Chasing pirates

A little piece of trivia about yachting that is fun to bring out if you are enjoying an afternoon on a friend's yacht is that the word “yacht” is actually Dutch and the original spelling is “Jacht”.  The translation of the original word is “hunt” because the yacht was created to give the Dutch navy a tool to hunt down pirates in shallow water.  But these days we are far more interested in chasing the good life on board a luxury yacht than going after pirates.

Lifestyle choice

It didn’t take long for yachting to become a lifestyle choice for those that could afford such luxury.  It is fascinating that yachting was enjoyed as far back as the early 1800s where there are references in history that King Charles II was a huge yachting enthusiast.  So we are in good company if we have come to love yachting too and its small wonder that it makes us feel like kings and queens when we are on board a luxury yacht cruising entirely for our pleasure.

Some like it hot

Today when you think of the word “yacht”, you almost always associate it with private boats kept for the pleasure of those who can afford a large seafaring ship dedicated to relaxation, romance and pleasure.  That image is wonderfully displayed in the delightful movie Some like it Hot with Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis in which Tony tells the sexy “Sugar” played by Marilyn that he is waiting for a signal from his wine steward on board his yacht for the time to return from the beach for cocktails.

Yachting – Motor or sail?

When you start to think about the kind of yacht you wish to buy or charter, you have a few decisions to make.  For one thing, you can buy a sailing or motorised yacht.  Sailing seems so natural and you don’t have to carry as much fuel (although a good sailing yacht will still have some ability to get to shore using a motor so you are never in danger of being stranded).   Also what a wonderful way to pass the morning watching the crew of your yacht put up and manoeuvre the sails to get you surfing the winds at sea and letting them take you along.

Buying a yacht

A yacht is almost always a large boat except perhaps if it is devoted to racing.  But for luxury and relaxation, having plenty of space on the yacht is important.  If you are going to buy a new yacht, you should walk the boat over many times and picture different ways you will entertain family and friends and be sure you have plenty of accommodations not only for the largest party you might take with you to sea but also for a good sized crew you will have along to care for the yacht itself as well as for you and your guests.  Your chef should have an ample galley with room for plenty of provisions if you want to stock the yacht for several days or weeks at sea.  And there should be the proper facilities to store fine wines and other beverages for your wine steward to work with during your voyage.

By making sure your yacht is well designed for the lifestyle you want during your outings, you will get lots of good use from it each year.  And if you are going to charter, you can look forward to bringing your same high standards to picking just the right yacht, captain and crew each time as well so your adventure at sea is just as enjoyable and luxurious as you always wanted it to be.

Learning to sail

Not many people know that you can actually learn to sail in just a couple of days, OK, you won’t be competing with salty sea dogs after just a short time, but you will know your Port from your Starboard, you’ll also learn some basic rope work, how to enter and exit a marina, maritime rules and many other things necessary to make you feel safe out on the water – Read learn to sail in Majorca.

If you want to learn to sail on a structured course, then RYA sailing courses are perfect for this. For many people, sailing and spending time out on the water is the ultimate leisure pursuit, for others, it is part of their job.

Whether you are a complete beginner hoping to find your sea legs for the first time, or a salty sea dog keen to build new skills and experience, there are RYA Training Centres on the island who can help you to achieve your goals via fun & challenging training in the stunning surroundings of the beautiful Balearic Islands. Whether you want to learn to sail a dinghy or move onto something bigger like a cruising yacht, there is a RYA training course designed for you. These courses will equip you with the skills and learning to be confident out at sea, whether in your own boat or a charter yacht – Read RYA sailing courses.

Learning to motorboat

Sailing is not for everyone; many people prefer the simplicity of a motorboat compared to handling ropes and sails. Of course, until you have experienced motor boating, you’ll never really know if it is for you and that’s why taking part on a learn to motorboat course is a great idea – Read learn to motorboat.

Sailing can be quite physical involving lots of rope work, it can also be quite tricky to master. Many people prefer motorboating, it is less physical, not reliant on wind conditions and usually a lot faster than sailing. Sea schools on the island run a number of RYA motor courses for those who enjoy motorboating, ranging from an introduction to motor cruising for complete beginners to advanced pilotage to Yachtmaster – Read RYA motor courses.