Tips for the Perfect Sail!
1. Pick a day with decent conditions, and dress appropriately. Around Donegal and especially Lough Swilly, good conditions come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Generally, we want fairly calm seas with lighter, rather than stronger, winds. Sunshine and 0% chance of precipitation is a plus, though rarely seen in Donegal! Remember that it is often windier and cooler out on the water than onshore, so dress appropriately. The idea is to stay warm and dry by not falling in!
2. Have the right boat. When you’re learning, a smaller, more responsive boat makes it easier to understand the dynamics of sailing. The Club has a range of craft for you to use.
3. Be aware of the boom. The boom is the big, heavy bar at the foot of the mainsail. It swings across the boat whenever you tack or gybe, and you really don’t want it to hit you. It can injure you and even knock you overboard, but it’s easy to avoid as long as you’re paying attention. Whenever you hear talk of tacking or jibing, make sure your head is down low, out of the way. Experienced sailors know how to control the movement of the boom, mainly by “sheeting in” when preparing for a tack or gybe, as allowing it to move freely causes unnecessary wear on the boat. By a combination of common sense safety and good sail-handling, you can ensure that there’s no danger or unpleasantness. Tacking the boat is putting the bow through the eye of the wind. Sailboats can't sail directly into the wind so if our destination lies upwind we will need to tack back and forth to get there. Jibing is putting the stern of the boat through the eye of the wind. Here, we must be vigilant about an accidental jibe. Unlike the tack where the boom is moving slowly, when we jibe the boom is given to violent movement so we must be prepared, in order to avoid damage or injury. But really, there is no need, at this stage, to worry about these nautical terms, as they will all make sense later!
4. Go with someone who knows what they’re doing. We recommend a qualified instructor. An experienced, trained teacher of sailing will make a world of difference–the difference between a frustrating, unfulfilling experience, and a safe, fun, highly educational experience.
5. Know some basic sailing terms before you go. Learning basic terms such as “tack” and “gybe,” the difference between port and starboard, and the points of sail, is recommended. This will make it easier for you to contribute to sailing the vessel. Once you’re safely back on the pontoon you can expand your nautical vocabulary to include other key phrases such as “Where’s the tea?"
If you do these five things, you’re setting yourself up for a great time sailing, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned seafarer. The best way to combine them all into one experience is to sign up for Rathmullan Sailing and Watersports Club to ensure a fun time on the sea!
2. Have the right boat. When you’re learning, a smaller, more responsive boat makes it easier to understand the dynamics of sailing. The Club has a range of craft for you to use.
3. Be aware of the boom. The boom is the big, heavy bar at the foot of the mainsail. It swings across the boat whenever you tack or gybe, and you really don’t want it to hit you. It can injure you and even knock you overboard, but it’s easy to avoid as long as you’re paying attention. Whenever you hear talk of tacking or jibing, make sure your head is down low, out of the way. Experienced sailors know how to control the movement of the boom, mainly by “sheeting in” when preparing for a tack or gybe, as allowing it to move freely causes unnecessary wear on the boat. By a combination of common sense safety and good sail-handling, you can ensure that there’s no danger or unpleasantness. Tacking the boat is putting the bow through the eye of the wind. Sailboats can't sail directly into the wind so if our destination lies upwind we will need to tack back and forth to get there. Jibing is putting the stern of the boat through the eye of the wind. Here, we must be vigilant about an accidental jibe. Unlike the tack where the boom is moving slowly, when we jibe the boom is given to violent movement so we must be prepared, in order to avoid damage or injury. But really, there is no need, at this stage, to worry about these nautical terms, as they will all make sense later!
4. Go with someone who knows what they’re doing. We recommend a qualified instructor. An experienced, trained teacher of sailing will make a world of difference–the difference between a frustrating, unfulfilling experience, and a safe, fun, highly educational experience.
5. Know some basic sailing terms before you go. Learning basic terms such as “tack” and “gybe,” the difference between port and starboard, and the points of sail, is recommended. This will make it easier for you to contribute to sailing the vessel. Once you’re safely back on the pontoon you can expand your nautical vocabulary to include other key phrases such as “Where’s the tea?"
If you do these five things, you’re setting yourself up for a great time sailing, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned seafarer. The best way to combine them all into one experience is to sign up for Rathmullan Sailing and Watersports Club to ensure a fun time on the sea!
