Sailing is one of the finest outdoor activities. You can learn to sail at good sailing schools or outdoor centres and then sail or race on your own, with your partner, or with your children.

Small boat sailing can be either competitive, as in collegiate dinghy racing, or purely recreational as when sailing on a lake with family or friends. Small sailboats are commonly made from fiberglass, have wood or aluminum spars, and generally a sloop rig (two sails: a mainsail and a jib).

Racing dinghies tend to be lighter, have more sail area, and may use a trapeze to allow one or both crew members to suspend themselves over the water for additional stability. Family daysailers tend to be beamier (wider) and have greater accommodation space at the expense of speed.

You don't have to be in fantastic physical shape to sail, although there's no doubt that a couple of hours of sailing makes for good exercise.

Will I get wet?

If you just do social sailing without leaving the jetty or marina, you'll probably stay dry unless it rains. In case of foul weather you can always retreat to the club house.

Only if you practice sailing as an active water sport would you get wet. Always bring a complete change of clothes for each outing. The day you forget your extra clothes is the day you get wet.

T-shirt and jeans and are fine on very warm days only to protect against sunburn. Beware, wet cotton cools you a fair bit. Some wear jeans over a wet suit to protect the delicate wet suit from deck fittings and other hazards.

How can I learn sailing?

Learning the basics is easy. Any RYA approved training school offers courses which will take you from a complete novice to a basic dinghy sailor in a couple of long weekends. All of the training is conducted in stable and safe boats, and is supervised by qualified instructors.

Many people who have taken part on courses have gone on to join a club and there's no doubt that these initial courses provide a great start to many years of enjoyable sailing. If you're not sure it's for you, then either visit a club on a Sunday and someone will take you out, or visit an annual open day.

If your dream is to skipper your own yacht, then learning to sail a dinghy is the best way to gain an appreciation of boat handling that will stand you in good stead.

Is this expensive?

Contrary to popular opinion, dinghy sailing is not an expensive or elitist pastime. Plenty of beautiful second hand boats can be bought for no more than a couple of hundred pounds. The necessary safety gear such as buoyancy aids are also not expensive.