Mumbai Sailing Season Begins
Fresh clear air, on board a yacht in the open waters… salty breeze caressing your hair – all of this in Bombay. Is that even possible you ask? The sea is right here, just a touch away. Yet Bombay folk don’t really experience it. Why is that? Did you think the water too dirty to access? You don’t have access to a boat to explore? You thought it was too expensive? Here’s a lowdown on all you need to know about Sailing in Mumbai.
Sailing 101
Sailing is an international Olympic level sport, we barely have any takers for it here in India. Why is that? That’s possibly because of lack of access to sail boats and lack of knowledge. Most people also presume sailing is an activity only for the uber rich or that one can have access to it only if their father/ uncle/ sibling is in the Armed forces?
Sirius Sport is changing that perception in India. With Learn to Sail, a special camp for kids between the age group of 8-15, it is a first of its kind where kids get to Learn Sailing 101. Bonding over a sport, learning a new skill together – there can’t be a better way to make new friends. And what’s more, they get to learn a new water sport in just a week and will be ready to participate in the Nationals within 2 months!
Courses are scheduled every weekend from October till March where kids get on board the Optimist, a small boat for beginners and by the end of the weekend they have all the knowledge to set sail into the Arabian sea.
Get Fit with Sailing
Hand eye coordination, team communication – with sailing you get to learn all these vital skills that can save a life; take up sailing as a sport if you are a water baby and want to develop a true sports mans spirit. Sailing helps you get in tune with your team members and yourself.
While on board, you learn to be agile and prompt, to change the sails in tune with the winds. Quick decision making (after all the wind and current can change in a jiffy!), listening to instructions clearly, discipline, respect for the environment.
Of course to balance that, what follows is a whole lot of chilling on the deck, soaking up some Vitamin D.
There are a variety of boats and yachts for kids and adults. Kids learn to sail on the popular ‘’Optimist’’ boat – a boat specially designed for children age 8 to 15 years. Its popularly called the ‘’bathtub’’ of boats. Amazingly, kids learn to sail in the first half hour.
Adults get to learn on a fabulous new spinnaker – a spanking sleek yet comfortable cruiser yacht. The yacht offers comfort with a cabin and inbuilt toilets and a spacious upper deck to relax and race!
And with the Learn To Sail programs, you don’t have to leave the city or travel to another country. Just check in for their scheduled camps every and you will learn how to sail while being in the city. For adults, weekend getaways to Murud Janjira are planned scheduled from October right up till May. You can choose to learn onboard and by the time you are back, walk away proudly with a Certificate which qualifies you as a Sailor. Of course, if you would rather go out on a cruise with the family, friends and kids – the yachts are available for a two hour charter at any point, all with a fully qualified skipper. If you are a swimmer and a true outdoors person – get ready to jump into the sea and swimming around specially when in shallow waters.
On Board Safety and Security
Sirius Sport has a full time faculty and the team includes former national coaches with the Army and Navy; so be rest assured about top quality training for you or your kids. The team seems to know what they’re doing with more than 50 years of combined coaching experience amongst them, always ensuring a ratio of 1:4 for beginners. Arjuna Awardees, Asian Games medallists are just some of the laurels that they have won.
Decathlon, one of the world’s largest sporting gear has tied up with Sirius Sport and provided their entire range of water sports goods. These include a fabulous kayak, dry bags and the most important of all – super quality life jackets.
We’ve been talking about sailing in Mumbai for a few days now on Let’s be Outdoorsy’s Instagram and Twitter channels, and we love how thrilled you are to try it! They have a variety of learn to sail workshops for kids, and adults, here are the dates for sailing to Murud Janjira with Sirius Sport:
November: 21st, 22nd and 25th,26th
December: 5th, 6th and 9th, 10th
January: 13th, 14th and 15th, 16th
February: 6th,7th and 24th, 25th
March: 8th, 9th and 12th, 13th
April: 9th, 10th and 27th, 28th
Call on 9820712399 to register for any of the above dates of Sailing with Sirius Sport, you can also request a special, send them an email at info@siriussport.com
A school in the outdoors with a sailboat as your class room.. With the wind in your hair and the sails steering you to the open seas, now that’s a great way to spend a weekend being outdoorsy in Mumbai city. There is a away you can explore the waters around Bombay. Have you tried sailing? Being outdoorsy on boats, learning the ropes, splashing, tanning all in Bombay city over the weekend! Go try this out.
Do you have questions about sailing? We’ll help answer them. are you a hotshot sailer and have a sailing story to share? We want to hear that story; tell 🙂