8 Costa Leisure COSTA NEWS, May 2017 - Costa Blanca Yacht … · 2017-05-29 · 8 Costa Leisure...
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8 Costa Leisure COSTA NEWS, May 2017 Life on the Costa revolves around the crystal-blue Medi- terranean Sea, and yachting ranks high among residents' favourite activities. Luckily, you don't need to be rich to in- dulge: Thanks to the CBYA, sailing is accessible to every- one A GREAT expanse of blue at your feet, a bracing sea breeze and a stunning coastline that even makes Sydney Harbour seem a poor relation in comparison means the Valencia region could- n't be more ideal for hopping on a boat and hitting the waves – in- deed, if it's good enough for inter- national celebrities who head here from Ibiza to moor their yachts and take in the heady summer air, Mediterranean mainland Spain must be a jewel in the nautical crown and certainly have plenty to recommend it to us mere mortals. A stroll along the marinas in Dénia, Jávea, Moraira, Oliva, Gandía and Calpe will show you just how many sailing fans have chosen our coast for their hobby – or, as many of them would rather call it, way of life – with every type of vessel from modest motorboats to cruise liners bobbing, gleam- ing-white, on the salt-sand waves licking the harbour wall. The problem with learning to sail, though, is that it's so expens- ive – yachting is a millionaire’s playground, way too élite for wan- nabes on an average budget. Or is it? Learn sailing from scratch for two- and-a-bit euros a month “For just €25 a year in member- ship fees, you can learn to sail from scratch,” says Bob Gordon of the Costa Blanca Yacht Associ- ation. “And as a member, you can use the local yacht club facilities, too, which typically cost thousands every year.” Starting out for the first time, you'll probably learn on a dingy – not a rubber blow-up craft like the ones we played in the sea with as children, but a small and very basic yacht, easy enough for a lone person to navigate but large enough for a crew of up to three, or for a newbie with an instruc- tor. With no complicated equip- ment, no confusing instruments and easy to manoeuvre, dinghies are perfect for early learning and also for more experienced sailors wanting to hone their skills. You'll learn to rig and de-rig the vessel, which is easier in a dinghy than in larger yachts, and then get onto the rudiments of moving around in the water. “This is sailing at its core, at its most basic,” chairman Bob tells us. “It's the perfect opportunity to really connect with the water, the wind and some fun boats.” Costa Blanca Yacht Associ- ation (CBYA) has acquired two dinghies – Louise and Wally – currently stationed at Moraira's El Portet marina, often dubbed, and for good rea- son, 'Paradise Bay': low-rise, spaced-out residential homes tucked in between secluded beaches, pine forests and mountain folds, this peaceful and beautiful corner of the earth will se- duce you as much as the heady wind-in-hair experi- ence of actually moving a yacht where you want it to go across the sea, of return- ing home with the gleeful thought, ever-present, of: “I did that! I did that myself !” Lifelong learning: Always a new challenge ahead, if you want one Once you find you're get- ting the hang of sailing, the possibilities for a higher level of fun and speed are endless: “We have a special relationship with Calpe Royal Yacht Club giving ac- cess to their six fleet-racing TOMs at a unique discounted rate,” Bob explains. The CBYA runs training days twice-weekly on the TOMs, a fast- paced, large, comfortable craft de- scribed as very stable and well- balanced, ideal for day trips and, of course, designed for speed as they are used for regattas. Of course, you can't expect to be taking part in regattas after two or three lessons; like any sport involving 'equipment' – skiing, equitation, scuba-diving, sky-diving...you get the picture – learning is a slow process and getting to grips with it takes a combination of hard work, self- confidence development, concen- tration, and mind-over-matter if you're naturally of a nervous dis- position. Often, in fact, 'scaredy cats' become more successful learners in 'extreme' sports, be- cause they are used to a lifetime of battling against fears that seem trivial to others, whilst in- herently gutsy types rarely have to bother and go into meltdown when forced to overcome an un- familiar onset of terror. Of course, a dash of innate tal- ent goes a long way and