Ex Scientia tridens – Latin for From” Knowledge, Sea power “is the Academys Motto. The Academy also stands by and keeps up the Honor, courage and commitment. It also firmly believes in ‘Excelling without Arrogance”.

The Naval Academy was established in the year 1845 and shares more or less the same history as the Nation itself. Moral and ethical issues and developing the incumbent midshipmen with these values is one of the primary responsibilities for the Naval Academy. From the sail and steam-powered ship era to Nuclear Subs and Supersonic aircraft, the Navy has come a long way and the Naval Academy today, takes up the onus of preparing young American men and women to become established naval officers and marine officers. It is, however, a competitive endeavor to be able to secure a place at The Naval Academy.

The students in the academy are referred to as Midshipmen and they learn to take orders from practically everyone in the system, however they also learn to make decisions which can affect all their peers at the academy. Upon graduation the midshipmen are commissioned and listed as ensigns in the U.S Navy or as Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps and must be in the service for a minimum of five years just like the U.S Army cadets.

The Midshipmen, during their course of education and study – which is really a mix of arts and sciences – also take part in a lot of extra curricular and physical activities, an important mix of educational elements all geared to prepare the midshipmen intellectually, physically and morally. Though there is no graduate school directly associated with the naval Academy, there is a Naval Postgraduate College and a naval preparatory school for the midshipmen.

The U.S Academy carries a mission to develop midshipmen to the highest exacting standards as is expected from a commissioned officer, developing them to morally, ethically imbibing in them virtues of honor, respect, integrity and loyalty and prepare them to take on the responsibility of being able to take command and be of service to the government and the country.

First and foremost, sailing is for everybody; the able-bodied and disabled, young and old, competitive sportsmen and pensioners alike can easily learn to sail . Sailing has been around for thousands of years – the earliest representation of a ship under sail appearing on an Egyptian vase from about 3500 B.C. – so it should come as no surprise that many sailors find it to be a sport for like. Starting out as a crew member, even the youngest sailors soon progress to helming their own small vessel, allowing them to take their family out on the river or on a sailing holiday when they get older! As time progresses, the type of sailing that most appeals to you will change, but rest assured that there is always a type to suit you; from single-handed dinghies to a hulking yachts manned by a dozen people, the variety of options within sailing makes it a truly versatile sport.

What’s more, sailing really isn’t as expensive as it is made out to be. Small dinghies for river sailing and membership to sailing clubs are not hugely pricey; at around GBP100-200 for whole year of family membership, they allow unlimited access to facilities and storage, as well as boat hire (for an additional fee). The amount of equipment needed for the casual sailor is also very small and most of it can be picked up from supermarkets and budget outlets if your budget is really tight. Of course, sailing can be incredibly expensive if you let it – but so can any sport; you do not need a GBP250,000 yacht to start sailing, just like you do not need GBP500 of training clothes to be a good runner.

So we’ve established that sailing is affordable, fun and for everybody – so what’s stopping you? If you are anything like I was before I started sailing, you may be partly put off by the chore of learning to sail; everybody that I knew had been sailing from childhood and I assumed that there was a very long process involved. But this isn’t true at all! Although the fine art of sailing is something that will take your entire lifetime to master, the basics to sailing can be learnt in about a week of lessons that will have you competently tacking up and down the water with ease! How many other sports can boast that anybody can learn them in a week, whilst also offering a lifetime of challenges and experiences? On top of that, the opportunities to meet many new people are vast and, as we have established above, it really won’t cost you that much either!

There are loads of sailing courses available for you to start leaning to sail today! Summer is just round the corner; if you learn now you’ll be well at ease on the water by the time the holidays roll around!

Also, another thing to consider is that where a whole family is going away, it is important that everyone on the holiday has a great time which means catering for a range of requirements.

Some of the key considerations when thinking about planning to learn to sail on your summer holiday are:

1. Do you have a preference for what sort of boat you want to learn to sail in? A yacht? Dinghy?

2. Do you want a formal qualification at the end of your course (usually RYA)?

3. Does everyone in the party want to learn to sail and if not, what do they want to do whilst the sailing is going on?

For people who want to try sailing and lots of their reservations dissolve if they are told that the sailing is going to take place in an environment like the Mediterranean where blue skies, warm breezes and warm water are the summer norm.

Most people learn to sail in a dinghy (a small, open boat) as they are highly responsive boats and one of the best ways of getting a real “feel” for how a boat moves in the wind.

It’s common for yacht sailors to have started sailing in small dinghies before they graduate to something bigger.

There are a number of “beach club” holiday destinations in the Med that accommodate learning to sail in dinghies. Guests usually have a lesson for three to four days of the holiday and master the basics by the end of the first week. When not attending sailing lessons that a are able to take advantage of all of the other facilities that a typical beach club will offer such as mountain biking, tennis or just lying by the pool.

For people wanting to learn to sail a yacht there are also “one week learn to sail” courses available where you live on your yacht for the week and have daily tuition until you are competent to sail the yacht without an instructor. On day four or five of your first week you are ready to go and join a “flotilla” with a group of other yachts for a few days sailing in company -a really sociable and enjoyable end to your first week. If you want a two week holiday you can then either follow your first learning to sail week with a complete one week flotilla or have the second week at a beach club

Both the dinghy course and the one week learn to sail courses (if successfully completed) result in the people attending being awarded an official RYA qualification. These qualifications are then built on over subsequent years as more sailing courses are attended and more experience gained.

