| After years of talking about it, you have finally decided | | | | person who will be teaching you, both on and off the |
| to get some sailing lessons and get out on the water. | | | | water, has relevant qualifications and experience. |
| But before leaping aboard, you need to locate a good | | | | 5. When did the school start? |
| sailing school so that your investment in sailing tuition | | | | If it's been around for a few years, it's had to survive |
| returns the best results. | | | | good and bad times. But you need to be reassured |
| One good way to do this is by seeking referrals from | | | | that it's not using tired old boats and teaching methods. |
| people whose opinion you trust. So, ask your friends or | | | | 6. What is your success rate? |
| colleagues for their recommendations. Try to get the | | | | By success rate, I mean the percentage of students |
| names of at least three sailing schools so that you can | | | | who gain the qualification for which the sailing course is |
| make comparisons. | | | | training them. |
| If possible, visit each of your short-listed schools. You | | | | 7. Do you have an introductory evening or other |
| will be able to judge much more accurately the type of | | | | getting-to-know you function? |
| operation from the behaviour the staff and look of its | | | | These evenings give you the opportunity to meet your |
| office. | | | | prospective sailing instructors and other would-be |
| When face-to-face, ask each the same set of | | | | students. These are the types of people you will be |
| questions and record their answers. This is important | | | | spending your weekend(s) with for the next month or |
| so that you can compare like with like. | | | | two. You need to feel confident that they are the |
| What are the questions you should ask? | | | | types of people you feel happy with. |
| 1. What is your program and what are the qualifications | | | | 8. How many hours of training are involved? On the |
| I can achieve with your training? | | | | water? Off the water? |
| As you're starting out, you will be enrolling in a | | | | It's all very well to spend hours in the classroom, |
| competent crew course (or equivalent). Successful | | | | learning sailing theory but there needs to be a good |
| completion of a competent crew course should make | | | | balance with hands-on sailing experience. You need to |
| you a welcome asset on any sailboat. From this | | | | be reassured that you will spend plenty of time on the |
| qualification, you can move on to inshore skipper | | | | water, practising the sailing skills. |
| training. | | | | 9. Will I receive a manual and/or textbook? |
| 2. Are you recognised by a local or international | | | | If not a manual or textbook, at the very least you |
| organisation? | | | | should receive a substantial set of handouts to support |
| If you are learning to sail with a view to chartering a | | | | your learning of sailing theory. To keep track of your |
| yacht overseas, say in the Med or Caribbean, you | | | | on-the-water experience, you will need a log book. |
| should ensure that the course you undertake is | | | | 10. What is the cost involved? |
| recognised internationally. This means endorsed by | | | | The cost of sailing tuition provided by different sailing |
| either the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) or ASA | | | | schools may vary considerably. One way to compare |
| (American Sailing Association). | | | | costs is by dividing the fee by the number of hours. |
| 3. Who will be conducting the training? | | | | But you need to keep in mind the on and off water |
| You can't expect that the owner/boss of the sailing | | | | components of the sail training. |
| school will be conducting all the training, particularly the | | | | Remember, you don't have to choose any of the |
| basic training. | | | | three sailing schools, if you don't feel that they are right |
| 4. What are the qualifications and experience of my | | | | for you. It is not just that you will be investing some of |
| instructor? | | | | your hard-earned money, but learning to sail should be |
| It's great that the business owner has the highest | | | | fun too. So it makes sense to feel comfortable about |
| qualifications possible, but you need to know that the | | | | where you decide to learn. |