Becoming a Sailor

30 posts

Learning to sail

Learning to Sail describes when Rick and I completed our sail training courses in the Caribbean and invited a skipper aboard for the first few weeks until we gained confidence handling the boat on our own.

  1. RYA Day Skipper Course in Antigua: A Relaxed First Day

    My first day on the RYA Day Skipper course in Antigua, after a week of racing: a safety brief, jib-only sailing, tea at 3 pm and anchoring at Deep Bay.

  2. Antigua Sailing Week: Our Underdog Crew’s Podium Finish

    Our mixed-ability crew stripped weight off the boat, led the last race for four hours, and took third in our class at Antigua Sailing Week.

  3. Antigua Sailing Week: Last Day of Racing on a Farr 65

    A racing newbie at Antigua Sailing Week: our Farr 65 crew went from storming to performing, placed third in the big boats and slept on deck in the heat.

  4. Antigua Sailing Week: Racing Spirit of Juno to 2nd in Class

    My first Antigua Sailing Week: our 65-foot Spirit of Juno team placed 2nd in class, why superyacht owners come, and the Nelson's Dockyard parties.

  5. What Is a Jib? Grinding Winches at Antigua Sailing Week

    At Antigua Sailing Week I moved to midships, where three women and I worked the coffee grinder winches that trim the jib, the smaller sail at the front.

  6. Learning to Sail at Antigua Sailing Week: A Humbling Start

    As a new crew member at Antigua Sailing Week, I eased the line holding up the backstay mid-tack. What went wrong, and why I'm set on learning properly.

  7. Round Antigua Race as a Beginner: Racing or Lounging?

    My first sailboat race, the Round Antigua Race on Spirit of Juno: hours of waiting, a thundering spinnaker, a torn mainsail and an engine that quit.

  8. My First Sail: Seasickness and a Ripped Mainsail in Antigua

    My first sail, on a race boat with a 15-member crew in Antigua: sitting on the high side, then seasickness and a mainsail that ripped across the top.

  9. Antigua Sailing Week: Meeting My Race Crew Before the Start

    Before Antigua Sailing Week: a VHF radio course at Ondeck, meeting my 13-person crew from the UK, Canada and France, and a taste of Antigua nightlife.

  10. RYA Day Skipper Theory: How I Passed Online With Navathome

    I passed the RYA Day Skipper Theory exam online with Navathome: about 40 hours of course work, a six-hour exam, and what the certificate lets me do.