All at sea: sail luxuriously with the Maid 41 (above) or simply with the Nordic Folkboat (below)

Enlarge 200% Enlarge 400%

ONCE IN A WHILE, everyone needs to get away from the daily grind. Few escapes come close to rigging a sail up a mast and heading for the horizon. Getting on deck and taking to the waves is already a regular pleasure for Oracle founder Larry Ellison, veteran BBC broadcaster Peter Snow and adventurer Steve Fossett. But sailing yachts is no longer limited to the seriously rich.

TESTING THE WATERS

The best place to shop for a new cruising yacht is at one of the two major boat shows that are held each year. The Southampton Boat Show takes place each September, while the London Boat Show opens its doors at Earl's Court on 2 January for 10 days.

The London Boat Show, sponsored this year by asset management firm Schroders, has long been the UK marine industry's showcase. The 2003 show will feature more than 1,000 boats, with every type of craft, from two to 22 metres-costing from a few hundred pounds to over lm.

Before parting with your hardearned cash there are certain things to consider. What do you intend to do with your yacht? If you simply want to potter in the sheltered waters of the Solent, then don't waste your money on a vessel that will cross oceans. If, on the other hand, your plans include cruising the Caribbean in a couple of years' time, then a craft designed to do little more than port-hop around the coast is not for you. All cruising yachts are a compromise between cost, performance and comfort.

Earl's Court is also a long way from the beach and, even on an artificial pond, it is difficult to assess how a particular boat will behave at sea or how easy it is to handle under sail and power. Most manufacturers have agents around the coast, so keep your chequebook in your pocket until you have had at least a day's test sail.

SPLASHING OUT

You don't have to spend a sixfigure sum to buy a new boat. The Nordic Folkboat, a well-proven classic yacht with eye-catching lines, sleeps four and delivers sparkling performance. It will set you back 21,814. It is also sturdy enough for some of the most demanding sea conditions.

At the other end of the spectrum, and if you have a little corporate entertaining in mind, the Swedishbuilt Malo 41 is a superb luxury offshore cruiser that will turn the head of even the most jaundiced executive. But you'll have to part with 278,475 before you can set to sea in her. The choice is enormous, but somewhere out there is a sailing boat to suit both your needs and your pocket.

There is a thriving second-hand boat market and some will prefer to explore that option. The major boat brokers will be represented at the London Boat Show, and yachting magazines such as Yachting World, Yachting Monthly, Practical Boatowner and Sailing Today have classified sections covering hundreds of used craft. Advice on buying a second-hand boat is available from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).

Cabin fever: the Swedish-built Malo 41 is a luxury cruiser that will turn heads

Enlarge 200% Enlarge 400%

WORK-SEALIFE BALANCE
For Malcolm Bene, sailing offers a unique challenge. "Apart from the obvious attractions, I find the whole business of yachting intellectually challenging," says Beane, European HR director at global insurance company XL Capital.
Beane bought his first yacht, a three-year-old Beneteau 311, this summer, having done several RYA dinghy courses and a four-day introduction to yachting through a specialist tour operator. "There's a whole new set of skills to be learnt. It's completely absorbing, and the knowledge that one has to be selfsufficient at sea is satisfying. It's up to you and your crew to make it work; there's no-one else out there with you," he explains.
To those planning on buying their first yacht, he offers some simple advice: "Be sure to get the right yacht for the job. And don't be afraid to ask for professional help and advice. It will save you time and money in the long run."
"There's a whole new set of skills to be learnt. It's up to you and your crew to make it work"

Enlarge 200% Enlarge 400%

If you decide to buy a used boat, then a detailed examination and valuation of the craft by a qualified surveyor is essential. The Yacht Brokers, Designers & Surveyors Association will help with a list of surveyors in your area.

FINANCE ON DECK

Before getting carried away with the idea of being a sea gypsy, think seriously about how you are going to pay for your dream. For those who prefer to sail now and pay later, there are several specialist marine finance companies. They include Bank of Scotland Marine Finance, Capital Bank, Lombard North Central and Mercantile Credit. A personal bank loan in the form of an overdraft may prove to be the most economical option if the boat is not too costly, provided you settle the debt quickly.

Peter Whitehead, national marine manager at Bank of Scotland Marine Finance, says he has never seen a show like this year's Southampton event. "Consumer confidence continues to ride high with people looking to make the most of their money while interest rates are at their current level."

