New to sailing? Start here

Going sailing is a great pastime, but for anyone without experience, it can be a bit daunting trying to work out how to get started. This page, and the links below are designed to help you get started and get you on the water.

The first question to ask is "What sort of sailing do I want to do?". If you are the parent of a 10 year old with no fear who has decided they want to give it a go, you would probably pick a different approach than someone who is fifty years of age and looking for a gentle sail on nice sunny days.

Where should I start? Ring the Club now 9592 3092 or read more information below

Adult Beginners

While RBYC does not have a formal adult Learn to Sail program, there are many adult sailors who have learnt to sail at RBYC. How you learn to sail is partly up to yourself and your circumstances, but the two best ways to learn how to sail are:

• Attend a sailing course run by a Yachtmaster Sailing School (http://www.yachtmaster.com.au/)
• Learn to sail as a budding new crew member on informal races, typically Wednesday night races. Click here to register with our Crew Match service.

Twilight Racing - Come sail after work on Wednesday the quickest way to try sailing and meal after - Ring 9592 3092

Twilight racing is held on weeknights during daylight saving time and is the best way for new adult members to get into sailing at the club. The races start about 6:15pm and race for an hour or so and most people then either have drink and nibbles on the boat, or adjourn to the clubhouse for dinner. Twilight racing is great for beginners because the races are shorter and often less serious than the Saturday or Sunday competition. Boats often need crew because regulars get tied up with work and can't make it to the club in time for the race. Skippers are therefore willing to take on inexperienced hands to assist the sailing of the boat.

Wednesday Afternoons

If you are fortunate enough to be able to get some time off during the week, the club has informal races on Wednesday afternoon almost all year round. The races are very relaxed and as skippers are usually short of crew, it is an excellent way for novices to get onto a boat for some introductory sailing. It is probably best to call the club in advance and ask for information, but most people congregate in the members bar about midday before heading out to go sailing.

Crewing on Keelboats

"Keelboat" is a term that usually refers to the larger boats moored in the marina. Because they are larger and have a very heavy keel underneath the boat, they are usually a lot more stable and suitable for people with even moderate physical skills. Because of the size of the boats, owners of these boats need people to help them sail them, and the most sought after attribute by owners is reliability, even more valuable than highly skilled. So while you may not know much about sailing, owners are usually only too happy to help you learn if you are the sort of person who can turn up each week, or at least give plenty of notice of your availability. And as the Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night races are very informal, they are a great way to get onto a boat and become a regular participating member of the crew. However, if you are completely new to sailing, don't expect that you are going to be able to walk on to the top racing boat in the club - most top boats have very experienced, regular crews.

What will it cost me?

On most keelboats, the owner of the boat looks after the cost of the boat, while the only cost for crew members are the costs of personal expenses such as clothing, and membership to the club. Some boats operate on each crew making a small contribution for entry fees, etc, but certainly for things like Twilight Racing, there is no cost to be a member of a crew. However it is good etiquette to perhaps buy the owner a drink afterwards in the bar and it is also a good idea to ask in advance if the plan is to have drinks on the boat straight after racing. If so, bring some drinks and nibbles to share.

Joining the Club

Royal Brighton Yacht Club is a very friendly, accomodating club and welcomes new members of any age or skill level. However, while you are most welcome to enjoy the benefits of sailing at the club and the use of the clubhouse, it is expected that if you start sailing more than just an occassional Wednesday night with your mate, that you look to join the club. Given the benefits of belonging to the club, the costs are very moderate. For more information [ click here ].

Useful information for beginners

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Your first time on a keelboat
• Yacht Racing - a brief starter
• Yachting Terms