speeds up learning considerably, but most leisure activities involving a com- plex set of skills can still be mastered to an enjoyable degree even by those with no natural abil- ity; your limits may come earlier than those with a gift for the sport, but never early enough that you'll get bored before you plateau. Savour the waves...without the work Motorboat owners who belong to the CBYA join in 'raft-ups', fishing trips, treasure hunts and regattas, right up to national and inter- national level, but as this is a so- cial group as well as a sailing club, you'll quickly make friends and be able to wangle a day out with your new mates on their crafts. If not, you can still savour all the pleasures of water-borne transport, a splendid view of the shoreline from an angle not seen by many and the consequent photo and 'selfie' opportunities this offers, without any of the work involved: the CBYA runs 'Hobie catamaran' days every year from Les Bassetes in Calpe, char- tering a craft for two or three hours, with the experienced sailors acting as skippers and the others just putting their feet up and enjoying the ride. If you make friends with someone who's a licensed skipper, or reach that stage yourself, you can charter a yacht in Dénia for the day at a very low rate and go off on your own, thanks to your CBYA membership, and the Association runs charter day cruises every month which require no sailing prowess, just a yearning for a day out with a difference. Day trips and nights out You don't even have to be a committed sailor to enjoy the fruits of the CBYA – if you just want to go for a few les- sons a year and otherwise prefer to be an armchair sportswoman or sportsman in great company, you'll have a full calendar of fun stuff to do waiting for you the minute your membership form is filed. A day trip to Valencia's coast- guard station, visits to the Volvo Ocean Race and the Valencia Boat Show, and monthly gourmet meals out at Jávea Yacht Club's plus res- taurant for decidedly non-gourmet prices are among the events orga- nised to date, and with over 250 members already, there's a very good chance you'll make some life- long friends. Tempted? We're not surprised. Contact the Association on [email protected] or via their Facebook site, www.facebook.com/CostaBlan- caYachtAssoc, to find out more.
Transcript of 8 Costa Leisure COSTA NEWS, May 2017 - Costa Blanca Yacht … · 2017-05-29 · 8 Costa Leisure...
8 Costa Leisure COSTA NEWS, May 2017
Life on the Costa revolvesaround the crystal-blue Medi-terranean Sea, and yachtingranks high among residents'favourite activities. Luckily,you don't need to be rich to in-dulge: Thanks to the CBYA,sailing is accessible to every-one
A GREAT expanse of blue atyour feet, a bracing sea breeze anda stunning coastline that evenmakes Sydney Harbour seem apoor relation in comparisonmeans the Valencia region could-n't be more ideal for hopping on aboat and hitting the waves – in-deed, if it's good enough for inter-national celebrities who head herefrom Ibiza to moor their yachtsand take in the heady summer air,Mediterranean mainland Spainmust be a jewel in the nauticalcrown and certainly have plentyto recommend it to us meremortals.
A stroll along the marinas inDénia, Jávea, Moraira, Oliva,Gandía and Calpe will show youjust how many sailing fans havechosen our coast for their hobby –or, as many of them would rathercall it, way of life – with every typeof vessel from modest motorboatsto cruise liners bobbing, gleam-ing-white, on the salt-sand waves
licking the harbour wall.The problem with learning to
sail, though, is that it's so expens-ive – yachting is a millionaire’splayground, way too élite for wan-nabes on an average budget.
Or is it?
Learn sailing from scratch for two-and-a-bit euros a month“For just €25 a year in member-ship fees, you can learn to sailfrom scratch,” says Bob Gordonof the Costa Blanca Yacht Associ-ation.
“And as a member, you can usethe local yacht club facilities, too,which typically cost thousandsevery year.”
Starting out for the first time,you'll probably learn on a dingy –not a rubber blow-up craft likethe ones we played in the sea withas children, but a small and verybasic yacht, easy enough for alone person to navigate but largeenough for a crew of up to three,or for a newbie with an instruc-tor.
With no complicated equip-ment, no confusing instrumentsand easy to manoeuvre, dinghiesare perfect for early learning andalso for more experienced sailorswanting to hone their skills.
