You can learn to sail at almost any age. Children often start in small single-handed dinghies from about seven or eight, and many adults take it up in their fifties, sixties or later, often on keelboats, which are steadier and less physical.
There is no right age to learn to sail. Clubs commonly teach children from about seven or eight in small single-handed dinghies such as the Optimist, which are designed for that age. Younger children can enjoy being aboard a yacht with their family, wearing a properly fitted lifejacket, long before they are ready to sail a boat themselves.
Adults can start at any point. Many people take up sailing in middle age or after retirement, and it is one of the few sports where experience and judgement count for as much as strength. Older learners often find keelboats suit them best: the boat is stable, the crew sit in a cockpit, and winches do much of the heavy pulling.
Some things to bear in mind:
- Dinghy sailing is physical. You move quickly across the boat, hike out to keep it level, and will sometimes capsize and right it. It suits people who are reasonably agile and happy to get wet.
- Keelboat sailing is gentler, but you still need to step on and off the boat, move around a sloping deck and hold on when it is rough. Tell your instructor about any health or mobility limits so they can plan for them.
- Children learn best in short sessions, in light winds, in warm and sheltered water, with time to play. Being cold or frightened early on puts many off.
Whatever your age, wear a lifejacket, dress for the conditions, and learn with an instructor who teaches people at your stage. Many clubs run separate courses for juniors and adults for this reason.
More in the book: Chapter 11, Safety on board