Sailing and Your Child

Sailing is a wonderful sport that many people enjoy well into their adult years. Sailing became an Olympic sport in 1900, and many people used to believe that sailing was a sport only reserved for those with a yacht club membership. However, more and more people are picking up the sport. If your child has not had any previous sailing experience, it would be a good idea to find a sailing summer camp so that your child can learn some basics and get started without investing huge amounts of money without being sure your child will remain interested.

There are several benefits to sailing, which include improving hand-eye coordination, balance, and greatly improving upper and lower body strength. Other benefits are hand and finger strength, and the ability to sharpen the quick thinking skills. Many kids who become heavily involved in sailing become highly interested in the weather so they learn the weather patterns as well as wind patterns. Many children who enjoy sailing also have high levels of independence and self-esteem.

Kids who excel in sailing need to have good water skills as well as be able to swim very well. Children must not be afraid to fall into the water; they must be able to handle the accident without freaking out. Sailing requires thinking about multiple conditions simultaneously. Children who enjoy taking risks typically enjoy sailing a lot. This sport tends to attract people who are very mathematical and analytical.

The best age to start teaching sailing is typically between the age of 7 and 10 years old. However, the child should have good swimming skills before ever touching a sailboat so that they will be safer on the water. A child must also have the ability to listen, follow instructions, and think on their own before starting sailing lessons. It is also highly recommended that a child under 50 pounds never be on a boat by themselves. They need to have some good weight to them to help hold the boat down on the water if a large wind breeze catches the boat.