The best way to learn to sail is to take an RYA course with highly-skilled instructors in a gorgeous place like Mallorca—where the weather is perfect and the sailing conditions are ideal for beginners. However, you can supplement that practical hands-on training with a few sailing books targeted toward beginners that will provide additional insight and information that you can use as you continue your sailing adventures or when you want to keep learning, but maybe the weather is not ideal for sailing.
Not every sailing book is the right fit for beginners. If you read one that is targeted toward seasoned sailors, you could easily get overwhelmed. Start simple. It’s important to find books from well-respected authors who deliver the written lessons in an easy-to-understand format. Remember, these books for beginning sailors are designed to supplement what you learn in an accredited course like RYA Start Yachting, Competent Crew, or Day Skipper.
Here are our top 8 books that we recommend for beginning sailors. They are all relevant for beginners so you can read a few of them or all of them.
by Jeremy Evans, Pat Manley, and Barrie Smith
This sailing book is perfect for beginners. With one-page, easy-to-follow instructions on a variety of topics, The Sailing Bible breaks down sailing techniques in easy-to-digest chunks. The instructions are clear and concise and become great references for when you need a refresher. Throughout your sailing life, these tips will remain relevant so you can refer to them over and over again. The expert tips and sound advice provided in the 400-page book are designed to help the novice sailor increase their confidence level as well as their skill level. The Sailing Bible will become your go-to guide for quick lessons and reference.
by Steve Sleight and Ben Ainslie
This updated classic should be on every sailor’s shelf. Written by an experienced and well-respected sailor, who is also a former British national champion, with a foreword by Olympic medalist Ben Ainslie, the book provides a complete course on seamanship. With simple lessons for the novice, you will pick up expert tips that you can use every day. Handy diagrams and stunning photography help to visually show the reader the most important sailing techniques in a compelling way.
by Gary Jobson
While this is a slightly older American book it has great information for all novice sailors. If you are a visual learner, this book for beginning sailors is just right for you. It includes more than 150 line drawings and photographs that clearly demonstrate every aspect of learning to sail. This is the authoritative text for teaching international standards and preparing beginning sailors for certification. Still available in paperback in the UK.
by John Rousmaniere
Another American book but this is a great read. Many sailors believe this is the book that set the standard for sailing instruction books. It is used in many sailing schools and covers the fundamentals of sailing along with the more advanced skills for when you are ready for a higher-level of techniques. It includes dozens of step-by-step instructions, is easy to read, and is useful for beginners. From pleasure cruising to heavy, offshore bluewater sailing, this book is a great supplement to your sailing training.
by Tom Cunliffe
The title says it all—no-nonsense advice. This is a perfect way to approach your supplemental sailing training. With hundreds of easy-to follow photographs and diagrams, sailing expert Tom Cunliffe teaches sailors a wide variety of beginning sailing skills. Each chapter focuses on a specific skill with step-by-step instructions so you can quickly reference the skills you need help with at the time that you need help.
by Jimmy Cornell
All of the World Cruising books by Jimmy Cornell should eventually find their way into your sailing library, and World Cruising Essentials should be the first. For those dreaming of the open ocean, or even if you are just starting out, you will find value as well as entertainment inside the pages of this comprehensive sailing guide. The book is a compilation of the surveys of more than 15,000 sailors by the world’s foremost expert on blue-water voyaging. He provides tips on the boats, navigation and seamanship best practices.
by Sara Hopkinson
Navigation is one of the sailing skills that can intimidate beginners. But no worries! This is a simple guide to navigation for beginners. Geared specifically for the novice sailor, you can acquire a foundation for sea navigation with plenty of diagrams and photos and very few nautical terms. Written by a RYA Yachtmaster instructor, the book is recommended by Fernhurst Books for beginners and Day Skipper students.
by Michelle Segrest
Many beginning sailors experience seasickness, but you shouldn’t let it keep you from learning to sail or from reaping the many rewards of yachting. This book is the ultimate guide to seasickness relief with 100 tips from experienced sailors, doctors, psychologists, fishermen, and merchant marines who all weigh in on the best seasickness remedies. This book is designed to help beginners overcome the fear of seasickness, understand what causes it, and most important, learn proven techniques to help you survive your way through it.
All these books are helpful for beginners but remember that they are only supplements to the real training you should get with a practical course taught by a skilled instructor. Check out RYA Start Yachting, Competent Crew, and Day Skippercourses and learn to sail in Mallorca for the ultimate yachting learning experience.
Discover the contrasting characteristics of sloops and ketches in terms of sail balance, ease of handling, and upwind performance. Learn about the advantages of sloops for efficient upwind sailing and the benefits of ketches in terms of balance, stability, and versatile sail combinations. Find out which sailboat configuration best suits your sailing style and goals.
Discover the ideal number of crew for a yacht based on its size, sailing experience, and type of sailing with our general guidelines. Our experts provide recommendations for crew sizes for small, mid-sized, and large yachts, as well as racing yachts.
