doc, Author at Wild West Sailing

Orla Buckley // Day Skipper All-in-One

I have been sailing since I was a child – crewing for my father on his racing yachts and then crewing and helming on racing dinghies at the local clubs. I own my own 28 foot boat with my partner and we planned to sail it around Ireland for the last 2 years but haven’t done it.

I was always confident in smaller boats under sail but under power I had very little experience. I had no experience with coming alongside pontoons or marinas safely and securing the boat (as I always left this to someone else). I had no idea how read a chart and I want to sail around Ireland so reading charts and making it safely into unknown areas will be essential.

I felt very anxious about this planned trip to sail around Ireland until completed this course. Now I feel confident that I know enough to do it safely. I had considered letting other people teach me on the way around Ireland. I’m very glad I reconsidered this now.

The course was recommended to me by a number of people and luckily for me it was local and the dates suited :)

I think if I had not done this course, I would keep putting off the plan to sail around Ireland due to the anxiety of not knowing enough to do it safely. I might even have gone another whole season without sailing at all.

The biggest obstacle to me was the dates. I have a super hectic life and the previous year I couldn’t fit the course in at all. But luckily the course was delivered in 2 parts – the Theory in the winter months over 5 weeks and the practle in the early summer over 2 weekends. There were several options for course dates too which was great. The cost was a consideration – but when I broke it down its only €100 per day which is a Bargain for what you get!

My only fear was will I enjoy this or will it be like work ? Will I be cold and sore hahaha?

But it was very enjoyable – I had a great time :)

I am way more confident after completing this course, I have a new enthusiasm for sailing and I am really looking forward to heading out again :)

I had loads of fun. FUN FUN FUN :)

– Orla Buckley

By doc|2024-03-11T00:05:00+00:00February 28th, 2024|Reviews|0 Comments

Joe Attwood // FairWinds.ie – WWS Schools Sailing

I started sailing back in second year with the FairWinds program that was run in Summerhill College. When I first stepped on the boat I didn’t expect to like the sport but after being given the helm a few times I quickly began to get interested in the sport.

I kept up the Fairwinds program till it was in TY but in the midst of that I also started doing my levels out in Sligo Yacht Club on Picos and Mirror dinghies.

I was then recommended by Dave to do a J24 racing course which then got me into keelboat racing in which I’ve competed in Europeans, Nationals and many local events. After a lot of time just building on my skills and abilities I got offered to crew on Lynx for the Round Ireland Yacht Race 2022 in which we won the Sailing Schools class.. Last year I also became fully qualified as a Sailing instructor under Irish Sailing.

I spent my time instructing between Wild West Sailing and Sligo Yacht Club. I’m slowly beginning to work my way onto yacht deliveries with my first one being a 976 mile delivery starting in Jakobstad, Finland to Kristianstand , Norway on a brand new Swan 48 yacht.

By doc|2023-09-07T14:34:03+00:00September 7th, 2023|Reviews|0 Comments

Matthew Ballintine // FairWinds.ie – WWS Schools Sailing

I started sailing back in second year with the FairWinds program that was run in Summerhill College. When I first stepped on the boat I didn’t expect to like the sport but after being given the helm a few times I quickly began to get interested in the sport.

I kept up the Fairwinds program till it was in TY but in the midst of that I also started doing my levels out in Sligo Yacht Club on Picos and Mirror dinghies.

I was then recommended by Dave to do a J24 racing course which then got me into keelboat racing in which I’ve competed in Europeans, Nationals and many local events. After a lot of time just building on my skills and abilities I got offered to crew on Lynx for the Round Ireland Yacht Race 2022 in which we won the Sailing Schools class.. Last year I also became fully qualified as a Sailing instructor under Irish Sailing.

I spent my time instructing between Wild West Sailing and Sligo Yacht Club. I’m slowly beginning to work my way onto yacht deliveries with my first one being a 976 mile delivery starting in Jakobstad, Finland to Kristianstand , Norway on a brand new Swan 48 yacht.

By doc|2023-08-30T20:50:41+00:00August 30th, 2023|Reviews|0 Comments

Dimitar ‘Miki’ Dosev // Round Ireland Cruise 2020

Dimitar ‘Miki’ Dosev // Competent Crew / Day Skipper Navigation / Round Ireland Cruise 2020

I`d like to share a little bit of my most recent adventure and self-discovery trough out the lockdown. It started many,many years ago,I must of been about 5-6years old when with my family we’ll go in the Bulgarian mountains for some trekking. I use to pull the barks of the Pine trees- like big chunks and later with a small knife I’ll drift in my dream and build a boat. With a Mast in the middle and two strings going forward and back. Non of my parents or as far as I know ancestors have anything to do with sea/oceans. When back at school in class of Arts there were two paintings I’d draw (Im not great at painting) one is Mountains ,the other one was small sand island with palm tree and a boat next to it with a big sunset. I have no idea how it got in to my head…. When I grew up a little had the chance to work on cruise liners in the Carrabien and cruise all over the world. I didn’t sail the boat, but many nights use to go on deck 7 right on the nose and stare at the stars look at the endless horizon. It all felt like home,as If I was a pirate or some explorer years ago… until this summer. It all started with two weeks of zoom classes on shore base skipper, than out at the lake learning competent crew, after flying the spinnaker until there was an opportunity to do a tour around Ireland.

