New Years Resolutions

New Years Resolutions for Sailors

By: Sailing Fun

Ah yes, the dawn of a new year. The slate is sparkling clean – you can now be the person you always wanted to be. Shake the Etch a Sketch and start anew. With the introduction in place, here are 5 New Years resolutions for the sailing breed. Feel free to add your own in the comments section below.

  1. The List

    If you’re the person who does not make lists to achieve your goals and things to take care of, your resolution is to be a list maker. No longer will you look at that proverbial loose end and have that gnawing feeling of inadequacy and slackericity (yes I just made up a word). Now you will feel the gratification of a doer or a soon-to-be doer, which is almost as good.

    If you already are a list-maker, your resolution is to finish the stuff on that damn list! C’mon man! Just because you write things on a list doesn’t mean they are accomplished. This year you will handle your business and keep that list manageable. It’s not some abstract writing of dreams that could be accomplished if only you had a year of free time and a Sherpa, it’s a list of things to get done!

  1. The Manuals
    We get new stuff, like electronics for instance, and it is very exciting but sometimes it’s a hair complicated…maybe even confusing enough where we can’t figure out how to turn it on. So, you jump on YouTube or grab the manual and get yourself up to speed to make this thing do what it’s supposed to do. That feels pretty good, but we all know that it can do sooo much more, but you didn’t read that far. Or maybe you hadn’t thought about those other functions but now that you’ve been using it for a while, you’re more interested. Read the books and/or take the tutorials while that boat is covered in ice or just being unused. This year you will go the extra mile and understand the systems on your boat and you will stand straighter and be more confident for your efforts.

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  1. Buy The New Thing
    Maybe this isn’t a resolution as much as it is a goal, but it’s close enough. This year, don’t do a work-around or go without, save your pennies and get the thing you need to do the thing that you need for the other thing to work better. For the less affluent in the crowd there are now really cool apps like Tip Yourself that creates painless ways to save cash for you to go get it!
  1. Expand Your Horizons
    This year do something you haven’t done before – go night sailing, go to that island you’ve never been to, charter a catamaran in the Med, whatever. Pick something you feel was just out of your reach and accomplish it like it was an assignment. It might mean you equipping your boat differently or learning something new, but whatever it is, make it happen.

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  1. Sail More!
    Of course this would have to be number one, but don’t just say it, plan it. The reason why we don’t sail as much as we like is because unlike other parts of our life we don’t put it on the books and make the arrangements like we could. This year, as best you can, look at what is on the calendar and pencil in daysails, overnighters and journeys you would like see happen. Call up other people (sometimes known as crew) and ask them to commit. Once others are committed, it’s harder to bail. Sail more people, sail more!!