Final project

 

 

Sailboats in the United Arab Emirates

Name: Saeed Mohammed Ali Alshehhi

Institution: HCT

Section: CEC

 

Introduction

            The Emiratis love water and have been sailing since prehistoric times. The practice of sailing has been an important part of UAE history since it was the main income generating activity before the discovery of oil in the mid 20^th century (UAEInteract 2013). In fact, the process of boating and sailing in general has sustained life in the UAE for more than a millennium. Thus, the development of sailing as a sport not only reflects on the importance of sailing to the Emiratis but also a historical practice that had been the main source of livelihood for many centuries (UAEInteract 2013). The success of sailing as a sport is boosted by the calm and warm waters in the Gulf region and the numerous number of clubs and water sports that ensure the sport has facilities and varieties respectively. The numerous hotels around the beach also offer sailing facilities for visitors making the sport one of the most famous in the UAE.

Personal reflection on Sailboating as a Sport

            This is one of my favourite sporting activities. I have always dreamt of owning a boat due to the love I have for the sport. I love the sport due to the huge fun it gives me and the historical context of the sport in our country and my family specifically. I come from a family with a long history of sailing practices dating back over a century. As much as modernization has eaten away the practice, it is still very famous in our family, and it is practiced as a form of leisure and respect to my family’s history. Therefore, my love for sailing as a sport has been cultivated in me since I was young as part of my family heritage.

 

 

 

History of Sailboating as a Sport

            Sailing has been part of UAE evolution for many years. It was mainly practiced at a commercial level. However, sailing as a sport is said to have originated in the 17^th century in Holland (Pearson Education, 2005). The sport then spread to England in around 1660, eventually spreading to most of England’s colonies in the Americas. This gave birth to yacht clubs, where sailors came together to form a recreational and social group. Yacht clubs existed as early as 1720 in Ireland (Pearson Education, 2005). In the 20^th century, sailing sport as a competition became recognised globally with teams from all over the world competing for the top spot.

In the UAE, sailing as a sport was introduced in mid 20^th century as one of the country’s initiatives to preserve its cultural heritage of the country (Dokoupil, 2012). One of the earliest sporting actions of sailing is the traditional boat racing that takes place annually in the UAE.

Sailboat sporting facilities in Abu Dhabi

            The success of this activity as a sport is due to intense investments the country has made in the form of facilities and training as it is considered one of the main tourist attraction activities in the country. The main providers of these facilities are water sport clubs, beach clubs, and hotels which are found in all major Emirates. To begin with Abu Dhabi has the highest number of clubs and hotels that offer facilities for water sports including sailboat sport. The Abu Dhabi Sailing Club (ADSC) is globally known for its numerous facilities that support water sporting activities (Abu Dhabi Government, 2013). It is part of the Madinat Zayed club that is focused on sporting activities in the UAE. The Abu Dhabi Sailing Club (ADSC) offers both temporary and long term membership making it a major tourist water sporting centre. Furthermore, there is the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club which is well known for its powerboat racing activities in Abu Dhabi and the rest of the UAE (Abu Dhabi Government, 2013). It supports numerous marine sports including waterskiing, wakeboarding, kayaking, sailing, jet skis, and powerboats. Its access to a large beach makes it one of the favourite sporting joints in the UAE. The success of this club is founded in its sport hosting activities that are local, regional and international.

            Other common areas that support sailboat as a sport in Abu Dhabi are Emirates Sailing School, the Emirate Heritage Club, and the Wakeboarding beginner’s park (Abu Dhabi Government, 2013). All these facilities have world class equipment and machinery that support all major marine sports in the UAE.

Health and diet and sporting

            Sporting activities have been practiced for many years as a major form of physical exercise in the process of promoting healthy living. The UAE has invested heavily in sporting facilities as a way of promoting active living among the Emiratis. The most important aspect of healthy living is eating a well-balanced diet (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2013). This is essential to ensure the body has enough food for the provision of physical energy. A common health diet should include vitamins and minerals, drinks, salt, sugar, fats, beans and pulses, eggs, meat, milk, starchy foods, fruits and vegetables. Eating a well-balanced diet promotes health, which is an essential ingredient to sporting activities.

            The performance of an individual in any sporting event that requires the use of physical energy is enhanced by nutrition. The most important aspect of sporting is a promotion of an active lifestyle. Eating well promotes an active lifestyle as it ensures the body has enough energy needed to participate in the activity (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2013). For instance, sailing requires rowing of the boat which is dependent on the amount of energy an individual’s body can produce and for how long. Thus healthy living is not limited to physical exercise; eating a balanced healthy diet is a major ingredient.