Most of a beach club holiday centres also offer lots of activities for non-sailors to keep themselves occupied. Beach Clubs by definition are based right beside a beach which will have plenty of sun loungers for those that want to watch the world go by and they nearly all have one or two swimming pools with plenty of space and for those that prefer freshwater swimming. Most Beach Clubs also have a range of mountain bikes and a guide for (early morning!) rides on local trails plus waterskiing, tennis, beauty spas and gymnasiums. The mountain bikes are usually “hard tails” from brands like Specialized, Trek and Orange although some clubs do have the full suspension bikes as well.

Sailing is a great sporting to get in to, and if you look around at what is available outside of the UK there are some great ways to combine learning to sail with a fantastic holiday for you and everyone you go on holiday with.

Sailing for sport goes back to 17th century Holland. The New York Yacht Club was founded in 1844 and remains the oldest sport sailing organization in the United States.

The idea of sailing is exciting and romantic. The new popularity of pirate films demonstrates our continued love affair with the idea of sailing and boating on the open water for fun and reward. No other type of classic boat conjures the same mental images as the traditional sailboat.

Is sailing right for you? Are you ready to take off on an boating adventure through the use of wind power? Should you join the ranks of famous adventurers and humble travelers who rose to meet the challenges that sailing presents?

The answers to these questions depend on a variety of factors. First, make sure that your goals are realistic. Sailing, as with many other hobbies, takes a long time to master. You can learn the basics in just a few days, but you should not plan to sail around the world at the end of a weekend’s practice.

Hard work, patience and dedication are required. You must be willing to invest both the time and money into the hobby. You must be completely comfortable with the water and with the natural elements, as you will find yourself stuck in rainstorms and other disagreeable weather conditions.

You should also be able to take direction and follow it without question. At times, your sailing instructor may need to issue an order and have it followed immediately. These situations generally involve safety concerns and time may be of the essence, so be prepared to act first and ask questions later.

If you feel that sailing is something you want to try then your next step is finding an instructor. Sailing lessons are readily available in locations with sailing communities. You may even have a friend or family member who is willing to teach you for free.

Regardless of which type of boat you are on, you need to always focus on safety. It becomes even more of an issue on sailing boating. Before you think about getting on a sailboat, look over the following tips.

Make sure that you are a strong swimmer. Many beginning sailors discount how likely they are to capsize and neglect this basic tip.

Keep yourself comfortable. Wear layers that you can easily add or remove to be ready for changing weather conditions. Tie your hair back and clip your fingernails. Wear sunblock and carry plenty of drinking water.

Practice in low winds and relatively shallow water. Learning to sail is difficult enough, so boating in ideal conditions will increase your chances of success.

Practice capsizing. It will happen sooner or later, so be prepared by learning to do so safely.

Wear a life jacket. Life jackets are a good idea any time you are on the water, but they are essential when you are in a situation in which you can expect to have trouble.

In addition to the travel basics, such as bringing a passport, a bathing suit and lots of sunscreen, there are some things that are required for a bareboat charter.  It is a magnificent way to vacation, but safety should always be a first priority.  An experienced sailor should be on board for a bareboat charter, and a resume of sailing experience is required to outline catamaran sailing skill and education.  Beginners can also have a skipper join them for a test run, or learning to sail can take place during the trip.  Captains are available for hire for the whole trip if guests do not have the experience to sail the boat.

Catamarans are suited to the wants and needs of vacationers for British Virgin Islands’ charters, and are the boat of choice vs. a monohull sailboat.  Catamarans are stable because of their wide stance, not because of the weighted depth that a monohull has.  This allows for stable sailing with less heeling, the ability for more anchorages in shallow waters, and more steadinesses even when anchored.  The design of a catamaran also makes them able to sail with great speed.  Catamarans have more living space making passengers more comfortable, and offering more privacy.  Even the deck is larger on a catamaran, which caters to vacationers wanting to swim, socialize, and relax on the boat.

There are different types and sizes of catamarans, and Barecat.com offers beautiful catamarans in top mechanical condition for BVI catamaran charters.  The Lagoon 38 is great for families with its panoramic salon, and private comfort of the owner’s head.  It sleeps six and handles beautifully with great speed.  The Leopard 38 also sleeps six, and is easy to maneuver.  It has a master suite and two double cabins.  Island Spirit features three cabins and is luxurious, fast, and fabulous to sail.  Lagoon 410 offers high-end performance and comfort and sleeps six.  The Norseman Larimar has four queen size cabins, a very spacious and comfortable salon, and has panoramic views.  The Privilege 45 sleeps eight, and is elegantly appointed.  The open floor plan of the Rainbow Rider Bahia 46 sleeps ten and has fantastic viewing windows.  The Aggie Cat is beautifully decorated with private staterooms, sleeping 10, and a great deck layout front and back for lounging in the sun.

The British Virgin Islands are the perfect location for catamaran sailing.  The dramatic setting of the volcanic islands emerging from the azure Caribbean is a glorious site.  There are short distances between the islands with their white sand beaches and palm trees, and the weather is consistently warm and breezy.  Many of the islands are uninhabited, and can only be reached by boat in the British Virgin Islands, adding to the adventure of the trip.  On a BVI catamaran charter, there are many activities for vacationers in addition to sailing including snorkeling, swimming, fishing, hiking, and even shopping and dining on the islands visited.