What this is.
Free Sailing finds you a real way onto the water. Say what you're after in your own words, or answer a few questions, and it looks across real places, real dated events, real boats for sale and real offers from clubs and schools near you — then points you at a next step you can take: an open day, a taster, a crew seat, a course, a cheap first boat, a deal. Every one of them links straight to whoever runs it.
It works the other way round too. Clubs, schools, event organisers, class associations, charters and marinas use it to put what they have room for in front of the people who want in, and to hear back from them.
Where to start
Pick the one that sounds like you:
Ways in
A way in is a real invitation, published by the people who run the place: an open day, a taster session, a beginner night, a Visitors welcome note, a volunteer call, a crew seat, a course.
You do not need a boat, and you do not need experience.
Get on the water
Open days, tasters, beginner nights and crew seats near you.
Learn to sail
Schools and training centres, and what they teach in.
I want to crew on someone else's boat
In your own words; it points you at real places.
Volunteer
Clubs need more than members — say how you could help.
Tell us what you're after
We'll let you know when something turns up near you.
Everything with a date on it — races, open days, festivals, talks and film nights. This month. When a club publishes an event here, it is marked as from the club, and a cancelled event says so.
Boats
Four different things get called a boat, and each has its own place:
Look up a boat
A class is the family a fleet races under — Laser, Optimist, Dragon: where it sails, who sails it, how big it actually is, and who looks after it.
Measured boats
Boats with real measurements — length, draft, displacement, sail area — and, for many, what they sell for second-hand.
Every model, and who built it
The same hull built more than once: who drew it, who built it, how many they made.
Boats for sale
Boats from anywhere. Free and cheap boats. Add your boat when it's yours to sell.
Which class fits? — if you don't know where to start with any of it.
Deals
Real offers from clubs and schools around the world — cheaper, or free, to get you on the water.
Swipe the deals — yes or no, then the next one.
Community
Forum
Ask other sailors, and answer them.
Questions
Every place, class and design has its own questions. Ask on its page; on a club's page, the club answers.
Newsletter
Get openings and notes from the water.
Quizzes and games
A fun, optional way in — not a requirement. Quizzes — each one ends in real places near you. Two small games about how boats behave. Calculators — sail area, ratios, stability, speed and trailer weight, for a real boat and a real question.
Search
You
No account needed. Log in to keep your saved boats, listings and questions on every device. If it guesses something about you, Not right? Tell me is right there — and what you say always wins.
For organisations
Clubs, schools, event organisers, class associations, charters and marinas each have a page here and a board to run it from: post a taster, a crew seat, an open day or a course; publish events; answer questions; put up a deal; see how many people near you are looking; add your team; take part in World Sailing Day.
Clubs · Sailing schools · Event organisers · Class associations · Charters and marinas
How it works
Already listed. Every club, school, organiser, class association and marina has a page here before anybody asks for one. Something wrong here? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Is this your club? Take it over — it's free. Say who you are and which organisation it is — we'll check it, and the page then answers to you.
Powered by World Sailing Day.
Free Sailing is powered by World Sailing Day. It's free.