2012 is the year the Olympic Games comes to London, but the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing competitions will be held in Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour in Dorset, using the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) and the adjoining commercial marina.

The Venue

The area around Weymouth is a natural choice as a venue for such a prestigious event, providing some of the best sailing waters in the UK, with equally good facilities on land. It has already hosted many international sailing events, but one as important as the Olympics calls for many improvements to enhance the sailing facilities. These include a new permanent 250m slipway and new lifting and mooring facilities. The project was one of the first to be completed and was on budget and ahead of schedule, and now will provide world class facilities, not only for the Olympic athletes but also for the local community.

The WPSNA is a 7.85 million purpose built academy and was officially opened on 9th June 2005, by HRH The Princess Royal. Set up as a “Sailing Centre of Excellence”, the academy covers approximately seven acres, adjacent to the sheltered waters of Portland Harbour.

The Racing

The racing schedule will comprise 10 medal events, 6 for men and 4 for women, during the 14 days between 29th July and 11th August. 380 athletes will take part, 237 men and 143 women, in a variety of crafts from dinghies and keelboats to windsurfing boards. There are three disciplines – match racing (one against one), fleet racing (mass start) and windsurfing. The competitors will be accommodated on a cruise liner in the bay, while race officials will stay at local hotels.

The Paralympic events are scheduled for September 1st to 6th, with 80 athletes competing in 3 medal events. These are keelboat competitions for one, two and three persons. The keelboats used provide greater stability for the paralympic athletes and have open cockpits to allow more room for the sailors.

How to watch

There is no seated ticketing for the sailing events so spectators will sit on the ground or stand. For those without tickets, the local authority will be providing a big screen on Weymouth beach and also a range of free sporting and cultural activities.

After the Games

The improved amenities will be of huge benefit to the National Sailing Academy, providing a state-of-the-art facility for competitions, training and local community use. In fact this has already started, with the hosting of the Olympic Windsurfing discipline, RS:X class World Championship in 2009, and the IFDS (Paralympic Sailing) World Championship in 2011.

A little bit of history

London has hosted the Olympic Games on two past occasions, in 1908 and in 1948. The 1908 Games were intended to take place in Rome but the venue was changed after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius required the Italian government to redirect funds. The British team topped the medal count on this occasion. The Olympics of 1944 were due to be held in London, but were cancelled due to World War 11. However, the event in 1948 was held in London, but this time Great Britain only finished 12th in the medal count.

Sailing made its debut in the Olympics held in Paris in 1900 and with the exception of 1904 has appeared in every Olympic Games since then. Until 2000 the sport was known as “yachting” but it was changed to “sailing” at the Sydney 2000 games. Team GB was the most successful nation in the sailing competitions at the last 3 Olympic Games, at Sydney in 2000, Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008, led by the triple gold medallist Ben Ainslie CBE.

How to learn more

During 2012 the RYA are touring an exhibition entitled “Our Sporting Life – Sail for Gold”. It is a celebration of the British Olympic and Paralympic sailing heritage and will guide us through our sailing history. A range of memorabilia and photographs from pre-war to present day will be on view and famous past Olympic sailors have shared some of their personal items, which can be seen on display. The exhibition will tour from February to September and will visit Largs in Scotland, Alexander Palace – London, Liverpool, Falmouth and Colchester.

And finally

Our very best wishes to all the competitors. We look forward to a fascinating 14 days of fights and dramas, resulting hopefully in some medals for team GB once again.

——

At TheYachtMarket you will find thousands of new and used boats for sale. From dinghies to yachts and sail boats to commercial vessels. You will also find a range of news, information and articles on yachts, boats and the boating industry.

Going on a sailing holiday in the UAE is something that many people dream of doing, but few actually manage to realise. But the reality is that sailing in the UAE is some of the best sailing in the world and if youre going on a sailing trip in the region in the next few months, here is some advice to help you make the most out of your holiday.

Holidays are a luxury that many people dream of, and sailing holidays are one of the ultimate luxuries available in the holiday market. Sailing holidays in the UAE, on the other hand, with its warm, calm and crystal clear waters, are some of the best sailing holidays in the world, and as well as great weather and spectacular views, they offer a number of great marinas and other amenities for tourists to explore on shore. So if you have a sailing holiday coming up in the not-so-distant future, and you arent sure what to take with you, then here are a few tips.

One thing that many holidaymakers forget when they go on a sailing holiday, especially women, is that the deck of a boat can be unsteady at points and can also get rather wet from the sea. This means that having a pair of reliable shoes, with a decent grip is essential for wearing on the boat, as the deck can get rather slippery when wet. High heels can be taken on board, but they should be worn in the right circumstances on board, and can also be worn when offshore.

While many boats are equipped with a first aid kit, its best to take a few supplies of your own just in case, especially suntan lotion and aftersun cream, because the sun in the UAE, while warm and inviting is sometimes deceptive and sunburn does happenespecially when youre at sea. Aloe vera gel is also very good for sunburn and cooling exposed skin. Even if you dont normally suffer from seasickness, one of your travelling companions might, so pack some anti-sickness and rehydrating medication, which will help replace any fluids and electrolytes lost during illness.
Clothing that will keep you cool and dry when its particularly warm, and outerwear that will keep you dry and warm when the weather turns a little stormy at sea.

Depending on the marina, or the marinas that you are docking at, you will also need to have clothing that’s suitable for them, such as a good pair of shoes, waterproof clothing and sunglasses on days when the weather is particularly warm. Marinas in UAE can be particularly luxurious and are so much more than a place to moor your boat for a few days – many UAE marinas have a number of attractions, such as bars, restaurants and a number of them are very close to local amenities and wondrous sites. So remember that a sailing holiday does also involve time on dry land, and because there’s so many things to see in and around the UAE, you might just find that a few trips off shore is just what your sailing holiday needs.

