How did I start a yacht sailing (in Korea)?

 A white ship floating like a piece of cloud on the overflowing blue sea, imagining the wonderful you guys steering it, everyone has had that dream at least once. The emotion of a man who overcomes rough waves, and the romantic scene of enjoying the sea leisurely with a wonderful lover, all of this, this yacht is the final destination... The yacht life that everyone dreams of! I will tell you how to start.

 

 

It's everyone's dream to sail the sea on a yacht. (Image by  Tom  from  Pixabay)

 

Do I need to get a certificate?

 

 First of all, the charm of a yacht is the smooth feeling of sailing without power. Most of the yachts used as tourist courses where you can experience yachting for 30,000 won per hour are powered by a motor engine. They are just for show, but you cannot experience the feeling of sailing over the waves with the wind blowing through the sails. Once you feel that feeling, you will realize, "Ah! This is why I ride a yacht!"

 Each crew member on a yacht has a specific task. Of course, there are dinghy yachts that you ride alone, but yachts with more than one or two sails require each person to faithfully complete their assigned tasks in order for the yacht to sail safely. The crew, such as the skipper who holds the helm and acts as the captain, the bowman, and the starboardman, must move in unison according to the skipper's orders. It is a somewhat dangerous sport where a beginner can be exposed to various accidents such as falling or cutting if they are not careful and wind the rope incorrectly or read the wind direction incorrectly.

 Therefore, first of all, getting a license is the first thing to do to enjoy yachting. When you go out sailing together, you need to know how to perform your duties so that you can feel the true joy of yachting, so it is important to slowly learn how to tie ropes step by step. These days, there are many schools that only provide quick courses to get a license, but my advice is to learn slowly and steadily. Quick courses are of no use in real life.

 

Now that I have my qualifications, what do I do next?

 

 There are many private yacht clubs in South Korea. They are clubs formed around ship owners and sail together. If you search through Naver Cafe, you will be able to find yacht clubs that you can join. Yacht clubs usually have membership fees and dues, and many operate on an annual membership system. Since it is a high-class sport, the membership fees are somewhat expensive. Therefore, if you decide to join, you really really have to go diligently. Most people join and only go a few times and then don’t go. If you feel seasickness or a fear of water, you will not go well. Therefore, before joining, pay a one-time participation fee and participate a few times in advance to see if it is right for you. There are many things that are scarier than you think, so make a careful decision.


 I live in Busan, so the waves in front of Busan are bigger than I thought, so it was very scary. I remember thinking a lot about it. Before you join, be sure to experience it a few times and then decide.

 

I want to buy a yacht!

 

 The price of yachts is quite high. Most people buy used ones. When the exchange rate was good, many used yachts were imported through the US, but recently, due to the huge exchange rate difference, it is difficult to even think about it. For a boat with two sails, the used price was approximately 500 million to 1 billion won. I don't know what it is now, but... Most catamarans that provide a sense of stability are over 1 billion won. Usually, these prices include the right to use the yacht's anchorage. In other words, the right to use the dock where you can anchor and dock your boat is included. Also, the management fee for anchoring and using electricity and water is approximately 300,000 won per month.

 In addition, sometimes you have to lift the boat to remove barnacles, and when a strong typhoon comes, you have to bring the boat up to land to prepare for it. These overhead costs are not small.


 You may remember Tim Robinson from [Shawshank Redemption] with his bushy beard and the constant maintenance of his boat in the last scene. If you buy a boat, you have to take care of it to that extent to ensure safe sailing.

 Compared to the high price of sailing yachts, motorboats are relatively inexpensive. The price of a used power yacht with a very nice room is around 80 million won, and a very good luxury power yacht is around 200 million won, so the barrier to entry is low. However, sailing yachts and power yachts are completely different...

 

It's too much of a burden... What's the Plan B?

 

 Yachts are very expensive, so these days, most people buy shares. About 10 people get together and split 10% each, and each person gets the right to use the yacht according to their share. In some cases, the business owner gets 50% and the rest gets 10%, so a total of 6 people get together and form a business. The business owner uses the yacht on weekdays to rent out yachts or take tourists on tours, and on weekends, the people with shares share the use. In this case, the business owner also manages and maintains the yacht, so there is less burden on management.


 There are various ways to enter the market, so don't give up on your dreams~ ^^