Learning to sail in Dublin on budget

mementor

Hi all,
I'd like to learn to sail (I'm a complete novice but somehow I got obsessed with it all) but I don't have a load of cash to throw in various certifications/lessons etc.
I've already reached out to some clubs but they told me that they'd prefer to have at least the competent crew certification (700 euros) before I join them (another 400+ euros per year).
Now - I don't want to spent 1000+ euros just to start off but I'm willing to volunteer and work on it (might consider a more serious cert such as Day Skipper later on if I'm still obsessed).

Do you have any suggestions/thoughts on how to go about that?

Thanks in advance!

Steve

No need to spend anything like that and I've never heard of clubs looking for that. Can you pm me what you heard just for curiosity sake?

Which part of Dublin are you in?

Howth YC has plenty of beginners programs as do the clubs in DL.

spaceHopper

Bray sailing club will run adult sail training for about 250 bucks, it covers the basics and one years membership but you don't get any cert.

I've done zero formal training and crew on a boat in DL for racing. You get show one job and pick it up from there. Also by a book or go to the library.

I've also sailed to the Scillies (was my first time on a yacht) and done a couple of races in France and Greece. All as crew with no paperwork.

Also lookup sailing in dublin club.

Zulu

Fingal sailing school - I did a course with them. Very reasonably priced, very good instructors. Would highly recommend for entry level. Run out of the estuary in malahide.

PhoenixParker

Do a 1720 course in any of the yacht clubs (or any sailing course at all so you know the ropes). Then join sailing in Dublin and sail as much as you want to.
http://www.sailingindublin.ie/Home

Vexorg

Most boats would like to have crew with some sailing experience but they are hard to come by, we have been racing with novice sailors for years and to date it has not held us back, quite the opposite, the main thing is a commitment to be there as regularly as possible. As space hopper said you generally have one job to do when racing and starting off it may just be moving to the rail at the right time, as you get more confidence you will quickly be asked to do more and be shown how.

If Dun Laoghaire is convenient for you, we race Thursdays and Saturdays (not all this year as our skipper is abroad working every couple of weeks), you are welcome to come out with us to see if racing is your cup of tea. We just moved to Cruisers 1 so we have some learning to do also.

Personally, I am going into my fourth year racing and have been doing most things under instruction, so have decided to start at the beginning and do a beginners course with one of the Dun Laoghaire Clubs simply to get the basics and make more of a contribution on the boat, most of the clubs have courses starting next week or over the next couple of weeks so again if the location works for you, there is a good choice of dates to do a beginners course.

Tom Dunne

While I know it is not Dublin, Lough Ree Yacht club in Athlone are doing a 2-day introductory sailing course next weekend for 130 Euro, they provide all the gear and of course the boats. That includes membership of the club for a year. Fantastic value.

neris

info on learning to sail in Howth. Theres also a crew available/wanted section on the website if thats any use or a facebook group called crewpoint aswell

http://hyc.ie/adult-training