Ensure the longevity and reliable performance of your small yacht diesel engine with these daily maintenance tips. Learn how to check oil levels, inspect fuel systems, monitor coolant levels, inspect belts and hoses, and prevent carbon buildup for optimal engine health. Follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule and seek professional help for complex repairs.
Tacking and gybing are sailing maneuvers used to change direction. Tacking involves turning the bow of the boat through the wind, while jibing involves turning the stern through the wind.
Anchoring a yacht safely is an important skill for any sailor. Whether you are stopping for the night or taking a break during a long sail, anchoring allows you to secure your boat and rest easy. However, anchoring can also be dangerous if not done correctly. Here are some steps to follow to anchor a yacht safely:
Points of sail refer to the different directions a yacht can sail relative to the wind. Understanding the different points of sail is essential for sailing safely and efficiently. There are several points of sail, including close-hauled, close reach, beam reach, broad reach, and downwind.
There is no denying that sailing is the adventure of a lifetime. That’s why we have designed our Competent Crew course to teach you the wonders of life on a modern yacht. Our RYA-accredited Competent Crew course is the perfect springboard for those looking to get into yachting, providing a fun and safe environment for knowledgeable beginners and enthusiasts alike. The all-intensive five-day course is designed to help you on your journey to becoming a competent sailor and valuable crew member – whether you plan to take your family and friends on holiday or take the first step on your dream to travel the world. Budding crewmen will step onto our modern yacht to get a true taste of what sailing has to offer. Some prior experience is definitely desirable though not required – only the enthusiasm to learn. Those who have sailed or completed their RYA Level 1 and 2 courses will find the course more enjoyable.
Want to get on the fast track to feeling like an active sailor? When you begin learning the most crucial knots used onboard a yacht, even beginners will begin to feel like they are a valuable part of the crew! Learning how to tie proper knots is a crucial skill for all beginning sailors. Knots are used on a yacht for very specific purposes and learning to tie them correctly is only part of the skill. You must also understand how and when they are used. Select the correct knot for the job, then practice tying it efficiently and effectively until you have the confidence to get the job done even during unfavorable conditions at sea.
Every sail is not created equally. Some smaller yachts have only one sail, which makes sail selection a breeze. However, larger sailboats have several sails with dozens of different sail configurations. When learning to sail, it’s important to understand the different types of sails and how they are used. For example, if you want to go downwind faster, use a spinnaker. If you are headed upwind, you may want a code zero. In other words, different conditions require different types of sails with different characteristics.
Rigging and sails are closely related, and all are part of a yacht’s overall sail plan. There are dozens of types of sails and literally hundreds of various configurations. A sail rig is the way that the sails are attached to the mast. It is the setup or configuration of the sailboat and consists of the sail and mast hardware. It can get confusing. For example, the shape of sails depends on the rigging, so they overlap a bit. In this article, we will explore the most commonly-used modern sail rigs.
Take the helm, command your own crew, and safely take control of a beautiful modern yacht with the Royal Yacht Association’s most popular course, the RYA Day Skipper Certification. Make the important transition from crew to skipper as you develop practical skills and build your sailing confidence with a fun, informative, 5-day, hands-on course under the safe supervision of qualified instructors.
An introduction to sailing doesn’t have to involve boring instruction in a classroom setting. In fact, the RYA Start Yachting beginner course provides the ultimate hands-on experience for first-time sailors who need basic introductory skills but also crave an exciting adventure. It’s the perfect course to try if you are interested in discovering whether sailing is something you want to explore further.
There are many requirements for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certification exam, but the one that offers the biggest challenge for many sailors is compiling the necessary 2,500 miles with at least 50 days at sea. This is especially difficult if you do not own your own boat. While building these crucial miles requires effort, there are many creative ways to accomplish the high mileage mark while also adding tremendous sailing skills to your repertoire. First, you must understand the mileage requirements. Then, you can begin to find creative and safe ways to build the necessary miles.
Learn to sail on the spectacular island of Mallorca to experience ideal sailing weather, stunning scenery, and a rich and vibrant culture — setting the perfect landscape for expert RYA sailing training. Mallorca Sailing Academy offers something for everyone — from beginners getting their first taste of the basics of sailing, to day skippers who want to enhance their RYA skills on the exquisite Mediterranean coastline.
Spain has some of the highest rate sunlight hours in Europe, with the towns and cities lying on the Mediterranean benefiting from the sunshine without suffering from the infamously excessive heat of the Iberian peninsula. All year round, the Mallorcan climate is relatively mild and is therefore suitable for all sorts of outdoor recreational activities like hiking, climbing, ball sports, and, certainly, sailing.
Mallorca is the biggest of Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, accompanied by Ibiza, Menorca, and Formentera. The culturally-rich paradise is a skipper’s dream, offering perfect sailing conditions for most of the year and an abundance of shoreline to trace and explore.
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