[phoebusg]

Although sailing as a means of transportation predates history, sport sailing—or yachting—seems to have originated in the 17th cent. in Holland. From there it was introduced into England (c.1660) by Charles II, and eventually spread to the American colonies. Then, as now, it was common for sport sailors to join together for social and recreational purposes in groups known as yacht clubs. The world's first such club was founded (1720) at Cork, Ireland. The oldest continuously existing club in the United States is the New York Yacht Club (NYYC; founded 1844). In 1851 members of the NYYC raced the schooner America against British competitors around England's Isle of Wight. Victorious, they deeded their trophy to the NYYC. It became known as the America's Cup, giving its name to the oldest and most prestigious event in international sailboat racing. The United States won every America's Cup (the event has been held irregularly) between 1851 and 1983, when it was won by Australia. Since the 1980s radical changes in boat design, lawsuits involving Cup teams, and even charges of espionage and sabotage have transformed and roiled Cup competition; in 2013 and 2017 foiling wing-sailed catamarans were used. The United States regained the Cup in 1987, then lost it to New Zealand in 1995. New Zealand lost to Switzerland in 2003, the United States held it from 2010, and New Zealand regained it in 2017. [links]

[vorton]

Ocean racing, an arduous and dangerous sport, especially in long-distance solo events, has gained increased notice. Major ocean racing events include the Newport-Bermuda Race, the Transpacific Race, the Volvo Ocean Race, the Vendée Globe, the Velux 5 Oceans Race, and the Clipper Race. Francis Chichester circumnavigated the globe alone in 1967, making only one stop; a year later nonstop around-the-world solo sailing was initiated by the Golden Globe race. Ocean racers now often sail advanced multihulled yachts and are usually aided by such modern technology as sophisticated communication devices and satellite-generated weather reports. Sailboat racing has also been part of the Olympic Games since 1900; at present Olympic sailors compete in nine classes ranging from sailboards 12 ft 1 in. (3.7 m) in length to 26-ft 9-in (8.2-m) sloops. Sailing, traditionally a sport of the wealthy, has been opened to wider participation by modern methods of boatbuilding.

[cheapvps]

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. more

[karter25stemen]

[teknohog]

7) It’s a perfect activity to share with family and friends of all ages [links]

[kita59]

9) You’ll get both a mental and physical workout on the water!

[billy3321]

4) With a vast array of boats and different kinds of sailing, you’ll never get bored! more

[lysdexia]

3) Sailing can be relaxing, adventurous, competitive, thrilling… No matter what you make it, it’s always fun.

[FreedomFirst]

2) Everyone from elementary schoolchildren to grandparents and even great-grandparents can learn to sail!

[ksd5]

Sailing is a sport that offers people of any size or fitness level a chance to win. It's one of the oldest Olympic events and was one of the events in the very first Olympics in Greece centuries ago. In the current Olympics there are 7 different boat types that allow men and women to compete and one class that even demands that women and men pair up as a team in order to compete. I'll go into what each boat is like in a later blog but for now here

[melinamoore373]

7) It's thrilling. Believe me, there is no bigger rush than surfing down a wave with your boat planing over the water like a motor boat. The feeling of accomplishment when you learn to control the power that a boat can generate is thrilling. Yes you will capsize a lot on your adventure to mastery of sailing but that's part of the fun. I'll never forget the first time my boat capsized and I was ejected into the water. However, the consequences of falling in water is nothing compared to a downhill ski wipeout or other contact sports. The risk of injury is comparatively very low.

[badjava]

9) Solo or Teamwork. In sailing you have a number of choices. You can compete in single handed classes like the Laser, Windsurfer, Kiteboard or Finn. Or you can compete with one other person in double handed classes such as the 49er or 470. Or you can become part of a 4 or 8 persons team on a keelboat.

[Albert Novel]

You can sail alone or with a crew. When you’re alone, it can lead to some profound, reflective moments, but when you’re with a crew it deepens the sense of camaraderie and trust between you. There’s also lots of opportunities to chat with people and develop good communication skills when sailing; you can be an instructor and mentor, a captain or a crew member.

[boombox]

Sailing needs a good, consistent, constant focus; it demands your attention. The wind and water are dynamic, and understanding any changes that you need to make, especially if you are sailing competitively, is vital to doing well. If you’re racing, you also learn to refine and improve techniques very quickly, whether that’s boat positioning, trimming the sails or distributing weight to build up speed.

[Ryo]

Sailing is a great way to bring peace and quiet into our busy lives; the simple sounds of the wind as it fills the sails, or the water as it flows past the boat can be very relaxing and centering, a perfect antidote to the stresses of the modern world. It gives busy people the understanding that they can relax, whilst at the same time focusing on sailing.

[geebus]

Sailing is a very pure form of being with nature. Whether that’s capturing the wind in the sails to propel you along, feeling the currents in the river or the sea or understanding how the weather is going to affect the boat, you learn a tremendous amount of respect for the natural world. Sailing is also very environmentally friendly; you’re not polluting the sky or the ocean with fossil fuels, but travelling the same way that mankind has done for thousands of years.

[LobsterMan]

Sailing is a great sport. Whether you sail competitively or not, there’s very little that can beat the sensation of being out on the water, wind filling the sails, harnessing the power of nature and relying on your skills and expertise. Here are eight reasons why sailors consider the art and science of sailing to be one of the best sports in the world.

[chromicant]

A large part of sailing is about experience, self-confidence and learning the right skills. Moment to moment, you develop an understanding of what needs to happen to keep yourself, your crew and the boat safe and get to where you need to be. Every moment on the water is different, and being able to react and deal with any situation that comes up is a challenge that many sailors relish. The combination of artistry and science when sailing is a great way for people to enhance their understanding of both, and get a real feeling of accomplishment. In addition to the mental skills needed, sailing is also a good way to stay fit, as there’s plenty of exercise to be had! here