Here I’d like to thank

Dave O’Connor

and

Seanie Jo Flynn

for their incredible support and encouragement all the way. The tuition I received from

Wild West Sailing

gave me confidence and self believe to a stage now I’m saving for a boat and dreaming…..dreaming to Sail first from Strandhill to

Malkata Tekila:)

,than all the way to New Zealand. It gives me shivers. In my short life I had the gift to live and experience dreams, unthinkable dreams : Living on a tropical island in the South Pacific, sitting night time on a top of a dune in Sahara desert, touring all over New Zealand and few more. How much is enough? and how far is too far…let’s find out. All this is not possible without true and only few friends, family and lots of hard work. Enjoy the ride.

Miki.

By doc|2021-07-21T14:29:19+00:00September 23rd, 2020|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Magda Maczynska // Day-Skipper All-in-One

What’s Your Background in terms of Sailing experience?
Experienced in dinghy sailing on lakes. No experience on large yachts or on sea.

What Problem Were You Trying to Solve?
Needed to learn:
Navigation and pilotage for sea sailing,
Control and safe manoeuvers of boat under engine.
Rules and regulation for safe sailing on sea.

How Was The Problem Affecting You?
Since I had no experience and knowledge about sea sailing I was not confident to go on the sea and did not want to do it without somebody who had knowledge and experience.

What Possible Solutions Did You Consider before coming to Wild West Sailing?
I looked into few courses available. I wanted navigation classroom session where student and tutor can interact.Online courses are OK but I think you can get more from the classroom sessions.

Practical training to control boat under engine is a MUST, and maybe could be a bit more of it as this is the aspect that makes HUGE difference when you own the boat and you park your boat in marinas.

Lynx has fantastic reversing capabilities which I did not realize other boats might not have!!! Our boat does not reverse well but since I had the training “what, how and when” I was able to make it work for us ..so far any way.

Why Did You Choose Wild West Sailing?
I thought description of your experience was very good. Your website and description of courses were good. You responded to my email in timely manner and since I really wanted to do “all in one session” without driving every weekend from Midlands to the coast you made it happen for me and that is why I decided to choose WWS. Thank you Dave.

What Would Have Happened If You Had NOT chosen to progress your passion for sailing further with Wild West Sailing?
Well, I had to get the knowledge and experience on sea regardless so I would have to find some other course….

What Risks Did You Consider?
My worries:
Can I do it all in one session
Will I be able to learn all that is required and will I gain confidence to sail on sea.
How much more training will I need after to sail boat on sea after this course.

What Reservations Did You Have?
Reservations:
Yes location was important – how far away is the training centre and cost of accommodation.
I was not sure if I be able to understand navigation and definitely driving boat on engine was a huge fear of mine!!!

What Measurable Benefits Have You Seen?
I think I am much more confident sailor and still learning to be a skipper. It is not easy to make quick and good decisions in urgent situations…I still prefer to have some other experienced people around me to learn from them but I do helm the boat on sea now and drive the boat to and from the jetty so definitely huge improvement!!! Just more practice required now…

Did you have any fun?
Yes Dave I had fun. Thanks Dave.

By doc|2019-12-04T16:21:04+00:00August 26th, 2019|Questionnaire|0 Comments

Chloe Convey // FairWinds.ie – WWS Schools Sailing

I will admit when I was first asked if I wanted to do the FairWinds.ie sailing programme I was unsure about the whole thing. I had never sailed before and didn’t know if I wanted to start. I thought it over and decided to give it a chance.

On my first day out I was a little bit timid and unsure of what to do with myself but then I started talking to the instructors. They were extremely welcoming and reassuring. They promised me I would enjoy sailing. They weren’t wrong! We were given wet gear and sent out on the boats with an instructor. On my first day out it wasn’t windy which was actually very good because we got to get used to being on the boat, and we started learning words like genoa (front sail), the tiller, starboard and port. We learned about the dangers of the boom. We learned which ropes were connected to what. The first day was a day full of learning.

The next week we set sail for the first time. We learned to tack and how to put up the sails and how to put them away. All through the course we began learning more and more and eventually we started racing. That’s when the real fun started. By the end of the first course I had learned so much and knew that I loved sailing.

As the week flew by I began to miss sailing more and more. Then I heard the great news that the course was starting again. I was delighted by this news and knew straight away I was going to do the second course. As the starting date of the second course neared I became more and more excited. When the first day came around I was ready to go out again.

The second course again went very fast. We learned so much again and this course was more advanced. We learned things like how to pick up the buoy when moving, we learned how to read the wind, we learned who had the right of way when boats are coming toward each other. We done a lot of racing. This second part of the course was amazing. It was enjoyable and I learned so much.

As it was nearing the end we got the unique chance to go on a bigger boat and go out on the sea at Rosses Point. We all got our gear on and eagerly waited to board the boat. We soon set sail to a beautiful sight of the vast ocean ahead. Everyone was doing their jobs when we heard the shout of someone saying they saw a dolphin. Everyone eagerly looked around and we got the amazing chance to see four bottle nosed dolphins up close. They played around the boat for a while and eventually swam away. This was an amazing and unique chance. We slowly made our way back in while keeping an eye out for more dolphins!

Over all the sailing course was an amazing experience. I would recommend it to anyone that would have an interest in outdoor activity. It was one of the best experiences of my life!

– Chloe Convey

By doc|2019-10-04T01:11:22+00:00June 4th, 2019|Reviews|0 Comments

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