Be
advised that learning to sail in a small keelboat may present some
physical challenges. Physical actions around a sailboat are often
awkward, and require the ability to move from side to side from a low
seated position, to duck under the boom while moving, and to step from
the dock down to the sailboat below during low tide.
Try
placing two kitchen chairs facing each other and moving from one to the
other quickly to get an idea of the movements. You must also be able to
hoist a small main sail and pull in on jib sails.
If
you are concerned about potential mobility issues interfering with your
experience on the water, consider learning sailing through a program
offering instruction on larger, cruising style sailboats where physical
strength and agility requirements are typically less demanding than
those on small boats.
That being said, learning to sail on small boats like ours is an exhilarating experience…and also a lot of fun.
