Dear Forumosa people,
Can somebody please tell me where I can find sailing in Taiwan.
I have heard about the PSC and contacted Willi, but he said that they will be closed till spring.
Any info will help. I would love to sail, crew, or help repair things on the boat as long as I can get close to one 
Thank you.
Hey Windy Windy,
I’m sorry, I don’t know where you can sail.
But I once got on a fishing boat in Longdong (pass Keelung down the east coast) I spent 10 days there during CNY in 2002 and got to know some of the locals - most of them fishermen.
I told them I was really interested in going to sea. At first they said no. Too dangerous. Illegal… But I kept on asking and I went to the dock at night when one guy I knew would leave with his boat and two Indonesian boys as crew.
The second time I went, he let me go with him for about an hour.
It was an experience to remember. The guy took a chance in letting me jump on board. The coast guard office was about 20 meters away from where his boat was docked.
I wish I could help you with this one…
I’ll ask some of my friends in Hualien if they know anything and let you know if I have some good news for you.
Ugo
With the winter monsoon blowing, I think you might be better off waiting till spring.
There are very very few boats worth sailing on in Taiwan, maybe ten racing or fast cruising yachts all up. It was not legal for many years, and there are very few experienced sailors as a result, and absolutely no sailing culture or even tolerance from the Coast guard who make life extremely difficult for private sailors.
have you tried the pedal-a-swan boats at Bitan? that’s about the biggest boating experience most people care for here in Taiwan.
I’ve seen less than 10 proper yachts in al my years in Taiwan. No real keelboat sailing and very little in the way of dingy sailing. There is a club in fulong, but they are a bunch hacks with a big fish in small pond attitude. If you want sailing, go to HKG or SIN. The head of the Taiwan Sailing Association, is actually here in Shanghai sailing in a lake if that is any indication.
Go windsurfing. Great conditions 150 days of the year. Great spots in Chunan, YuanLi, Guanyin and for learning in the winter in Lugang…etc…
Thank you for the replies.
So is it possible to find one of those ten?
I am not looking for much anything will do actually. I just came to Taiwan and really like it here, so I don’t want to move to HK or SIN just yet.
And did anybody try reviving sailing in Taiwan?
[quote=“Windy windy”]Thank you for the replies.
So is it possible to find one of those ten?
I am not looking for much anything will do actually. I just came to Taiwan and really like it here, so I don’t want to move to HK or SIN just yet.
And did anybody try reviving sailing in Taiwan?[/quote]
I wouldn’t know.
As for reviving sailing…I do know a French guy who tried to keep his boat in Taiwan, but eventually the authorities made it so difficult that he was forced to move it to HKG. While delivering it it HKG he also set a passage record. 
So does anyone know what is the status on owning a privet boat in Taiwan these days. Is it still illegal?
Also are there people interested in bringing sailing to Taiwan?
If you are let me know.
windy
As far as i know, its legal to own a boat in taiwan, you just need to go through a lengthy registration process. It’s not easy apparently. As far as clubs and boats go, there is a sailing club in BaiShaWan that has hobies and a few lasers:
In fulong there is a sailing club that is focussed mainly on windsurfing and they might have a few optimists:
esl99.com/sports_view.php?nid=1210
And in kaoshiung there is a sailing club with optimists and lasers:
As for other dinghies there are apparently is a 49er on penghu, and i saw a 470 sitting on a trailer outside someones house near fulong. I personally would like to buy a i14 for B14, i think there are a few kicking around in Japan.
As for keelboats there are a couple of jeanneau 40 somethings and hunter 30 somethings in bisha harbour near keelung that are affiliated with a sailing school there (they don’t race, or sail much from what i heard). As for racing, there isn’t any serious club racing or regattas from what i’ve seen, and judging by the level of involvement there might not be that many clubs here that have race committees to organise and run formal races. Talking to the guys are BaiShaWan or Kaoshiung is your best, I got the Kaoshiung sailing contact - PM me if you want it. Loretta is also a wealth of knowledge on this topic.
You’re right about them needing to do something, its pretty difficult to get anything going unless you own a boat though.
Penghu has a sailing center. When I was last there in 2004 (?) there were 2 49’ers. Don’t know current status. Possibly they have some Hobies for the summer. Off and On Peghu is a stop on the Asia Pro Windsurfing Tour.
Liquid Sports run by Alex Mowday was a key player in getting that set-up.
One option might be to go to Xiamen to WuYuanWan where they have a nice sailing center. J World just set-up shop there and they also have a fleet of Flying Tigers (FT10).
This year there is a country wide program where the gov. is giving seed money for elementary schools to purchase some OPs…
As for yachts…one big challenge is that most ports are fishing ports run by the fishing association - you have to get permission from them to keep your boat there - or so I’ve been told.
sailing.org.tw/ is the official site of the Taiwan Sailing Association.
country wide program in china or taiwan? There’s a laser dealer in taipei as well according to the laser performance website. Where is the laser fleet though?
Taiwan. I know the guy importing some of the OPs. No laser fleet to speak of…though there is a national event at least once a year. Fulong would be your best bet. On occasion you can see a laser floating around…with no vang on and no clew tie-down. 
