In our busy world of cramming stuff in and constant change, sailing and chartering has at times got mixed messages of what it should or could be, which can mean you don’t get the most out of it.
Sailing was, of course, a method of commerce – it had a function – get from A to B as quickly as possible. Commercial sailing has of course long been superseded by more efficient means. So what is it that makes sailing enjoyable?
For one thing, it breaks many of the modern constraints we find ourselves in. For example, you are at the mercy of the weather, which will define how long it takes to get somewhere, and perhaps even where you are going – not like the linear efficiency of a car and your watch. Your mobile phone may cease to get a signal and the contact to the outside world takes one step back. The drone of an engine, a constant in our modern transport, is replaced by the natural sounds of the wind and the waves, and the slightly odd feeling of moving through the water using just natural forces.
Then there is the art form that is sailing in itself: the handling of sails and trim, and the unpredictability of the “road” which may require different techniques to steer yourself along.
However, it seems that sometimes the expectation of a sailing holiday or yacht charter is managed by how much you cram into a defined period of time. Without being pretentious, the point is rather the opposite – take your time and delight in the experience of just being there and ‘there’ doesn’t have to be how far you can get.
