Do You Need Any Boating Skills For Buying A Yacht?

Who doesn’t dream of having a luxury yacht with which they can sail to the sea whenever they want?  Although one in ten households owns a boat in the USA, owning a luxury yacht is not as popular. It is considered significantly superior to other watercraft – in luxury, aesthetic, and price. Only people at the very top tier of wealth can afford to buy and maintain a yacht without being broke. While buying a yacht might seem like a luxury investment, even an outrageous one, the thrill, and adventure you get out of it will sure to make it worth it. You might be wondering if you need to have any licensing or certified skill for sailing your yacht like the one required for driving a car. This article explains what boating skills you need for sailing your yacht.

What Is The Difference Between A Regular Boat And A Yacht?

There is no concrete boundary on what will be considered as a yacht and what will not. The common impression is that a yatch is larger than a boat and a boat is functional whereas a yacht is more recreational. The difference in size between a yacht and a boat can present a vague idea- a yacht can be 35-160 feet in length, even beyond that, where a boat is only 10-30 feet long. In a sense, a yacht is a spacious, luxurious boat with more aesthetics applied.

How Much Will It Cost To Own A Yacht?

Yachts are considered as floating of money, Because of their outrageous price and maintenance cost.  A 40 feet long yacht can cost you up to 8 million dollars; 50 million dollars if you go for 150 feet length. You can browse through the selection of yachts for sale for a practical pricing idea. However, you have to pay annually an additional 10% of the buying cost for the operation and maintenance of your yacht. 

Boating Skills You Need For Sailing a Yacht

Boating is an essential life skill that you will never regret learning. Although learning how to sail is not mandatory for buying a yacht, it does take your yachting experience to a whole different level, if you can do it yourself. If you want to feel the freedom of steering your yacht out to the open sea, you must learn some basic sailing skills. Here are some tips on how you can start to develop your sailing skills.

Know the Sailing Terminology

Some sailing and navigation terms are essential for your sailing lesson. Learning the Basic terminologies like a bow, starboard, port, wind directions (leeward, and windward) will make your understanding easier. Even if you are familiar with these terms, try to polish up your technical knowledge of them.

Get To Know The Types Of Equipment

There are many pieces of equipment for navigation and communication. For starters, you should learn how to read a compass, GPS, or communicate with a VHF radio. Learning the signal of the foghorn, flashlight, flare or a radar reflector will also come in handy. You should also get yourself familiar with the engine of your yacht and how it works.

Get To Know How To Read The Weather

You cannot ignore importance of weather forecast if you plan on sailing in open water. Professional sailors or skippers follow it like a religion. If you are boating with a sail, you must know how to use the wind in your favor. Knowing the basic hydrographic, nature of tide and current will also make you skilled in sailing.

Learn How To Start Or Dock Your Boat

You should learn how to trailer or sail your boat and master the skill. Docking a boat perfectly is not an easy feat, it can also save you from a collision with another boat. You need to learn how to read the tide, adjust your speed, and even learn how to tie your boat for proper docking. Sailing and docking a boat requires practice.

Learn the Basic Navigation Rules

While navigating a watercraft you have to maintain some rule, just like you follow road signals and driving etiquette while driving a car. You have to learn how navigation marks with buoys and floaters. Learning how to maneuver if you are crossing another boat or if you are in a head-on collision with another boat, are also mandatory for you.

Learn About Basic Safety Rules

If you are sailing by yourself don’t forget to get all the necessary items, before going on board. Life jackets and floaters definitely should be on your yacht. Also, check your engines and weather update before you sail off. Your boat should have an emergency fire extinguishing system.

What Happens If You Don’t Have Any Qualification?

Not having a sailing qualification might limit your yachting experience. For example, it might be difficult to get insurance for your yacht if you lack the basic qualification. You might also be prohibited to moor your boat in any dock. Although these restrictions might vary depending on countries or states, it is better to stay prepared in case you need a qualification.

What Qualification Is There For a First Time Boater?

There are various types of qualifications available depending on your sailing experience. You can get professional sailing certificates from the American Sailing Association (ASA) in the USA. If you are in Uk, you can get a 40 hour long Day skipper qualification from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). From these qualifications, you can get to know the science behind sailing and also get some hands-on experience.

On a final note, if you learn how to sail on your own, you will get the best out of your yacht. For proper learning, you can get a membership from your nearby yacht club. Dedicate your time to practice with a mentor or a skipper. Building your sailing skills can be a fun and rewarding experience for you. However, always proceed with safety whenever you are sailing on your own.