by B.J. Porter (Contributing Editor)

Back in January in an earlier installment of our “Boating for Beginners” series, we talked about going to your first boat show. And specifically, we strongly suggested you avoid buying a boat before you really know what you wanted to use it for. There are a lot of different boats on the market, and some of better for some activities than others. And you don’t want to jump in blindly.

So…how do you know what kind of boating you like if you don’t have a boat to get out on the water?

Well, there are a lot of ways to get out there, even if you don’t know the first thing about how to operate a boat or sail.

OPBs (Other People’s Boats)

Other people’s boats are the cheapest and easiest way to get yourself out on the water if you have friends, acquaintances, or even friendly strangers willing to take you out. Often, the first step is just to ask.

Why would someone take you out on their boat? There are a lot of reasons, but your friends may just want to show their boat off and show you a good time.

But when you ask around, you’ll quickly learn that most boaters are passionate about boating, and many need only the flimsiest excuse to plan a trip. And sharing their passion with a boat-curious newbie is often enough.

Other people may look for company when they boat, and boating is a very social activity. Boat owners without partners who like to join them are often looking for someone to come along to help. Parents with children may need an extra adult hand with lines, and new boat owners are usually eager for help, too.

Short-handed boat owners love guests, and if you’re willing to help and learn, they’re usually willing to show you the ropes. Bring sandwiches and drinks to share, and you might get invited again and again!

Community Boating

Waterfront towns often have community boating centers where you can join and take lessons and even borrow or rent small boats. These are usually non-profit organizations, and they often have low membership dues and reasonable rates. They’re more common for sailboats, but you may find power. U.S. Sailing also has sailing centers around the country with lessons and boats.

Community boating centers are a great way to approach learning without a big upfront commitment, and you can get a genuine sense if the type of boating they offer is for you.

Weeknight Racing

If you think sailing may be your thing, then check out the local weeknight or “beer can” racing series in waters near you. Most weeknight club races have low-key divisions, where owners of smaller or older boats are almost always looking for crew. These boats are competing and will race to win, but reliable crew is hard to find. If you’re willing to commit some time and will listen and learn, you can often find a boat looking to take a new sailor with no skills out.

Check local yacht clubs and sailing organizations for race schedules, and reach out to race organizers to see if there’s a crew wanted board. It may be an online message board, or an old-school cork board at the club with tacked up notecards.

Boating Clubs

There are a few different clubs you can join to help get you out on the water. The cost of membership is higher than a community boating center, but you may also have greater access to a social scene or direct access to boats.

Yacht Clubs

Joining a yacht club when you don’t own a boat may seem counter-intuitive. You’d be surprised how many people do, and most clubs don’t require that you own a boat. And some which do may also accept your intention to own a boat soon instead of actual boat ownership.

A yacht club gives you several ways to get on the water. First, most yacht clubs are also social clubs. They usually have social events, parties, and may have a bar and food service. You will meet lots of new people, and most of them will own boats (see: “OPBs”).

Besides putting you in touch with many boaters, yacht clubs often host regattas and on-the-water events, and there will be opportunities to volunteer at these events, or find a spot on someone else’s boat participating in them.

Boating Clubs

Boating clubs differ from yacht clubs in one essential way – the primary reason to join a boat club is to have use of the boats. It’s not a social club like a yacht club, though there may be social events. Instead, it’s a club which owns many boats, and dues-paying members can use those boats whenever they want to under the rules of the club.

Most of these clubs require a membership fee to join, and ongoing dues. And they will insist you get certified to operate the boat to their standards before you can safely use the club boats. But almost all of them offer training to get you there as part of the package.

But once you pass the training, you’ll have access to a range of different boats to try out. Before you join any club, visit and check out the fleet to make sure what you think you want to try out on the water is there.

Training and Lessons…

Boating lessons are available from many sources. Individual captains can train you, and there are courses and schools with regular curricula and certifications for sailing and power boating. While most states require a safe boating course, most of them are inline or classroom courses without hands on experience. A training center like NauticEd can take your boating the next level. They offer over 30 sailing and powerboating courses to choose from, including interactive multimedia courses, worldwide sailing schools, and sailing vacation experts.

*iNavX has a wonderful partnership with NauticEd, save 15% off NauticEd courses with promo code iNavX-25 *

Community sailing centers and boating schools are always a good resource. When you take a class on “Powerboat Fundamentals” or “Sailing 101” you will learn a LOT about that style of boating, and usually enough to know if it’s for you.

…Followed by Rentals and Charters

One big advantage of taking structured boating lessons is that the right courses give you the skills and certificates to rent or charter boats. And there’s no better way to learn about a boat than getting the skills to handle one, then taking it out on your own to spend a day or more on the water.

Look into what boat rental and charter companies near you require for skills before they’ll rent, and ask them how you can get those skills. They may even have classes.

Get Creative

Sometimes the biggest barrier to getting on the water is fear. Whether it’s fear of asking, “Hey, do you think I can go out with you some time?” or fear of being on the water on your own, it’s that first step you need to break the barrier and get yourself out there.

There are a lot of ways to get yourself on the water this spring. You just have to take the first steps.