Returning to sailing after a long break  

Returning to sailing after ten, twenty or even thirty years away can be a very different experience from learning to sail for the first time.

For many adults looking at getting back into sailing, the knowledge is still there. They remember how a tack should feel, when to move across the boat, how to gybe and how everything should come together around a mark. The problem is that the body doesn’t always remember quite as quickly as the mind.

And that can be especially frustrating for someone who used to be a good sailor.

You know exactly what should happen. You remember doing it almost instinctively. Yet suddenly your feet feel slower, your balance has changed and movements that were once automatic now require thought.

Add stronger wind, a few waves and other boats around you, and confidence can disappear surprisingly quickly.

The sailing skill may still be in your head — it just needs to find its way back into your body.

That is why a dinghy sailing refresher or some private sailing tuition can be so useful. Rather than starting again from scratch, a refresher allows returning sailors to rebuild confidence, rediscover old skills and become comfortable on the water again.

There can also be another challenge: old habits.

Many people returning to dinghy sailing learnt in very different boats. Someone who spent years sailing with a rear mainsheet may now find themselves in a centre-mainsheet boat. The old movements are deeply ingrained, so hands, feet, tiller and mainsheet can suddenly seem to be competing for the same space during a tack.

You sometimes see the sailor’s old technique and new technique battling each other halfway across the boat!

The good news is that it comes back.

If you are thinking about returning to sailing after a long break, looking for an adult sailing refresher, or simply want to improve your sailing confidence, there are plenty of opportunities to get back on the water.

At Stanborough Lakes in Welwyn Garden City, private sailing tuition is available throughout the year through Better at Stanborough Park Watersports. This makes it a great option for anyone searching for adult sailing lessons in Hertfordshire, sailing lessons in Welwyn Garden City, or a refresher before getting back into regular dinghy sailing.

Once your confidence is back, Welwyn Garden City Sailing Club offers the opportunity to continue sailing, meet other sailors and enjoy regular sailing and racing at Stanborough Lakes.

After all, you haven't forgotten how to sail.

Sometimes your body just needs reminding.

Private Tuition