Aloha from Maui, Hawai'i

[ElleChasse]

Aloha,
I'm a new member here to cruisersforum but I've been reading the posts in the forums for a while as I'm researching where to take my first RYA sailing course(s).
I'm not exactly a sailor yet but I hope to be.
Currently I teach kiteboarding here on Maui and go travelling when I can.
I'm looking forward to meeting people in the sailing world and broadening my knowledge and experience in that arena.
Best regards and Aloha!

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by ElleChasse

Aloha,
I'm a new member here to cruisersforum but I've been reading the posts in the forums for a while as I'm researching where to take my first RYA sailing course(s).
I'm not exactly a sailor yet but I hope to be.
Currently I teach kiteboarding here on Maui and go travelling when I can.
I'm looking forward to meeting people in the sailing world and broadening my knowledge and experience in that arena.
Best regards and Aloha!

Welcome aboard! Your probably a better sailor then some out there, I've seen. You already have the idea of hydro planing. Now just add a rudder.

As for courses, any port city with lots of marinas will have instructors.


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[prof_mariner]

I'm not aware of any RYA courses in Hawaii or the West Coast for that matter. The only RYA schools in the US that I'm aware of are on the East Coast. Most other schools are either affiliated with ASA or US Sailing. The ASA site (Sailing Schools - Learn to Sail with American Sailing Association) claims that there are two schools in Honolulu, but I'm not familiar with either one. My best advice for someone on the islands who wants to learn to sail is to join one of the local yacht clubs, meet some members and go sailing with them. Most of the clubs offer a lower cost membership for new, younger members. Or just head down to a yacht club one Friday afternoon or Saturday morning and introduce yourself. Somebody's always looking for crew. Crewing isn't the same as learning to sail, but it's a start.

I'm also an avid kitesurfer. Moved to the mainland 5 years ago from Oahu.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Good to have you posting here. If you can do a web search for US Sailing and ASA to find an instructional site I think you'll do well. I've been a US Sailing Instructor but not active in the last few years. Our programs were offered through the YMCA and our Yacht Club. Waikiki Yacht Club and Hawaii Yacht Club both on Oahu have sail training programs but it might just be for youth.
Good luck.
kind regards,

[ElleChasse]

Thank you very much! I'm planning to go overseas this summer to take a course. Maui doesn't offer much in the way of sailing lessons, or even of ways to gain experience. The yacht club in Lahaina advertises small dinghy lessons for children but I'll want and need more than that.
I've been looking at Allabroad in Gibraltar, or one of the many sailing schools in the UK. They offer a wide variety of courses and solid internationally recognised certifications. As much as I love Maui I'll never learn tidal sailing here!

[bobconnie]

Maybe not tidal sailing but ya can get some fine kine blue water sailng right close there LOL

[Celestialsailor]

Welcome Elle...We certainly need more female sailors on the forum.

[dofthesea]

The best way to start and learn is in a dinghy. All the skills transfer into a bigger boat. I was looking into classes here as well as I live on Oahu, then pretty much discovered the only real options are the West Coast. Fyi unless your going to charter bare boats is there a reason for the classes? I learned 10 times the material i would have learned in an expensive class by crewing on small boats and sailing as much as possible with knowledgable old timers. I'm alway bugging every one on my dock to crew and it's worked out great. Learn a bunch each time for only the cost of a sixer.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by dofthesea

The best way to start and learn is in a dinghy. All the skills transfer into a bigger boat. I was looking into classes here as well as I live on Oahu, then pretty much discovered the only real options are the West Coast. Fyi unless your going to charter bare boats is there a reason for the classes? I learned 10 times the material i would have learned in an expensive class by crewing on small boats and sailing as much as possible with knowledgable old timers. I'm alway bugging every one on my dock to crew and it's worked out great. Learn a bunch each time for only the cost of a sixer.

Here's the first & second page.

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[rgscpat]

Welcome! There are many ways to learn to sail, depending on your resources and preferences. It really helps if you can find a way to get lots of time on the water to practice whatever you might learn from classes or books.