Sailing Vacation: All About Yachting

Oh, do you want to spend your vacation on a yacht? It’s quite real, but it won’t be a completely lazy holiday; you’ll have to work your mind and body a bit. If you have a competitive spirit and love the sea, then our story about sailing regattas will help you decide on your vacation plans.

What makes sports yachting interesting?

Speed, the kind that makes your hair fly back, isn’t only found on land or in the air. Yachting is a sport where everything comes together: the spirit of adventure and freedom, speed, the thirst for competition, teamwork, and the ability to conquer the elements. These are completely different rules and a different kind of vacation.

Renting a yacht and heading out to sea is also a good, more relaxed option. But what about the idea of participating in a sports regatta? That’s when an entire team competes to be the first to finish. You travel from bay to bay, complete tasks, and have a date with the sea every day.

Where should a beginner go?

The Adriatic Sea is most loved by beginners. It’s an ideal combination of safety with an interesting route and the thrill of the race. To become a part of this, contact United Sailing Week — it’s the largest regatta in the Adriatic.

For beginners, this is the best option because:

• You don’t need special skills or knowledge in yachting. Even someone who has only seen yachts on TV can participate in races.
• It’s safe because an experienced skipper will be at the helm.
• Shore activities are also part of the program. You won’t be out at sea for days on end.
• The price includes excursions to the city of Šibenik and overnight stays on yachts in comfortable cabins. With a shower and kitchen!
• You can bring children. It’s a full-fledged family vacation.

Where do sailing regattas take place?

The location depends on the time of year. In winter, sailing regattas take place in Thailand, Malaysia, near the Indonesian islands, and in the Caribbean. In summer, there’s an opportunity to visit European seas. Regattas are organized in Spain, Croatia, Italy, Greece, France, and even Turkey.

In terms of duration, there are options from three to ten days. But if you’re going to conquer the sea, it should be for at least five days. Otherwise, you won’t understand anything or you’ll say: “Ugh!”.

How to become part of a team?

First, look for sailing regatta schedules online. You need to understand that you should sign up in advance, as places on a yacht are limited.

How to prepare for a sports regatta?

The main thing here is not to take unnecessary items. Our Marketing Director, Alexey Komok, participated in such an adventure and offers these tips:

1. Prepare the right clothing.

• a set of thermal underwear
• fleece (fleece clothing)
• windproof jacket and trousers
• hat (even in summer!)
• maximum strength sunscreen
• shoes with white soles or crocs — you can get hurt barefoot when quickly moving from place to place
• glasses with a safety strap to prevent them from falling off

If a storm is expected, bring a wetsuit. When you’re constantly being drenched with water and wind — what could be better than a wetsuit? Nothing.

2. Take motion sickness pills

It’s common to feel seasick for the first couple of days if you’re not used to it. Some people get used to it, others don’t. Even if you think you don’t get seasick, pills will still come in handy. You never know what your body has in store for you.

3. Prepare for teamwork, especially in daily life. Immediately agree clearly on watches (duties). One person living outside the rules spoils life for everyone else. And in a confined space, this can have consequences.

If this is your first yachting experience, it wouldn’t hurt to look up terminology online to react faster to the skipper’s commands. Of course, they will show and tell you everything on site, but not everyone quickly absorbs new information.