Sailing - where is good?

[Green]

I e looked at the Varuna sailing club sight, and one other place that is 800b/hour to rent a boat and 400b/h for instructor. Any recommendations where, and how to start? With laser or catamaran, I was planning on this Saturday and Sunday, don't know if it will be busy due to the holiday. Thanks

[StreetCowboy]

On a similar topic, any places that anyone would recommend for kids to learn to sail, in Pattaya or otherwise convenient for Bangkok?

[Green]

bangsaen also, I haven't found anything on the net.

[Green]

Varuna has courses for kids.

[impulse]

If you do find one, please post back with details and pricing.

There's a small outfit about 100 meters north of Pinnacle Resort in Jomtien that has 3 or 4 nice catamarans and some others on the beach for rent, but I didn't ask pricing because I wasn't trying to sail last weekend. I can't imagine they're in the 800 baht per hour range.

But then my fear is a variation of the jet ski scam....

Edited April 30, 2014 by impulse

[Green]

Thanks. Are there many little places that rent?

Here is one new one I found: http://www.pattayasail.com/

[steveromagnino]

The place just north of Pinnacle is called Demon Dayz http://www.windsurfthailand.com/

they are a nice group of people and the owner and his Thai son are nice people; no scams there. Bear in mind when you are hiring a 500,000b catamaran to be honest about your abilities and also to ask for help (if you need it); they don't want it damaged any more than you do.

The other options are all near Pinnacle; Club Loong Chat (http://www.clubloongchat.com/06/default.htm) which is just to the south of Pinnacle and there is a place called Blue Lagoon a little further south again.

An ideal vessel to hire is a Hobie Wave, it is a simple single sail cat ideal for learning how to sail, moves along ok and you can't really damage it. Laser is a fair bit more advanced to sail (sail it well that is) and not so ideal for teaching someone. In some ways.

In Bangkok the options are windsurfing at Taco Lake where they go cable skiing (maybe they got rid of it though), and out near Rama 9 park is the Nong Bon Sailing Centre. Hopefully there will be some more options in future, as there are some good lakes for sailing in Bangkok e.g. Muangthongthani etc.

If you are a little more serious then Varuna is ideal, but really it is set up for members, so join and start getting a bit more serious about sailing.

[Green]

Thanks! Very helpful.

Club Loong Chat has a hobie 13 at 3h for 1400b.

but demon days has a Nacra Sirocco/Hobie Wave half day at 1800b.

I was going to do 1 hour with an instructor, not sure how i will feel after that, no idea if that will be tiring or not, but then was planning to do another hour on my own. about 4-6pm to catch the setting sun. How r they for speed out there?

Edited May 2, 2014 by Green

[Green]

How is Amara? they all seem about the same rates.

I was just watching some instructional videos on utube, picked up a few pointers.

http://www.watersportspattaya.com/index.php/water-sports-thailand/sailing-lessons.html

[Green]

Is there any special gear to bring?

I have a long sleeve shirt, sunblock, but I don't have a strap for my sun glasses...

Small but significant if there is sun, wondering if the places will provide that.

Think I am going to start with wind surfing, loong chat is the only one of demondayz and amara that replied to my email.

How do people get there from bkk? I was going to go to ekkamai and get a bus to satahip and get off at the soi 8 na jomtien and then a bike towards the pinnacle hotel resort.

Any tips here, thanks.