So whether you’re an experienced ‘seadog’, or a sailing novice who’s still a little wet behind the ears on everything sailing related, remember to plan ahead for the things that you might need, consider which marinas in the UAE you will be docking at during your trip and plan a few activities around your time on land, and that way you will have a fantastic sailing holiday.

Picture an idyllic, natural cruising area, endowed with small uninhabited isles full of tranquil anchorages, washed by the cooling Caribbean trade winds. Envision no more! That region is the British Virgin Islands. The BVI’s are one of the primary cruising grounds on the planet, providing short day sails between protected bays full of colorful marine life.

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are a group of islands situated in between the end of the Caribbean Leeward islands & Puerto Rico. The four principal islands of BVI are Tortola, which hosts the capital Road Town, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke. The rest of the archipelago is made up of some 50 or so small isles and Cays. Arrivals are in the Lettsome Airport Terminal found on Beef Island a brief drive away from Road Town.

There are lots of ways of experiencing the BVI’s but one of the best would be to charter a yacht and discover the numerous bays and cays that are a part of these stunning islands.

One of the most recognized Yacht Charter firms in the isles is BVI Charter Yachts Ltd. This business was established in 1974 and is without a doubt one of the most knowledgeable yacht charterers within the business. They offer a full collection of private yachts of many sizes, yachts like large Power Yachts, Sailing Yachts. There are two varieties of charter offered by the organization these are Bareboat Charter, and Crewed Charter. BVI Yachts is based inside the Inner Harbor, Road Town.

The distinction in between crewed charter and bareboat is simple. Using a Bareboat charter you and your family or friends crew the boat. You will find no captain or deck hands on the boat. However if complications arise a company agent will arrive at your boat in very quickly. The mileage in between the islands aren’t that great, actually a lot of the islands are within a short distance of Road Town. With a Bareboat charter you must cook all of the meals on board and obviously keep the boat clean and serviceable. Yet another option to Bareboat is to take your family members and friends for a vacation onboard a Crewed Charter yacht.

Using a crewed charter, the crew is present to pamper to your desires. The crew knows the location and wind patterns very well and this understanding can make the difference between a holiday that is fraught with problems, and one that can live in memory as the best you’ve ever experienced.

The really basic crewed charter regardless of the sort of vessel that is becoming chartered is one that just has a skipper onboard. Usually a gourmet cook is hired along to make tasty dishes complimented with good wines and spirits. The crew will also clean and maintain the vessel. They know that the best sundowners can be found in Soopers Hole and where the greatest fishing spots may be found. The skipper and crew utilized by the company are completely professional in all things. Their purpose is always to make certain that your charter vacation will be the best you’ve ever had. So the next time you contemplate a charter getaway get in touch with BVI Charter Yachts via their website for info on your next yacht charter vacation.

Brad Hunter is an avid sailor, world traveler and founder of http://crewedcharteryachts.com, a leading online resource related to the most recent stories, on yachts and charter destinations accessible that come from the area of sailing aboard crewed charter yachts. The British Virgin Islands are one the most popular destinations in the world. BVI yacht charters available for those interested in booking one of the best cruise vacations of their lives.

Sailing lines and ropes are important in handling sailboats. Different types of sailing knots are one of the basic skills that one should need to know when learning to sail. Lines and ropes are fundamental parts of a boat and they are used when docking, mooring and anchoring the boat. They are also used when controlling the sails. Ropes are either made of synthetic materials or natural fibers and they can be twisted together or interwoven.

When learning to sail, it is essential to know the different types of sailing knots. The working or running end and the standing part are the two ends of a line. The working end is where the knots are done. You dont form knots on the standing end while bights are found at the end of the rope. Ropes or lines are heavy and can be very expensive depending on material. Knotting is important in learning to sail not only to handle your sailboat but to able to use those ropes safely and repeatedly in controlling the sails and securing the boat.

Here are the basic sailboats knots that are commonly taught when learning to sail:

– Overhand or Thumb knot

– Square knot

– Figure eight

– Bowline

– Clove hitch

– Double half-hitch

To do an Overhand knot, cross the running end to the standing part of the rope to form an overhand loop. The running end is crossed behind the standing part and then through the loop. Overhand knot is the simplest knot and easiest to learn. It used as a stopper knot and prevents the rope from running through the mast.

Square knot or Sailors knot are two overhead knots and usually used as a binding knot. Form a half knot by crossing two ropes. Do this twice and pull the ends twice and you will form a Square knot.

Figure Eight knot is also used as a stopper knot. However, Figure Eight knot can be undone easily even if the line or rope is wet. To do this, cross the running end behind the standing part to form an underhand loop. Bring the running end over the standing part. From under, run it around through the loop then pull it tightly.

Bowline or the King of knots has many uses. It is also used to secure a line. With load on the standing end, it cannot be untied easily. Two Bowlines can secure two lines together. It can be done using one hand only. Bowline is usually tied to an object which it needs to be tied, and then the running end is crossed over the standing part to form an overhand loop. From under, run the end through the loop. The running end is wrapped around the back of the standing part then run it back again where it came.

The Clove hitch is used mainly to tie a line or rope to a post. At the working end of the line, form a loop then place it over the post. Form another loop same as the first one. Put it over the post and tightly secure it.

Double half-hitch are two half hitches. You can use this to attach the sailboats line to a pole or mooring buoy. Loop the line twice on the pole then tie two half hitches on the same direction.

Learning these basic knots is very helpful when learning to sail. Lines or ropes have its different uses or purpose. The rope is your tool to secure the boat and sail well.

Are you looking for more information regarding Learn to Sail ? Visit http://www.nauticed.org/ today!