Annapolis Yacht Club Restaurant

I've passed on my passion of teaching sailing to hundreds of folks, and one thing I've noticed time and again. If you start out the right way when you learn to sail, you will become a better sailor--more relaxed, confident, and skilled.

Here are three sailing tips to get you sailing faster and easier...

Start Small

You don't need to start out in a small, open dinghy, but the best sailors in the world seem to have this in common. Small sailboats puts you in touch with wind and water like no big boat can. You feel every puff and have to work to keep the boat moving, and upright!

If you're a bit apprehensive about going so small, just start out in the smallest boat you are comfortable in. You will learn faster and moving up to a bigger boat will be a cinch!

Hire a Personal Coach

Nothing will get you up to speed faster than one-on-one coaching. I've been trained by some of the best. Nothing beats a good coach.

He or she will work on your strengths so that you can understand the wind and boat parts faster. If money is tight, hire the coach for one or two sessions. It'll be money well spent.

Buy a Good Basic Book

You need to understand the language of sailing so that you become fluent, just like learning a second language. This will help you grasp the concepts, understand the boat and her sails, and get the best performance from the boat in speed and power.

As a professional writer, I use hundreds of different books when writing about sailing tips and techniques. But most sailors cut their teeth on just a few really great ones.

Here are a couple you will want to look for at your local bookstore. You can purchase them online, but be sure and look for discounted, used copies from vendors too. You can save up to 50% on your purchase this way.

1. Royces Sailing Illustrated
Many sailors started out with this little classic. Small enough to throw in a jacket pocket, you will want this on board anywhere you go. Great illustrations and chock full of easy-to-read text.

2. The Annapolis Book of Seamanship
Just the illustrations alone are worth the price of this marvel. Takes the sailor through all steps from beginner to advanced.

Now you know three valuable sailing tips that will get you on the road to learn to sail. Put these into play today and you will soon be infected with the sailing bug that will give you joy for a lifetime!

Captain John teaches sailboat cruising skippers the skills they need to set sail for a day, a week--or a lifetime! Get his popular free report "Ten Top Boat Safety Checks for Cruising Boat Skippers" at Learn to Sail at Skippertips.com.

John offers free tips, articles, videos and newsletter at Learn to Sail at Skippertips.com.