Sailing
"I had never sailed a boat like we sailed on this trip…I found a love for it. It is definitely something I want to continue for the rest of my life."
Alexis Concordia, age 13, Pittsburgh, PA
The white sails billowing high above you suddenly tighten as they catch the wind. The boat glides forward, begins to lean, sharpening its edge – twenty tons gracefully cutting through turquoise waves. For the first time, you feel the awesome power of nature take hold. You forget about everything else. Now you're really sailing!
If you've never set foot aboard a 50' sloop, it's OK with us. Most students who join us don't have any sailing experience at all - you just need to like being in and on the water. At Sail Caribbean your boat is your home, your social center, and your classroom. It's a modern, 50-foot, single-hull sailing yacht (or 42-47 foot catamaran on Foxtrot and Tango.) Whether you're just learning port from starboard or looking to expand your sailing skills, you'll have a high-performance craft, an experienced captain and mate as constant companions, and enthusiastic crewmates to share the adventure of sailing Caribbean waters. More about your Life Onboard…
Your boat will be part of a fleet – your own tight knit community on the water. Sailing the Caribbean together as a fleet has its advantages. You will meet lots of interesting people (both staff and crew) who live aboard your sister ships. This gives you the opportunity to step outside your own boat 'family' and socialize with everyone in the entire program whenever you're on land… and that happens at some point nearly every day. A fleet environment also gives us the option to hold a spirited race against the other boats, or choose a secluded anchorage away from the rest of the group. With safety being our highest priority, we take advantage of the fact that there is safety in numbers. Learn more about Fleet Living…
Sailing is at the core of everything we do on a Sail Caribbean voyage. Each day, your staff captain and mate provide sailing instruction using our own curriculum, a traditional sailing & seamanship curriculum that we have specifically adapted to large boats sailing Caribbean waters. To give you a head start, we'll send you a copy of Sail Caribbean's Book of Seamanship, a reference guide throughout the program and yours to keep. Sailing may seem tricky at first, but you'll learn quickly by getting involved. As we leave the dock on the first morning, you'll do the steering. Within days you'll be speaking the language as you trim the sails, steer a straight course, and navigate into a reef-protected anchorage. Sailing a 50' sloop or 47' catamaran will also teach you teamwork, planning, and responsibility. You and your crew will be rewarded with a sense of achievement, an appreciation of nature, and thrills you won’t find anywhere else. Learn more about Seamanship…
Once you understand the terminology and you've practiced and demonstrated your sailing skills, you'll want to combine what you've learned with some strategy. There's nothing more exciting than a yacht race, challenging your and your crewmates' new found sailing and teamwork skills. You'll be pressed to use your imagination and good judgment not only in making your tactical decisions, but also in choosing your boat's racing theme! Learn more about Yacht Racing…