The value of proposals completed at the show was up 25 per cent on last year's figures, at just over 25m. Whitehead believes that some people are transferring money from the volatile stockmarket into their chosen leisure pursuit.

INSURANCE SAILS

Naturally, you will want to protect your investment by insuring your boat. Although not a legal requirement, marinas, sailing clubs and river authorities now demand at least third-party insurance, and it is mandatory for mortgaged boats.

Talk to specialist insurers such as Navigators & General, or yacht insurance brokers such as Pantaenius or Haven KnoxJohnston. There are now online insurers such as Craftinsure.com, a privately owned agency whose policies are underwritten by Navigators & General. Craftinsure claims to make savings for the customer by working online, cutting the insurance paper-chase.

Mooring fees are another expense that you need to consider. Recent marina developments mean moorings are more plentiful today than 10 years ago. A pontoon mooring on the south-east coast costs about 235 per metre of boat length per year. A swinging mooring (to a mid-stream buoy) will cost about 205 per metre.

LEARNING THE ROPES

Sea of dreams: sailing can be a good opportunity to network with colleagues

Enlarge 200% Enlarge 400%

Sea of dreams: sailing can be a good opportunity to network with colleagues

Enlarge 200% Enlarge 400%

Sea of dreams: sailing can be a good opportunity to network with colleagues

Enlarge 200% Enlarge 400%

If you are a novice, a course of sailing lessons is crucial. Sailing in British waters demands at least a basic knowledge of boat- and sailhandling, navigation, passageplanning, safety at sea and tides.

The RYA is the governing body responsible for recreational boating activities. Each year more than 100,000 novice sailors take a RYA training course. According to John Bagnall, the RYA's marketing manager, the key to successful sailing is to know what you're doing: "It's a wonderful sport and it's there to enjoy. Our courses aim to get people on to the water as quickly as possible and, above all, as safely as possible."

Shore-based theory courses, usually in the form of evening classes, progress from Day Skipper to Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster. Once you have the theory under your belt, you should go on to do the practical course. A Day Skipper, for example, entails five days spent living on and sailing a yacht under the careful eye of an instructor. This course will qualify you to take charge of a yacht through all stages of a journey, and costs about 350.

Before deciding which sea school to book into, check that it is RYA recognised-which means it is run by a qualified RYA instructor and uses seaworthy boats with all the safety equipment on board.

For a list of RYA-approved sailing schools in your area, visit the RYA website. Another way of gaining experience as a skipper is to go on a flotilla sailing holiday, where you can avoid the uncertainties of the English climate and hone your skills on the relatively benign waters of the Mediterranean.

Major flotilla sailing companies, such as Sunsail and Neilson, will arrange a four-day course for beginners, either in the UK or at a Mediterranean resort of your choice. Known as the Introduction to Yachting Course, it is RYAapproved and will equip you to skipper your way around the Mediterranean.

Be warned that you will be taught little about tides or navigation-and the Mediterranean is simpler to sail than the coastal waters around the UK.

USEFUL CONTACTS

Royal Yachting Association: www.rya.org.uk

The National Federation of Sea Schools: www.nfss.org.uk

The Yacht Brokers, Designers & Surveyors Association:

www.ybdsa.co.uk

Neilson: www.neilson.co.uk

Sunsail: www.sunsail.com

AN EVEN KEEL
Pete Tyler has been sailing since he was 13years-old. He began in dinghies and now, at 41, owns Redeye, an I'm (35ft) Jeaneau One Design racing yacht (pictured left). Tyler is managing director of NeiLson Active Holidays, which is part of the Thomas Cook group. The company's holidays range from skiing to yachting.
"Sailing is a great escape because it demands intellectual as well as physical commitment," says Tyler. "Jogging may be good exercise, but it's pretty undemanding mentally and you take the office with you. It got to the point when I thought I might as well sling a dictaphone over my shoulder and get some work done at the same time. Sailing is different; everything vanishes from your mind apart from the task in hand. It's also a great way to network. Sailing breaks down the barriers in a way no other sport can."
Tyler has straight-forward advice for someone about to start: "It's the same as buying a car," he says. "If you want speed and thrills, you buy a sports car. If, on the other hand, family cruising is the aim then you're more likely to buy an estate. It depends on the job in hand. But training is a must."
"Sailing is an escape and a way to network. it breaks down the barriers in a way no other sport can it"

Enlarge 200% Enlarge 400%