f you are interested in sailing and also own a sailboat, you may find yourself thinking, “There must be an easier way to do this” when you board your boat. Owning a boat requires more responsibility than renting one. Whether you’re in the bays of Göcek or international waters, the upgrades you make to your boat can both extend its lifespan and enhance your sailing comfort. Even if you’ve completed your IYT sailing education and obtained your license, knowing some key tips can make a big difference for you. There are countless ways to reduce the effort required to hoist, trim, repair, or reef the sails. We have compiled a few of them for you.

1) Sail plan

Do you always need a 150% Genoa sail, or can you sail with a smaller jib sail, or maybe you should try installing a self-tacking system? To compensate for the loss of sail area, you can use a spinnaker when needed.

2) Bow thruster

Docking and undocking a boat is a stressful situation, especially for new captains. You can use a bow thruster to make maneuvering easier in crowded marinas and eliminate stressful docking situations. Installing a bow thruster allows you to turn your boat on its own length or prevent it from drifting toward a pontoon.

3) Electric Winches

From tacking and jibing to setting the mainsail, furling the sails, and climbing the mast, winch systems are our assistants in every situation on the boat. However, they are particularly affected by the load on the sails in rough weather. Adding an electric winch to your boat can be comfortable but a bit costly. An easy way to convert every winch on your boat to an electric winch is to use an electric winch arm.

4) Regular Maintenance

Making sailing easier doesn’t have to be expensive. After sailing, you can ensure smooth operation and extend the lifespan of equipment exposed to saltwater on the deck by rinsing it with fresh water. By completing maintenance on all boat equipment every season, you can ensure smoother operation.