5 Reasons to Take Up Sailing as a Hobby

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Our selection of past times and hobbies is often relative, and influenced dramatically by our upbringing, individual tastes and more significantly our location. Just as an individual who has grown up in an industrial town and cold climate is unlikely to develop a passion for surfing, so too those who do not have easy access to water are not prone to falling in love with the art of sailing. To those who are familiar with the coast or have a connection to the sea sailing is a popular past time however, either as a competitive or a purely recreational activity. Here are some of the best reasons to pursue sailing as a genuine passion in your life: -

1.An Inexpensive and Easy to Learn Activity: We live in an age where value for money remains king, and this applies to both our professional and personal lives. The consumer is increasingly conscious about their expenditure, and sailing provides a relatively inexpensive and easy to learn past time. With boats for hire, inexpensive maintenance costs and thousands of accessible instructors and clubs across the globe, sailing can deliver an exceptional thrill without breaking the bank.

2. It is Both a Thrilling and a Relaxing Experience: As strange as this sounds, sailing can provide a thrill for many different demands. Although a predominantly relaxing past time that appeals to romantics or those with a penchant for exploration, when sailing in adverse weather or high winds it can be a thoroughly exhilarating experience. So regardless of your nature or goals in life, sailing can play a key part in your day to day activities.

3. A Genuine Family Activity: We have already discussed the numerous instructors and sailing clubs that exist across thousands of coastal communities, but another thing to bear in mind is that these hubs are very child friendly. With specific training programs for children and well as adults, sailing can actively be the ultimate family experience. What could be better than traversing the ocean waves with your family in tow to share a unique and exciting adventure.

4. A Boost to Your Well Being and Lifestyle: This may be an unheralded benefit of sailing, but it can in fact provide a tremendous boost to your levels of fitness and well being. With balance and poise being such an important part of sailing, traversing slightly choppy waters can strengthen both your legs, arms and lower abdominal muscles. In addition to this it provides a marvellous opportunity to take in fresh and rarefied air, allowing you to live a healthier and more relaxing lifestyle.

5. It Provides a Boost to Your Mental Performance: While it is a physically proven fact that fresh air and exercise stimulate your mental performance, it is less well known that sailing also improves your levels of focus and concentration. As a sailor you must constantly be aware of your surroundings, the weather conditions and fellow vessels, and learning to maintain this focus can help you to develop a higher degree of mental capacity.

The Bottom Line

These 5 points are perhaps the most immediate reasons why you should consider taking up sailing as a hobby, and it certainly stands as one of the more financially viable and interesting activities that you can undertake in 2012. After all, in an age of electronic games, HD television and social networking, sailing is something that provides a refreshing change of focus and helps to create a healthier and more active interaction between families.