You'll learn to rig and de-rigthe vessel, which is easier in a
dinghy than in larger yachts, andthen get onto the rudiments ofmoving around in the water.
“This is sailing at its core, atits most basic,” chairman Bobtells us.
“It's the perfect opportunity toreally connect with the water, thewind and some fun boats.”
Costa Blanca Yacht Associ-ation (CBYA) has acquired twodinghies – Louise and Wally –currently stationed at Moraira'sEl Portet marina, oftendubbed, and for good rea-son, 'Paradise Bay': low-rise,spaced-out residentialhomes tucked in betweensecluded beaches, pineforests and mountain folds,this peaceful and beautifulcorner of the earth will se-duce you as much as theheady wind-in-hair experi-ence of actually moving ayacht where you want it togo across the sea, of return-ing home with the gleefulthought, ever-present, of: “Idid that! I did that myself !”
Lifelong learning: Always anew challenge ahead, ifyou want oneOnce you find you're get-ting the hang of sailing, thepossibilities for a higherlevel of fun and speed areendless: “We have a specialrelationship with CalpeRoyal Yacht Club giving ac-cess to their six fleet-racingTOMs at a unique discountedrate,” Bob explains.
The CBYA runs training daystwice-weekly on the TOMs, a fast-paced, large, comfortable craft de-scribed as very stable and well-balanced, ideal for day trips and,of course, designed for speed asthey are used for regattas.
Of course, you can't expect tobe taking part in regattas aftertwo or three lessons; like anysport involving 'equipment' –skiing, equitation, scuba-diving,sky-diving...you get the picture –learning is a slow process andgetting to grips with it takes acombination of hard work, self-confidence development, concen-
tration, and mind-over-matter ifyou're naturally of a nervous dis-position. Often, in fact, 'scaredycats' become more successfullearners in 'extreme' sports, be-cause they are used to a lifetimeof battling against fears thatseem trivial to others, whilst in-herently gutsy types rarely haveto bother and go into meltdownwhen forced to overcome an un-familiar onset of terror.
Of course, a dash of innate tal-
ent goes a long way and speeds uplearning considerably, but mostleisure activities involving a com-plex set of skills can still bemastered to an enjoyable degreeeven by those with no natural abil-ity; your limits may come earlierthan those with a gift for the sport,but never early enough that you'llget bored before you plateau.
Savour the waves...without theworkMotorboat owners who belong tothe CBYA join in 'raft-ups', fishingtrips, treasure hunts and regattas,right up to national and inter-national level, but as this is a so-cial group as well as a sailing club,you'll quickly make friends and be
able to wangle a day out with yournew mates on their crafts.
If not, you can still savour allthe pleasures of water-bornetransport, a splendid view of theshoreline from an angle not seenby many and the consequentphoto and 'selfie' opportunitiesthis offers, without any of thework involved: the CBYA runs'Hobie catamaran' days every yearfrom Les Bassetes in Calpe, char-tering a craft for two or three
hours, with the experiencedsailors acting as skippersand the others just puttingtheir feet up and enjoyingthe ride.
If you make friends withsomeone who's a licensedskipper, or reach that stageyourself, you can charter ayacht in Dénia for the day ata very low rate and go off onyour own, thanks to yourCBYA membership, and theAssociation runs charter daycruises every month whichrequire no sailing prowess,just a yearning for a day outwith a difference.
Day trips and nights outYou don't even have to be acommitted sailor to enjoy thefruits of the CBYA – if youjust want to go for a few les-sons a year and otherwiseprefer to be an armchairsportswoman or sportsmanin great company, you'll have
a full calendar of fun stuff to dowaiting for you the minute yourmembership form is filed.
A day trip to Valencia's coast-guard station, visits to the VolvoOcean Race and the Valencia BoatShow, and monthly gourmet mealsout at Jávea Yacht Club's plus res-taurant for decidedly non-gourmetprices are among the events orga-nised to date, and with over 250members already, there's a verygood chance you'll make some life-long friends.
Tempted? We're not surprised.Contact the Association [email protected] or via their Facebooksite, www.facebook.com/CostaBlan-caYachtAssoc, to find out more.
