Why on-the-water training will always be superior to online certification or YouTube channels.
“There’s an old saying passed down through seasoned skippers: You don’t really know sailing until something goes wrong. No matter how many hours you spend watching videos or reading manuals, nothing prepares you quite like the sudden slap of wind, the crunch of a bad tack, or when your rigging breaks in the middle of a daysail.”
Here’s a shout out to Jonathan Payne, CEO of American Sailing.
“This is a great article about hands-on learn to sail vs online learning. I’ve been in the sailing industry for over 28 years can confidently say that getting out there and doing it is the best way to hone your skills. Taking classes is a great start but going out on your own, making mistakes and handling the situations that don’t go well is what really turns a sailor into a seasoned sailor.” — Dave Conrad, Great Lakes Sailing Co.