5 Ways to Dip Your Toe Into Boating

Published: Monday, September 10, 2018
By: Zuzana Prochazka

You don’t have to be an America’s Cup rockstar racer (or, heaven forbid, a millionaire boat owner) to be a boater. There are lots of ways to go boating, some of them even free — gasp! All you need to know is where to look for affordable opportunities. Here are five that will maximize fun without minimizing your bank account.

1) Join a Boating or Fractional Ownership Club

You can become a member of Freedom Boat Club or SailTime for far less than the cost of actual boat ownership. Freedom Boat Club has 145 locations around the country and focuses heavily on small powerboats that you can take out for the day or a whole week.

If you’d rather hoist sails, consider SailTime. This club started with a sailing focus but has expanded into powerboats, and they currently have 30-plus locations in the U.S. and Canada.

You can join as a member or a fractional owner and enjoy other people’s new boats or defray the cost of owning one yourself. SailTime’s bases are in the process of upgrading to the latest Beneteau models and they have catamarans as well. Costs vary with the size of boat, the length of time you want it, and the location of the base. Benefits include access to new, well-cared for boats, instruction/training, and access to other like-minded folks who enjoy being on the water.

2) Join a Yacht Club

If fractional ownership is still more of a commitment than you want, consider a local yacht club. You can join one (sometimes without owning a vessel) and your kids will have access to junior sailing programs that will get them hooked on sailing early. Meanwhile, you enjoy the benefits of a social club that has parties and is involved with community projects. Most yacht clubs today have a good mix of powerboat and sailboat owners.

In some cases, you don’t need to join a yacht club to benefit from it. Ask if the club has a bulletin board where members can post when they are looking for crew. Racers especially are often short-handed for local and offshore races and need experienced, or even newbie, crew. Be honest with your captain/owner as to the skills you bring and always have a can-do, positive attitude and you may just find boating opportunities every weekend — for free.

3) Enroll in a Sailing School

One way to test if sailing is for you is to take classes. Even if you’ve done a bit of sailing, good schools always have something to teach and it’s a great way to get on the water with a minimal investment. I started at the Orange Coast School of Sailing & Seamanship in Southern California and got hooked immediately. I sailed for under $100 per four-week class series and that included topnotch instruction and making new friends. It was such a bargain that, over the years, I took every class the school offered — twice.

American Sailing Association (ASA)-rated schools are all around the country including the Great Lakes and offer access to good boats and great instructors. Another reputable school is Steve and Doris Colgate’s Offshore Sailing School, which has multiple locations in Florida and the BVI.

4) Check out Races, Rallies & Offshore Passagemaking Opportunities

If you have some experience and flexible chunks of time and you want to try out bluewater passagemaking or spending a month in another part of the world, investigate organized boat rallies and crew matching services.

The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) is an annual migration of sailboats from Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands to St. Lucia in the Caribbean. It’s a well-organized event with many boats owned by single captains or couples who are looking for help to cross the ocean. There’s also the Chicago Yacht Club’s Mackinac race takes boats from Chicago to Macinac in July. It’s a popular race with lots of sailboats and skippers looking for crew.

A way to do the same thing on a powerboat is CUBAR (Cruise Underway to Baja Rally, formerly known as FUBAR). This cruise is sponsored by San Diego Yacht Club and runs bi-annually from San Diego to La Paz, Mexico. Some of these are posh power yachts and all of them are equipped to run the 1,000 mile distance so you’ll learn a lot and get a feel for offshore cruising.

Always interview the captain carefully, understand their expectations and the costs of joining a crew. Some people just want help and it’s up to you to just get yourself to the boat and have airfare to depart at the end. Others will want you to share in onboard expenses like food and fuel. Go with your gut on the details.

5) Make Friends at the Marina and Brokerages

The fastest way to meet boaters is in a marina and the cheapest way to go boating is on someone else’s boat. Consider checking out the bulletin board at your local marina for captains needing crew and wander the docks. Get to know the local boat brokers too. They’re dialed into the community and can hook you up with friendly boaters. Show interest and you’ll get a boater talking in no time. Offering to help wash a boat, fold sails, or check out an engine will get you noticed quickly.

Be careful with this option though. First, you don’t want to seem like a stalker and, second, think before you get on someone’s boat for an afternoon. Use your best judgment as to the condition of the vessel and the intentions of the skipper.

Whether you want to sail as a boat owner, a member of a club, or even as a helping hand on other people’s boats, there are affordable opportunities all around. Google sailing clubs, yacht clubs, and even brokerages in your area and start developing a network in the boating community. You’ll soon be on the water for a lot less than you imagined.

About The Author:

Zuzana is a freelance writer and photographer with regular contributions to over 18 sailing and power boating publications. A USCG 100 Ton Master, Zuzana is the founder of a flotilla charter company called Zescapes that takes guests adventure sailing at destinations around the world.

Zuzana serves as an international presenter on charter destinations, safety issues, and technical topics, and she's the Chair of the New Product Awards committee for innovative boats and new gear. She is a member of the American Society of Authors and Journalists and a board member of Boating Writers International.