Have you sailed at Fulong? Do you have a contact for the guy that was importing the OPs?
Their website looks alright, but geared more towards windsurfing:
there’s a laser contact listed on the APAC Laser association website, might contact that guy.
Its just how I imagined sailing in taiwan would be…
Good luck finding a sailing boat in Taiwan.
I am already having trouble find a local gymnastics and wushu/guoshu in Taichung. Ice hockey in taipei is going to be a hassel for me and that’s why I don’t like to live in Taiwan because lack of social events even though I grew up a bit there.
I like to stay active that’s why I don’t do much of the asian cultural events, too passive for me.
Aussi Aussie Aussie…
Cheers.
Have you sailed at Fulong? Do you have a contact for the guy that was importing the OPs?
Their website looks alright, but geared more towards windsurfing:
there’s a laser contact listed on the APAC Laser association website, might contact that guy.
Its just how I imagined sailing in taiwan would be…[/quote]
I just didn’t bother and took up windsurfing. There are very few good sailing venues in Taiwan where you can keep a dingy or a yacht. In general, the West Coast is tidal and flat with strong breeze 150+ days of the year. The East Coast has a sharp drop off and poor breeze. There are very few locations anywhere that do not involve getting through a shore break and very few locations to store your dingy. On the other hand, Taiwan is paradise for kite and windsurfing. Good breeze, good waves and you can store your gear at home. For those reasons, Taiwan has a credible population of very good windsurfers but highly mediocre dingy/yacht sailors. Interestingly, windsurf & kite gear is less expensive in Taiwan than overseas.
pm if you’d like some numbers. When he can be bothered to keep his site up jasontsai.com usually has great pics. spot.com.tw is another site. sailing.org.tw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4467 list some sites.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned the “Taipei Yacht Club.” It’s been in operation for several years now.
Not much of a “yacht” club, this sailing center is located in Bali across from Danshui. They have a few small sailing dinghies for rent. They also rent windsurfers. The club is currently open only on weekends with sailing only during high tide due to the shallowness of the lagoon they are on. But the reason they are closed on weekdays is that they are dredging a channel so boats can be launched at low tide. Should be done by this Fall.
Cost is NT$1000 / hour to rent a “Formosa 15” sailing dinghy, plus a “site use fee.” You can also keep a dinghy there if you buy a membership and pay a storage fee. Their “Formosa 15” boats won’t win any awards, but I love to sail and I live in Danshui so access is easy. I burn some money there now and then. If you really need to sail, it’s worth checking out.
Despite the unclear English on the website, you do not need to be a member to rent a boat.
So to follow on from what people have previousily said. Taiwan and Dingy/Cat sailing is not the optimal place. Tidal, Currents, Sea conditions make it at best a risky activity for the novice and sailor who thinks he has seen it all. The Guys at PSC have a reasonably safe set up but its a cooperative (Non Profit) and needs enthusiasim and more members.
Membership gives quailifed Skippers access to all the boats for “free”. Guests have to pay to go along.
They have a safety boat and this always luanched as there is a nasty 6 knot rip current about 2km out from the beach.
Before they had this boat they had a few nasty incidents with people having to be rescued by helicopters, or being in the water for 18 hours before getting washed up on a island off Keelung.
YOu can store your equipment there albeit a bit in the public. But in 15 years there has not been any issues. Key issue is Sea condition and as “He” said you don;t want to be on the water in January through to March.
You have the current running against the wind and that creates a 2 to 3 metre chop which in a 25 knot wind on a Hobie is a nightmare to control.
Spring and Summer are more safe.
And the team always round the day out with a solid BBQ (There is a seafood market just up the road). From a cost perspective this is unbeliveably cheap which in some ways indicates a poorly run rustic little set up but this would not be accurate. Willi the guy who runs the club is a perfectionist and the boats are always in great condition.(Best on the Island)
Fulong is a bit more expensive. ( Cheaper than Bali) But has a better shore facilites and the Bay is also a lot safer than PSC. However they have no boats for rent and the sense I get is that is a bit more of a “clique” that goes there and it is not so open and friendly. Having said that they have a 7 Eleven up the road which has cold beer and the access via the railway is much more convenenient than PSC.
Bali although great on shore facilites, from my perspective is just not a feasible option, can only sail when the tide is in, costs are very high, and you are sailing in Taipei Sewer.
Hope this helps… also see my earlier posts under Sailing in Taiwan 10/2008
Does the sailing club in Bali have any windsurfers? (preferably longboards as I’ve never done shortboards)
Noticed the caption at the bottom of your post… re Plato.
Not sure where to this puts me.???
Anyway re Long boards vs Short boards vs fat boards… honestly cannot comment.
its been a year since I was actively sailing in TW.
Visited Tainan and discovered new fully equipped marina pontoons but only a couple of yachts moored up. Looks like the beginning of something good, I shall investigate the possibility of putting a First 20 on a mooring after speaking with authorities. Surely it’s about time that sailing became more popular here or am I missing something.