Hey there,
I'd really like to start sailing but have no boat, no friends with boats and no idea about boats!!! I live in Brisbane and have had a look on the web for the yacht clubs around but memberships and sailing schools are pretty pricey and I don't really want to pay a small fortune if I end up not liking it.
Does anyone know how else I can get involved or have a go at sailing without making a big commintment like with memberships? Surely there must be some boats out there needing an extra hand??!!
Any advice is greatly appreciated
cheers
Phone the yacht clubs, they often keep a list of yachts that need crew. The larger yachts often find it hard to get enough crew with enough commitment to attend every race during the season.
I've crewed on yachts at the CYC and Yacht squadron here in SA and neither required me to join at the time, but I joined anyway and it wasn't all that much just for crew membership, and gave me a pass to the car park. ;)
What hills said is good advice. Try your local clubs to see if anybody is looking for crew. I would expect that you can join a crew without having to become a member of the club.
An alternate option is if you find a local skiff/dingy sailing club they will often run learn to sail programs which would be a great way to not only have a go and discover if sailing is for you but also to get a handle on how to make a boat sail. This will have the added benifit of making you a more attractive prospect as a crew member as you will have some idea of what to do on a boat. You are looking at the right time coming into summer as most such clubs will be starting to look at their learn to sail programs kicking off.
A warning - sailing can be addictive.
Try the crew down at cleveland yacht club on a sunday, very social atmosphere.
see this link -www.cyc.asn.au/home/
In NSW they have Try Sailing days Link below cost nothing and is a great way to give it a try. Bribane boatshow is on soon (I think) and you may be able to pick up a trial lesson from a sailing school. Yachting QLD is another web site you might want to look at they run Discovering sailing days from time to time.
www.bia.org.au/events/Try-Sailing/index.html
www.qld.yachting.org.au/
Hang around boatramps at Manly and get yourself known.
Check out these sites mbtbc.com.au/
trailersailerplace.com.au/ . Most sailers go out with there families around Brissie but you get the occassional trailer boat looking for a crew. MBTBC would be your best bet
Awesome, thanks so much for the advice guys, can't wait to get out on the water now!
I'm in Brisbane but anywhere along the gold and sunshine coasts is easy too! where are you based?
