensive vacation to some of the most beautiful islands in the world. What’s not to like? And you can teach your friends to sail and help the tradition last another 3,000 years.

Forces Concentration and Attention

A true break from the daily grind needs to pull you away from your mind and thoughts. It should require your attention and concentration so you don’t have the ability to think about the other crap going on in your life.

Sailing does exactly this. You have to concentrate on the wind's movement or your sailboat will slow and then stop. When the sails luff, you need to notice and adjust your trim. It requires you to focus and be in the moment. A mindful meditation on the sea.

This forced attention means you'll forget about problems at work or complaining family. It gives your mind a bit of respite when you focus just on what's happening in front of you. It's a refreshing way to rejuvenate your energy levels.

Being a Sailor is for Life

Learning to sail turns you into a sailor. You’ll understand the difference between Starboard and port. Fore and aft. A red light and a green light. Once you’re in the club, you’ll be surprised by the number of other sailors around you. And you’ll be a member of the sailing community. Because sailing requires a commitment to learn and a love of the ocean. You can learn to play baseball in an hour. You cannot learn to sail in an hour. So members respect the effort and commitment that you’ve given to the sport.

Sailing is a way to instantly make friends.

Choose your Direction

Love speed? Join regattas and race against other sailors. Just want to relax? Bareboat cruising around the islands is perfect. Need a drink? Rum is recommended. Sailing options let you focus on your competitive nature or your need to relax and just enjoy the waves. Or you can do both.

Lanier Sailing Academy at Lake Lanier near Atlanta, Georgia has regattas every month or two. They also offer American Sailing Association classes and boats for members. After you take the first ASA 101 class, you can take a boat out and sail around the lake praying for wind. This combination of sailing academy + boats available + regattas for racing is fairly common and perfect for a sailor wanting to learn and improve. Your goal should be to sail at least once a month. And make sure that you’re sailing with some other sailors who have more experience than you. That’s how you improve.

Mastery requires a Lifetime

Nothing worth doing is easy. And learning to sail well is not easy. It requires commitment, effort and consistency over time. You’ll get a little better each time until you’re suddenly a salty sailor. Even a salty sailor keeps learning and keeps improving. Sailing will never get boring and will keep challenging you over a lifetime. It’s a sport you can do alone, in groups and for your entire life without a hint of boredom.

A Sustainable Way of Boating

One last comment: wind energy is as green as it gets. Learning to harness the wind and move on the seas without a motor is an excellent way to live a more sustainable life. As global warming concerns grow, I would expect sailing to be more in vogue. A vacation without destroying the atmosphere.

Become a sailor. Sailing is life.