Sailing Disciplines

Recreational sailing falls into several different disciplines and within those disciplines there are different classes of race. The largest group of boats are the yachts through to the smaller dinghies. Many beginners start learning how to sail dinghies because they are smaller and easier to manage and to sail and then move onto yachts where there are bigger crews and more technical manoeuvres to be learnt.

Cruising & Yachting

Yachts come in various different types and sizes. What defines a yacht is the shape of the boat. Yachts normally range from a minimum length of 40ft through to any size. Boats smaller than 40ft are usually referred to as cruisers or cabin cruisers, different styles of yachts can reach lengths of 200ft, these boats are called super yachts.

Most yachts are now made of fibreglass where they were previously made from wood. The lightweight material means that the boat can move through the water much quicker.

Weekender sailing yachts are often twin keeled yachts so they can go into shallow water and make birth. The sails are rigged in what is called a Bermuda sloop sail set up where there is a head sail and a foresail rigged in front of it in a fore and aft rigging, named after the Bermudian boats from the 17th Century.

Cruising yachts are the most common type of private yacht; they still often favour a Bermuda Sloop sail set up with the use of either a jib or Genoa sail. They can be as much as 50ft in length and have a difficult time balancing the technical aspects of a large sailing vessel with the luxury of the interior.

Racing a yacht

Yacht racing is a very popular sport, where yachts are raced around buoys, there are several different classes of yachts the most common being dinghies and catamarans. They can be raced in the harbour, inshore or offshore. Races that take place in the harbour are usually raced with small boats, these races take place in what is known as protected waters, inshore racing takes place further out to sea but with land still clear in sight and these races tend to be longer than the harbour races these races do not take place in protected waters.

Finally the offshore races take place without clear land in sight at all times and can include events like circumnavigating the globe. These races do not take place in protected water and can last for a few hours.

Dinghies

A Dinghy is a smaller lightweight boat that is often used for racing and for sailing beginners. They are designed to move faster across the water, the shape of the hull means there is less water displacement and therefore less drag so the boat moves quicker. Dinghies are classed as small boats between 2 and 6 metres, most modern dinghies made out of glass-fibre reinforced plastic, making them lightweight and affordable.

Dinghies have a sloop sail formation and are often sailed using the technique of hiking where the crew lean out of the boat on the windward side of the boat preventing it from heeling. The crew attach themselves to the mast using a rope called a trapeze when they hiking or leaning out, this technique allows the boat to sail in full wind without capsizing. It was controversial when it first appeared and is still a topic of debate because it can be dangerous if the boat capsizes and the person cannot free themselves from the rope.

Dinghy Racing

In racing terms most dinghies are sailed by either one person, single handed or by two people, double handed. When dinghies race each other they can be raced in one design races where all the boats have to be the same design or in development class where various different designs can be used.

Dayboat sailing takes place in boats that are heavier than a dinghy and with a crew of more than two people, making this an ideal event for a beginner to learn how to sail with the aid of an instructor.