A stroll along the waterfront promenade in Washington, DC, about a dozen years ago, changed Matt Haynes’s life. It was there that he noticed a fleet of sailboats and thought, “I should give sailing a try.” In his late 20s at the time, Matt had grown up around powerboating and fishing, but sailing was something he had never tried. In the spirit of encouraging other adults to give sailing a go, Matt agreed to answer a few questions about his sailing experiences.
Tell us about how DC Sail took you from sailing student to volunteer.
Haynes: Yes. The sailboats that I spied along the Anacostia River belonged to DC Sail, so I began there. I took beginner lessons in 2013, and advanced through the introduction to FJs (racing) course, and participated in the adult racing program.
For the past six to seven years, I’ve been a volunteer instructor for DC Sail’s adult learn-to-sail program. I am happy and proud to help usher in new sailors, and it’s an interesting way to meet people from all walks of life. We follow a set curriculum and start adults on Flying Scots. These boats are very stable, making them great for beginners. While it feels great to give back and is gratifying to see in someone else what I’ve experienced, teaching has other benefits too. It is a great reinforcer of skills and has offered me many opportunities for personal development.
You grew up on powerboats. What is it about sailing that appeals to you?
I grew up powerboating and fishing in the Virginia Beach/Newport News area, so I was accustomed to being close to the water, but sailing offered a new way to experience it. With a powerboat you point and go where you want, but with sailing you must work with nature. On a powerboat you might go 30-40 mph and get quickly to your destination, but you take a pounding. With sailing, you must build skills to see, read, and harness the wind. Once the concepts are understood and you put them into action on the sailboat, it’s a very rewarding experience. I’ve found that the sense of accomplishment carries over to other aspects of my life.
Tell us about your international charter experiences.
Toward the end of my first year of sailing, I met someone who put on sailing trips. I decided to join his next group charter, which was in Greece. The trip opened a new avenue for international travel. Now my annual holiday is planned around sailing with sightseeing before and after. It’s given me new life experiences that I would have missed taking a more traditional vacation.
To charter abroad, I earned an international captain’s license. I most frequently vacation charter in the Mediterranean: Greece, Italy, Croatia, Spain, Majorca. I’ve also gone to the British Virgin Islands, and they are great, but the best time to sail there is in the winter when I like to take a ski holiday.
One fun tradition that has come out of chartering internationally began with bringing home a bottle of wine from places I visited. Now it has evolved such that I buy a case or two and ship it home. When I return, I host a party to share the wine with my friends, pairing it with local food from the area where I sailed. It creates a circular feedback loop of good vibes, and it has been a wonderful way to share my experiences.
Sailing also opened the opportunity to meet your spouse?
Sailing is an integral part of my life and, yes, it led to a first date with the woman who is now my wife. We met on an app. My profile had some sailing photos, which caught her attention. She is a racing sailor, and her first leisure sail was on charter with me! I proposed in Tuscany last year during a holiday planned around sailing. Our wedding last October was aboard DC Sail’s American Spirit. The boat was decked out with flowers, and my friend, Captain Patrick, was the captain and officiant. We anchored in the river and exchanged vows and sailed to Alexandria, VA, where we first met.
What would you say to someone who is curious about learning to sail?
People often think sailing will be unaffordable, but cost shouldn’t be a barrier. Sailing isn’t nearly as expensive as I would have thought. Some clubs offer yearlong memberships for the same price as renting a powerboat for a day. In the DC area, you might consider DC Sail, where membership comes with lessons.
I would highly encourage anyone to give it a go. Even if you’ve never been on a boat before, it’s easy to get into sailing. For me, learning in a group setting was important. If you can take your first four-or-so lessons with the same people, you will not only develop sailing skills, but you will also develop relationships with friends. To find that community aspect, and access to boats too, consider membership in a sailing club.
