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Things to look for when planning to learn to sail on holiday
Sailing is a fantastic, sociable sport, but one of the things that puts British people off learning to sail is the British weather. In this article we discuss some options for learning to sail in a warmer climate Have you ever imagined how it might feel to be at the helm of a nice yacht, sailing along in the Mediterranean with deep blue water underneath you and the sun on your back? There is no doubt that sailing is an extremely enjoyable sport but a lot of people are put off by the prospect of sailing in a wet British weather - and put off by other people’s stories of cold, wet UK sailing expeditions. Also, another thing to consider is that where a whole family is going away, it is important that everyone on the holiday has a great time which means catering for a range of requirements. Some of the key considerations when thinking about planning to learn to sail on your summer holiday are: Do you have a preference for what sort of boat you want to learn to sail in? A yacht? Dinghy? Do you want a formal qualification at the end of your course (usually RYA)? Does everyone in the party want to learn to sail and if not, what do they want to do whilst the sailing is going on? For people who want to try sailing and lots of their reservations dissolve if they are told that the sailing is going to take place in an environment like the Mediterranean where blue skies, warm breezes and warm water are the summer norm. Most people learn to sail in a dinghy (a small, open boat) as they are highly responsive boats and one of the best ways of getting a real "feel" for how a boat moves in the wind. It's common for yacht sailors to have started sailing in small dinghies before they graduate to something bigger. There are a number of "beach club" holiday destinations in the Med that accommodate learning to sail in dinghies. Guests usually have a lesson for three to four days of the holiday and master the basics by the end of the first week. When not attending sailing lessons that a are able to take advantage of all of the other facilities that a typical beach club will offer such as mountain biking, tennis or just lying by the pool. For people wanting to learn to sail a yacht there are also "one week learn to sail" courses available where you live on your yacht for the week and have daily tuition until you are competent to sail the yacht without an instructor. On day four or five of your first week you are ready to go and join a "flotilla" with a group of other yachts for a few days sailing in company -a really sociable and enjoyable end to your first week. If you want a two week holiday you can then either follow your first learning to sail week with a complete one week flotilla or have the second week at a beach club Both the dinghy course and the one week learn to sail courses (if successfully completed) result in the people attending being awarded an official RYA qualification. These qualifications are then built on over subsequent years as more sailing courses are attended and more experience gained. Most of a beach club holiday centres also offer lots of activities for non-sailors to keep themselves occupied. Beach Clubs by definition are based right beside a beach which will have plenty of sun loungers for those that want to watch the world go by and they nearly all have one or two swimming pools with plenty of space and for those that prefer freshwater swimming. Most Beach Clubs also have a range of mountain bikes and a guide for (early morning!) rides on local trails plus waterskiing, tennis, beauty spas and gymnasiums. The mountain bikes are usually "hard tails” from brands like Specialized, Trek and Orange although some clubs do have the full suspension bikes as well. Sailing is a great sporting to get in to, and if you look around at what is available outside of the UK there are some great ways to combine learning to sail with a fantastic holiday for you and everyone you go on holiday with
Choosing a Beach Club Holiday
Choosing holidays for families or small groups can be a challenge. The following article suggests a great way to keep everybody happy. The process of choosing and booking a family summer holiday can be complicated. When children are small they are more likely to be delighted just to be going on holiday but as the teenage years approach children expect to have their views taken into account: and this is where the trouble can start! Everybody wants something different: For teenage children one of the key things they often want on holiday is to be surrounded by children of roughly their own age who they get on with and make friends. For other people in the family its “does the holiday have potential for some serious relaxation"? For others who might get a bit bored lying by the pool other things that will keep them busy are required (sports and other activities in particular). So, how do you find a holiday that can possibly satisfy such a diverse range of requirements? One category of holiday that has the potential to do this extremely effectively but which is in some ways is not particularly well known, is the Beach Club holiday. There are a number of suppliers of these types of holiday but they all offer such a variety of things to do, all based at one hotel-style beach location, that everybody's needs are catered for. Things the main providers make sure they include are: Pleasant accommodation: Usually not "five-star" but certainly of a good standard. Normal hotel standards apply in terms of daily cleaning but things like a mini bars and cable TV tend to be a rarity. A good standard of food and plenty of it: The Beach club operators often have quite a confusing board basis but its normally the equivalent of a hotel’s "half board" with the difference being that is that the main meal of the day is sometimes at lunchtime and sometimes an evening meal. There are almost always snacks available. A good range of water-sports equipment: This includes canoes, windsurfers and sailing dinghies. The quality of water-sports equipment is usually excellent but as the holiday operators cannot afford to renew their boats every year they are usually a mix of new and "not so new". Sailing tuition: The operators offer a range of tuition for people wanting to take up new activities (particularly sailing). People can learn sailing skills in a superb, safe, "warm water" environment. "Informal" group training or “clinics” are usually provided free of charge at different times during a weeks holiday but for more formal RYA training specific places need to be booked at the time of booking the holiday. Kids clubs: Using the term "kids clubs" does not really do justice to what is on offer. The operators typically split the age groups down into three or four age groups and importantly, teenagers are "grouped together" and provided with just enough guidance and support to make sure they have a great time and mix well but are not treated as "children". Also, with so many things to do at the clubs that teenagers can participate in as a group, means all the ingredients are there for a fantastic holiday. For the younger age groups there is always a level of appropriate support and supervision to make sure they have a great time as well. For children under two there is usually a charge whereas clubs the other age groups are usually free. Relaxing: Beach Clubs by definition are based right beside a beach which will have plenty of sun loungers for those that want to watch the world go by and they nearly all have one or two swimming pools with plenty of space and for those that prefer freshwater swimming. Other activities: Most Beach Clubs also have a range of mountain bikes and a guide for (early morning!) rides on local trails plus waterskiing, tennis, beauty spas and gymnasiums. The mountain bikes are usually "hard tails” from brands like Specialized, Trek and Orange although some clubs do have the full suspension bikes as well. In summary, a Beach Club activity holiday offers the choice and variety that makes them one of the best options for keeping any family or small group with a diverse range of holiday requirements happy.


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