Wraysbury Lake Sailing Club

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Find out about what kit you might need here.

Surely I need a pile of specialist kit to start?

Well, if you start in the summer when the water is warm, all you need is a change of clothes and a buoyancy aid. Clubs often have some spare ones for occasional use, but you will soon want your own.

How do you choose the right one?

Firstly there are different sorts of buoyancy aid for different water sports. There are ones for dinghy sailing, canoeing and for safety in offshore boats. Make sure you are looking at ones for dinghy sailing. They will provide you with enough buoyancy to make you safe without getting in the way of your sailing. Have a look at the picture to get an idea.

Next get the right size. All buoyancy aids are rated by the weight of the person for whom they are designed.

Then try it - and make sure it can be adjusted to a snug, but not tight, fit. Too loose and you can drop through it. Too tight and it restricts your movement.

This is an Enterprise two person dinghy. For more information follow the Enterprise link.

Next, get some sensible shoes. Boats have a habit of getting wet, so you want shoes that will give you grip.

Obviously there are specialist shoes, and these are best. But, again, choosing the right pair can be difficult at first. So you can start with a pair of trainers. But do make sure they are a good, non-slip fit. And that the soles will grip in the wet. Hard plastic based soles are no good. Best are rubber ones with fine, razor like, slits in the sole that grip like mad.

Click here to find out about choosing your boat in Part 3.