We often have people contact us with dreams of sailing in the worldwide destinations that are available through the Moorings or Sunsail, but are concerned about their sailing abilities. The sailing lifestyle is an attractive one and is not limited to those with years of experience. Perhaps you want to buy a boat, but haven’t sailed before. Or maybe you sailed years ago and have decided you want to get back out on the water. Sailors with all levels of skill can take advantage of a few different ways to get into sailing.
The first step for most people is to book to hire a skipper for a charter vacation. The Captains are more than happy to share insight into the broad strokes of sailing for those eager to learn, which allows you to be as active or passive in the process as you care to be. Having these valuable resources who know the boats and the sailing grounds can provide a lot of comfort for people testing the waters. A skippered trip is normally enough to help you decide if you want to pursue the lifestyle.
The next step might be sailing school. A significant benefit of both The Moorings and Sunsail ownership programs is that owner points can be used to obtain their bareboat certification at the Sunsail Sailing School in Tortola, BVI. Some owners have purchased their boat and used the sailing school to learn the ropes or brush up on their skills. Learning takes place in the classroom as well as on the water, so a tremendous amount of knowledge can come out of a week in school.
We are often asked if a Captain’s license is required to sail our boats and the answer is no. A Captain’s license is necessary to legally carry passengers for hire, meaning you are charging passengers for your services. Charterers and owners on boats in our charter fleet do not need Captain’s licenses. A desire for adventure, a love of the water, and some basic skills can get you out on the water before you know it.