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Hints and Tips

Clothing

mix of boats

Yeadon Tarn is not the most exposed place for sailing, however you should always wear sufficent and suitable clothing so that you feel comfortable and warm. If you are attending a training session for the first time, then bring along a wind proof jacket, jumper and woolly hat. Yeadon has a number of spare buoyancy aids. If you are thinking of doing more and more sailing then it would be worth investing in a wet suit or dry suit. These range in price and can be purchased second hand. Wet suits or dry suits are advisable if you intend on sailing the unstable dinghy's such as Lasers.

Buying a Dinghy

dinghy park

YSC has a number of club boats available for use during training sessions, in addition members of the club are more than happy to take new members out to improve their skills. If you do decide to purchase a dinghy, it is worth considering what you wish to do with it and how much your budget can stretch to. There's a good range of sailing dinghy's at YSC so try before you buy. Check the cost of insurance (see useful information), YSC requires all dinghy owning members to have £2,000,000 worth of insurance (sounds a lot but year premiums can range from £30 - £80 a year).

Making the first move

The best way to start if you have never sailed before is to go out with someone who has. YSC members are a friendly bunch and will be willing to show you the ropes. Crewing is the best way to learn as you get a feel for the boat and how it moves through the water.

Getting Wet

Getting wet on occasion is part of the fun of sailing, but most of the time you will only get you feet wet (or not if your cunning). If you are unsure on the water then find an experience member to take you out. You must be able to swim before going sailing. The club safety boat is always on the water during any offical session. As you become more experienced you will find that you push you'll and your boat more and more and getting wet will become a regular fun experience.