Is Sailing Hard To Learn?

With so many people dreaming of taking to the open seas, the common question is – is sailing hard to learn?

The simplest answer to this question is no, sailing is easy to pick up and accessible to most. In fact, most people can learn to sail a boat in just a day with the right instruction. Obviously though, there are a few exceptions to this which we’ll delve into below!

When we bought our sailboat I looked at all the different lines and sails and winches and jammers and nearly had a panic attack! How could I possibly learn to sail when it looked so hard and complicated?

It’s easy to look at all the different moving parts of a sailboat and assume that it’s a complicated sport that takes years to learn. Sadly most people believe that sailing is hard to learn, and they don’t want to invest years into mastering a new skill.

We’ve answered some of the most common concerns over whether sailing is hard below, and we hope it will encourage you to get out on the water and stuck into learning this awesome sport!

Is sailing hard for beginners
What sailing gear will I need?
What is the hardest part of sailing?
Can I learn to sail by myself?
Is sailing hard with tuition?
Is sailing physically difficult?
Is it hard to sail around the world?

Is Sailing Hard For Beginners?

a winch on a sailboat — Is sailing difficult for beginners?

Sailing is the perfect sport for beginners. It’s fun, easy to pick up, and has a supportive community of more experienced people who can’t wait to show beginners ‘the ropes’!

One of the key sailing skills you’ll need is the ability to read the wind direction, and knowledge of how to trim the sails to use the wind direction you have. Most people pick this up within an hour or two, but if you windsurf or kite surf then you’ll probably have most of the skills needed already.

If you’re a complete novice when it comes to wind-powered water sports then sailing might feel harder than for someone with basic knowledge of the wind, but there is plenty of ‘classroom’ reading you can do to help make it easier when you get onto a sailboat.

beginner sailors wondering if sailing is hard — One of the hardest things about sailing for beginners is doing everything at once

Another one of the main things that makes sailing hard for beginners is the abundance of new terminology involved in sailing. If you’re just starting out, don’t get overwhelmed. You don’t need to know the name of every single part of the boat to be able to sail it! You can learn a lot of sailing terms from a decent sailing book in your free time.

To sail the boat easily you’ll need to gain some experience helming. Steering the boat on course will enable you to keep the sails trimmed correctly and keep you moving forward! Helming when under sail is easy once you’ve had a few goes, and most people pick this up really quickly.

It’s a little trickier helming in close quarters when docking the boat, but once you’ve got a feel for the boat and know a few tricks this won’t feel so hard either. Just go slow and fender up!

Once you can trim the sails and steer the boat you’ll want to learn some basic knot tying skills. These come in handy in all sorts of situations, from tying the sailboat to a mooring ball to climbing the mast. Get yourself a simple knot tying guide and practice while you have some downtime on board.

What Sailing Gear Will I Need?

a sailboat in calm waters — You don’t need to spend thousands on sailing gear

If you’re just starting out then you’ll need a few pieces of sailing gear. There’s a common misconception that sailing is for the rich, but you honestly don’t need to spend much to get yourself set up.

There are a few basic necessities we would recommend for beginner sailors, most of which are safety gear. Some sailing gear can be bought second-hand to keep costs down, and other things should be bought from a reputable store like West Marine so you can be sure they will work as they should!

What Is The Hardest Part Of Sailing?

sails on a sailboat — The hardest part of sailing

This is obviously subjective, and some people will struggle with certain things more than others. Initially, the hardest part of sailing for most people is putting together all of the different skills and using them at the same time to sail the boat effectively.

Once you have spent a little time getting used to the purpose of each line, and had some experience working each part of the boat, the skills come together relatively quickly and become second nature. It’s helpful to have someone around who can shout orders at you for a while until you pick it all up.

Can I Teach Myself To Sail?

is sailing hard by yourself — Sailing by yourself can be hard

Many people teach themselves to sail and it’s definitely possible, but you’ll find sailing easier if you get some proper tuition. Experienced sailors know many great tips and tricks to help speed up your journey and make sailing less difficult.

The main benefit of a sailing course or learning to sail from someone with experience is that you know you’ll be safe out on the water. There’s a lot to think about when you first head out to sea, and your safety and that of others should be your main priority.

You don’t have to spend lots of money on a sailing course. In fact, there are numerous ways to learn to sail for free.

Is Sailing Hard Without Tuition?

someone sailing by themselves even though it's hard — Do you need lessons to learn to sail?

If you do choose to teach yourself to sail then the best way to do it is on a smaller sailboat, on a smaller body of water such as a local lake.

Sailing can be hard without tuition if you’re heading out totally unprepared. Consider taking someone more experience with you, and read up on how to sail before embarking on a potentially dangerous trip. You should also make sure your boat is equip with all the necessary safety gear, and ensure you know how to use it!

You should make sure you read up on the local laws, as sailing without a license is illegal in some countries.

Is Sailing Physically Difficult?

people sailing in a regatta finding it hard to sail — Sailing can be physically demanding

It’s easy to assume sailing is physically difficult. Before we moved aboard our sailboat, I assumed I’d be getting a decent workout every time we went out. However, I was a little disappointed to find that a lot of sailing is pretty laid back.

Obviously, if you’re race sailing the demands are different, and there’s a lot of physical activity. If you’re sailing for fun or living aboard then the majority of the time you’ll be relaxing in the cockpit!

The main physical demand of sailing is the ability to move around on a moving vessel. The boat can heel, or jerk suddenly, and you need good balance to prevent yourself from gaining injuries.

You will need to be able to hoist sails and work winches. These activities require quick bursts of power and can be made easier to suit your physical abilities through things like electric winches.

You’ll also need to be agile enough to board and leave the boat, sometimes quickly, in order to tie lines to the dock. There are almost always people around to help though, so it’s rare to have to run around doing all the hard work yourself!

Is It Hard To Sail Around The World?

is sailing hard when it's around the world? — Is sailing hard when you set off around the world?

Having never actually sailed around the world I can’t answer this question from personal experience, but I have met a lot of people who have sailed around the world who claim this: Sailing around the world is actually easier than sailing in certain areas.

When you sail around the world you will mostly be following trade winds, which blow in pretty much the right direction and at the right intensity! Most of your sails will be downwind and down wave, and the forecasts tend to be pretty accurate.

This makes sailing around the world with modern forecasts and navigation equipment a pretty pleasant trip!

Compare this to sailing in the Mediterranean where you have unpredictable weather, little wind or too much wind, and lots of land masses to create katabatic wind patterns and rocky shore dangers, and sailing around the world can actually seem easy in comparison!

One of the biggest challenges when sailing worldwide is the long distances you have to cover. There is a definite skill to sailing non-stop for weeks at a time. You need to be prepared for the worst, provision well, and deal with the boredom and fear of being the only person for miles around!

These skills are all easily learned though, and with modern technology sailing around the world is becoming more and more accessible to less experienced sailors.

people sailing hard on a sailboat — Is sailing hard?

So is sailing hard? Hopefully, we’ve managed to answer some of your questions, and maybe even persuaded you to give sailing a go!

If you’re interested in learning more about how easy it is to move onto a sailboat full time, exploring the world as you go, then make sure you check out our guidebook ‘How to Run Away to Sea’ which takes you from landlubber to salty sailor in easy, actionable steps. We can’t wait to see you out here!