If you like cruising, sailing by yourself will be an extremely enjoyable experience. Many sailing schools offer sailing courses, and you can easily register for one.
One of the most common issues when taking a sailing course is the cost. How much does it cost to learn to sail? Windrider of The Rockies.
On average, you will have to pay $20-$50 per hour for attending a sailing class.
To know the sailing basics, you may need to spend 15-35 hours studying theory, practicing, and taking exams.
The cost for learning to sail can vary depending on each sailing school and some other factors. We will give you more details about sailing lessons cost in this article. Let’s read on to discover!
Sailing by yourself will be an extremely enjoyable experience
Why Should You Learn To Sail?
Let’s take a look at the advantages of sailing to know the reasons why you should learn to sail.
Improve your strength and endurance
Sailing is a good activity for relaxing, but it also helps you build your physical health.
When learning to sail, you will have to do a series of tasks. Hoisting and pulling the sails, roll tack, or hiking all need your muscle strength and endurance.
Physical activity like sailing can help better your cardiovascular health. Thereby, you will have a lower risk of heart diseases, hypertension, or obesity.
Relieve stress and boost your mental
Studies have proved that doing something on the water can help reduce the stress level. Sea air and wave sounds can make you feel calmer and boost your mood.
Therefore, sailing is a good way to relieve stress and improve your mental wellness.
Sailing is a good way to relieve stress and improve your mental wellness
Enhance agility and concentration
The multiple tasks in sailing will make you more agile and flexible. Some activities are good for your motor skills, such as pulling ropes or swiftly moving on the boat.
Besides, when sailing, you need to know how to keep yourself safe. So, learning to sail can improve your concentration.
Develop your spatial awareness and communication skill
When you steer and maneuver a boat, you have to know its dimension and surroundings. So, you will be aware of the space needed for transport, which is also applicable for driving.
Moreover, you will need to coordinate with other crew members to control a boat. Thus, your communication skill will be better in both verbal and non-verbal means.
Bring knowledge of Maths, Science, and Engineering to real life
Being a good sailor means that you are good at Maths, Science, and Engineering.
You will have to figure out the wind direction and predict the weather to have the best sailing plan. Also, it’s necessary to equip yourself with some basic techniques to fix the boat.
How Much Does It Cost to Learn to Sail?
On average, a sailing course will cost you from $20-$50 per hour. The course includes lectures about sailing, practice exercises, and examinations.
Most sailing courses will last about 2-4 days, equal to 15-35 hours of learning. Thus, to complete a sailing course and get a certification, you may have to spend between $400-$1000.
The variation in the cost of sailing lessons is due to some factors. Sailing schools in different areas will offer courses with various fees. Besides, the time you learn also affects the cost of sailing lessons.
A sailing course will cost you from $20-$50 per hour
Costs for learning to sail in different areas
Sailing schools will set the price for sailing lessons based on the number of registers. So, in different areas, the average learning costs also differ from each other.
The average fee for learning to sail in the United States is about $24 per hour. But you should check with the local sailing schools to know the exact price. They may charge you more or less than this price.
California is typical for the difference in the fee of sailing lessons. Northern California sailing schools often charge $24 for an hour for sailing lessons.
Meanwhile, schools in Southern California offer lower prices for their sailing students. You can attend sailing classes there for $18-$19 for an hour.
Some other regions of the United States have sailing courses with higher prices, such as the East Coast. To learn to sail here, you will have to pay $30 per hour or more.
Effects of learning time on the sailing lesson price
Another factor affecting the price variation of sailing lessons is the learning time.
Sailing classes on weekdays are usually cheaper than weekend classes. Fewer people can attend weekday lessons so they will receive a price reduction.
Therefore, if you want to learn to sail at a lower cost, you can register for courses on weekdays.
You can ask your local sailing schools if they offer any discount for weekday lessons. Don’t forget to check if the learning time is flexible to suit your work schedule.
The season you choose to learn also has a great influence on the cost of sailing courses.
Due to the weather, most people will go sailing in summer. The period from June to August is when the number of people learning to sail is at its peak. As a result, you will have to pay more for sailing lessons in these months.
Therefore, avoiding registering to learn in the peak months can help you save some money. Many sailing schools have courses from September to December at a lower price than in the summertime.
March, April, and May are also sailing off-peak months. Many good deals are available for sailing lessons at this time of year.
You can save money when learning to sail in the off-peak months instead of summertime
Though summertime is the most favorable for learning to sail, off-peak months also have many advantages for sailing.
Fewer people learn to sail means that you have more space to maneuver your boat. Also, the instructor will have more time to teach you in the off-peak time of year.
Can You Learn To Sail For Free?
Sailing is not an expensive activity like many people assume. You can learn to sail without a budget in some different ways as follows.
Learn from your friends or family
If your family or friends have a sailboat, you can ask them to crew their boat for the next sailing trip. In this way, you can take sailing lessons from them without spending a penny.
Being a member of a crew
Many sailors are seeking a member for their marina crew. They don’t require you to have sailing experience to join. What they need is your eagerness to learn to sail and work on a boat.
If you join these crews, experienced sailors will be willing to give you sailing instructions. You can find many offers to join a crew on websites like Crew Seekers or some Facebook groups.
Remember to check their requirements before applying to be a crew member. Some sailors may ask you to pay for joining, but some others are willing to cover all the expenses of sailing trips.
Besides, you should add your sailing experience, abilities, and skills to your profile. Some skills such as cooking, diving, or playing instruments can help you get your application accepted.
Yet, joining a crew on someone’s boat means that you will be a part of the team.
You need to take sailing instruction seriously and be ready to do every work during the journey. In return, you will learn many useful things besides sailing skills.
Being a member of a crew
Work at a marina or boatyard
You will learn many things about sailing if you have a job at marinas or boatyards.
You can make friends with some boat owners and learn from their shared experiences and stories. They can allow you to join their cruising journey if you show enough enthusiasm.
Get yourself a sailboat
Buying a sailboat can be a way to get free sailing lessons. A sailboat will be a considerable investment, but it is well worth your money.
If you have a sailboat, getting sailing instructions for free is quite a simple job. Many sailors will be happy to take you out for a sailing journey on your boat. You can learn sailing skills from them while they can use your boat for free.
You can study theory through free online sailing courses, then practice with your boat. In this way, you won’t have to pay for hiring a sailboat for practicing.
Having a boat also helps you to widen your relationship with experienced sailors. Moreover, after you know how to sail, you can freely hit the water and enjoy a journey on your boat.
For this reason, if you can afford a sailboat, it will be the best way to learn to sail.
Get yourself a sailboat
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Final Words
Hopefully, this post has answered your question about the cost of learning to sail. You will pay different amounts of tuition fees in different sailing schools. Besides, there are also some ways to get free sailing lessons.
Sailing is an exciting activity that can bring you many benefits. So, if you are a cruising lover, knowing how to sail will be very helpful. Thank you for reading!
Reference: Cost to Learn to Sail
