RYA LEVEL 1/2 2003 – A VIEW ONE YEAR ON

I had waited for thirty one years to try this. Ever since being old enough to realise it I had longed to sail, nagging my parents whilst on holiday, pestering them in term time, but no go. As I aged, like all of us, more demands were made of my time, study, work ,family etc. But now it was time - June 2003 the first day of our dinghy course at Kielder, twelve students of varying ages all keyed up, ready to sail. Rigging the boats; halyards, jib sheets, main sheets , boom , leech, luff, foot and more, steady on! Not to worry we were soon on the water. It all felt a bit weird really, moving through the water silently with little or no apparent effort - this was what it was all about, tack, gybe, balance and trim, course made good and a quick wiz round the lake for an early lunch in the club house.

On we all progressed over the next three week ends until the course had run its time. We could sail. I guess. A bit like passing your driving test. A bit odd, like the first time you are driving along and look over to the passenger seat and… there’s no one there. Hmm. What now? Everything really, the chance to learn more, there is plenty to go at, different boats, different weather, bigger mistakes and mishaps. I have certainly made a few and on talking to other members of the club soon realised that most had made the same ones. Well that’s encouraging. The club boats proved to be fun and inexpensive to use but I yearned for my own and soon became the proud owner of a fine Laser dinghy. Now this gave me the chance to have a few tentative steps in the world of club racing. Again I felt encouraged, positive feed back from fellow racers, endless (and welcome) advice and a shared sense of achievement on completing the course - all be it usually at the back!

Over all I have learnt that although the transition from sailing course to independent sailing seems daunting, it really does not have to be. Sailors appear to have a common goal - to be on the water. Get on the water and you instantly have a great deal in common with your fellow sailors, despite being a novice. Let’s face it, every one was a novice once, hard to imagine, I know, when you see some polished performances in heavy air, with not a hair out of place.

Kielder Sailing Club is a great place to come and sail. If you have any desire to sail at all, don’t leave it for too long like I did. Get out there and sail, forget the gardening, the shopping and the house, they really can wait. There is so much enjoyment to be had whether it be a leisurely sail in front of the club house or a twelve mile race around the lake. Just do it. Every one will be pleased that you are out there.

John Wallace

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