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 fibreglass, have wood or aluminium 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 days ailers 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.

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.

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.

Clothing

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 wetsuit to protect the delicate neoprene from deck fittings and other hazards.

One-piece dinghy suits are quite good as the stay put when you move around, protecting your back from cold. Swimming is easy as well in these overalls. Underneath wear quick drying sportswear like thermals and tracksuits.