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Benefits of Sail Training
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Evaluations of sail training experiences show that:
Trainees can expect a wealth of new experiences on board with changing weather – sunshine and wind but also fog, rain, damp and cold, they will live in close quarters with their fellow trainees, maybe experiencing some seasickness, but they will also have wonderful experiences that will last a lifetime.
Home > Benefits of Sail Training
The Sail Training Experience
The wind in the rigging, the sun glinting on the ocean waves, the deck moving beneath your feet – these are some of the experiences that await young people who opt for a sail training experience aboard the magnificent square riggers and schooners that make up the tall ships fleet. Sail training combines adventure at sea with real-life lessons in team building, self discipline and leadership. Trainees engage in all aspects of the ship’s operation including setting sail, steering and navigation as well as routine chores like cooking and cleaning in the galley.
There currently exist several different models of education through sail training:
A research study by The University of Edinburgh (K. McCulloch, University of Edinburgh, An International Study of the Characteristics and Value of the Sail Training Experience, 2006) found that trainees demonstrate measurable gains in self-confidence and enhanced ability to work with others as part of a team. These positive outcomes transcend cultures and national boundaries and the benefits derived are sustained over time, long after the voyage is over. The research team also examined models of sail training to try and determine whether different types of program have different outcomes. Their conclusions were that there is little significant difference among sail training experiences based on size of vessel, type of rig, and national and cultural boundaries. The did find that a structured program tended to have a greater effect on trainees’ confidence but that going to sea counts for more that differences in approach.
The wind in the rigging, the sun glinting on the ocean waves, the deck moving beneath your feet – these are some of the experiences that await young people who opt for a sail training experience aboard the magnificent square riggers and schooners that make up the tall ships fleet. Sail training combines adventure at sea with real-life lessons in team building, self discipline and leadership. Trainees engage in all aspects of the ship’s operation including setting sail, steering and navigation as well as routine chores like cooking and cleaning in the galley.There currently exist several different models of education through sail training:
- Formal schooling aboard tall ships eg Class Afloat.
- Sail training with a structured curriculum to provide a measurable educational element
- Sail training which provides experiential learning but without a formal curriculum “let the seafaring experience speak for itself”.
A research study by The University of Edinburgh (K. McCulloch, University of Edinburgh, An International Study of the Characteristics and Value of the Sail Training Experience, 2006) found that trainees demonstrate measurable gains in self-confidence and enhanced ability to work with others as part of a team. These positive outcomes transcend cultures and national boundaries and the benefits derived are sustained over time, long after the voyage is over. The research team also examined models of sail training to try and determine whether different types of program have different outcomes. Their conclusions were that there is little significant difference among sail training experiences based on size of vessel, type of rig, and national and cultural boundaries. The did find that a structured program tended to have a greater effect on trainees’ confidence but that going to sea counts for more that differences in approach. Evaluations of sail training experiences show that:
- Sail training is a very important way of building self-confidence, self-reliance, teamwork, communication skills and discipline.
- Sail training is not about learning to sail but learning through a challenging experience aboard tall ships.
- Sail training is about being a member of a small group which relies on each member contributing to the overall achievement of group goals.
- Sail training can be a life-changing experience that can assist young people at risk in making appropriate behavioral choices.
- Sail training helps individuals build “social capital” through the transfer of lessons learned and skills developed into everyday life.
Trainees can expect a wealth of new experiences on board with changing weather – sunshine and wind but also fog, rain, damp and cold, they will live in close quarters with their fellow trainees, maybe experiencing some seasickness, but they will also have wonderful experiences that will last a lifetime.