By George Purchon – RS Sailing UK Sales & Ex Sailing Senior Instructor
How do you get into the dinghy sailing scene from a beach sailing holiday?
So, time to head home. You’ve got tan, you’ve got the little blister in between your toes from the flip flop (oww!) you’re sick of relaxing on the beach with a cocktail and now’s the time to step into the world of neoprene.
You completed your RYA level 1 sailing course with that long-haired hippy sailing instructor and have honed the skills to take a boat out on your own. You’re ready for the open water, nothing is stopping you, you’ve just got to get a boat and the world is your oyster! You wake up from the turbulence in the flight and it has been an exciting dream this whole time, however, the seed is sown, you are getting a boat and you will take on Ben Ainslie in the next Sail GP there is no doubt in your mind.
You’re at home scrolling through Facebook, you notice an advert for a sailing holiday and BAM you remember about your sailing campaign to take on Ben. But, where do you start…? This is where you google RS Sailing, the largest small dinghy brand in the world! But you’re still lost on which boat to get, and even if you were to get a boat where would you go? Arghh! So, you jump into maps to see where your local Sailing Club is (why not jump on to their Facebook page to get an insight into the people and the community)! The RYA also has a helpful tool that helps you find sailing clubs in your local area, click here to access it. Clubs vary in cultures and fees so find one that’s the right fit for your sailing dreams.
You notice they have fleets of boats, and if you are interested in racing my advice would be to go for the boat which has the biggest fleet, or the fastest-growing fleet. Then you will have plenty of people to beat and you’ll rocket through the fleet to taking on the best at your club. Check out our race range for more info!
If you are just keen to get out on the water and want to hone your skills further then picking a boat with a bit of space and stability and maybe even a locker for the gin and tonic then what about the RS Quest or RS Neo? Check out our learn range for more options!
You choose a boat and decide to go for the RS Quest (because you want to be able to sail with your wife and kids) and you get in touch with the Sales team at RS. They mention that you can get the boat in just 2 weeks and a shiver of excitement hits you! That shiver reminds you that board-shorts and flip flops probably won’t cut it in the UK climate, so you pop over to the RS Sailing Store to get kitted out to look like the pro that you have in your head. With a wetsuit, buoyancy aid, and booties straight in your basket – you’re ready to checkout and get on your way to sailing supremo.
The day arrives. You turn up to RS Sailing HQ to pick up your shiny new boat, you meet one of the sales team and they run through everything that you could ever desire. There’s just one signature standing in between you and the open water. Bam! The stamp of approval on your invoice and you’re off trailing your new beauty.
You arrive at your new sailing club; sails up, neoprene on, and you’ve never looked back since…
If you’ve got any questions for the RS Team about how to get on the water, please contact us by clicking here.
Find out a little more about George Purchon by clicking here.
