Fancy trying out for the South West 3 Peaks Yacht Race?
Sail 115 miles, cycle 140 miles and run 27 miles all in a weekend! This race which will appeal to those seeking a new challenge. Teams of 6 (2 sailors & 4 runners/cyclists or any combination) in yachts from 26’ to 45’. The race starts at 12:00 on Friday 17th June in St Mawes and finishes in Plymouth on Sunday.
DSE are intending to enter a yacht into the event, which means we have place for 4 athletes, if you’re a cyclist or runner and would like to book a place please get in touch.
Do you regularly charter a yacht in the Solent? Have you ever considered a change of scenery and sailing ground? Then why not consider a change to the West Country? With crystal blue waters and an abundance of unspoilt scenery, chartering a yacht in the South West is a must for anyone who enjoys sailing.
One of the advantages of chartering a yacht from Plymouth is the large and varied sailing grounds it offers with a choice of easily accessible destinations. With Devon to the east and Cornwall to the west, Plymouth is ideally placed for you to explore the coast allowing you to use the best of the prevailing winds. There are only a few locations which are restricted by tide. No harbour or marina is more than a few hours away, allowing you flexibility in your sailing plans dependent on weather conditions, as well as the sailing stamina and interests of your crew.
Typically, the sea depth off the coast is deep and trouble free and with plenty of natural marine life for you to observe, see video above which was taken on Spellbound on route to Fowey.
In our opinion, ‘harbour time’ is just as important as sailing. From our own base at King Point Marina , the easily accessible harbours include Fowey, Falmouth, Helford, Salcombe, Dartmouth, Brixham and Torquay. All these destinations are no more than a day sail.
The off-season is a fabulous time to charter a yacht in South West. As you would expect, mooring during the summer months can get busy in popular locations such as Salcombe, but during the shoulder months, it is not unheard of to be able to moor overnight on the town’s walk-ashore pontoon (although it’s always worth taking a tender and outboard along as many locations in the south west are not walk ashore and rely on water taxis in the summer months)
With Plymouth being on a main line, there are direct trains from London Paddington and the Midlands. If you think about it, in most cases we are only an extra hour or so away from your usual stop in Southampton. Once you reach Plymouth Central, you are a 5 minute (or sometimes less!) taxi ride away from King Point Marina, Plymouth which offers excellent on-shore facilities. For those of you travelling by car, we offer free and secure car parking.
Over the past few years we have welcomed a few new ‘converts’ who used to charter a yacht in the Solent but have been enticed to the west-country with its great sailing grounds, beautiful scenery and high quality yachts. If that wasn’t tempting enough, we will also offer a discount for Solent charterers who who like to try a change of scenery with a yacht charter in the South West.
Escape the Solent …. we’re might be a bit further away (but not by much!) and it is definitely worth it!
So you have thought about chartering a yacht in Devon or Cornwall. What kind of things do you need to look out for and what are the pitfalls?
Chartering a yacht
First off, you need to know whether you will be allowed to charter, the sailing conditions and the costs (boat insurance etc). In the UK , it is more difficult to sail and more expensive to charter than chartering in the med. Usually you’ll need a minimum of an RYA day skipper ticket – the practical tidal one, not the theory part. On top of that, you will need to have skippered before (probably a few hundred miles worth). It’s worth remembering you are in charge of something that is anywhere from £20K to several hundred thousand pounds so it’s worth being honest with yourself.
If you’re not certain or don’t want the responsibility, you have 2 options:
1) Skippered Charter. You can still do as much of the skippering as you want, but you have the crucial element of having someone to fall back on and take away the anxiety of mooring or problems you may encounter.
2) Refresher training. At Devon Sailing Experiences we can put a yacht master instructor on your boat for the first day or two. This helps with confidence and will also help you learn key skills you may not get with RYA qualifications (RYA training is quite a broad brush with a set criteria).
Booking early
Waiting until July or August to book a yacht charter will mean you’ll be disappointed, or you’ll end up with something that really doesn’t work for you. You’ll be surprised at the number of calls we get in August for August. Ideally, you’ll be booking in Jan/Feb/March to secure the boat that you want. Ask for photos so you know what you’re getting and whether the yacht is kept clean and tidy.
Security deposit
All charter companies require a security deposit. This usually ranges from £1000 plus and it covers damage (or insurance excess) that you might of caused during your charter. In reality, it won’t cover anything significant but things like gel coat damage would be covered.
Your Yacht Charter
If the cruising ground is unfamiliar, ensure the yacht you are chartering has (at it should do by law) up to date charts and a plotter.
Don’t try to be too ambitious early on – the almanac contains the distances to your destination but are assuming your VMG is 100% (i.e you are heading directly to your destination without the need for tacking or gybing). Weather plays a big factor on you, your crew and the angle you can sail (or motor) to the destination. If you’re sailing into strong winds, don’t forget that the sea state and the fact you’ll be tacking will add significant constraints to your plans. Have a back-up plan.
Don’t be afraid to stay in the harbour; you’ve sailed to a nice place so why not enjoy it for another day rather than go out in unfavourable conditions.
Finally
Sailing, unlike power boating, is not about getting from A to B as quickly as possible. It’s about enjoying the experience of being out on the water and using the natural elements to drive yourself to the destination …. enjoy it!
For photos of your yachting experience see our partners at marine digi pics
Stag weekends on the water can be enormous fun. We’ve been successfully organising sailing events and stag weekend sailing for a number of years, and during this time we have come up with a number of tips to help you decide whether it’s for you and how to get the best out of it. Here are our main hints and tips on how to make the most of your stag weekend on the water.
It might sound obvious, but…
If you want to balance a good time on shore with some sailing activity, it’s best not to over do the alcohol as it will spoil your enjoyment if you are feeling unwell for the entire event. If you are looking for just pub to pub drinking, then a land based stag weekend (rather than a sailing stag weekend) is definitely for you.
Usually there are non-sailors or people that have never been on the water at all in your group. If it looks like the day might be a bit sporty weatherise, it might be an idea to split the group into people that have done it before and those that haven’t; it means that the skipper on the novices boat will take more time getting the chaps used to the sea and will adapt the experience.
Save the pranks until you’re onshore.
Respect the boats – they’re expensive.
Food and drink
We provide water and lunch, you don’t need to provision the yachts with much food.
Avoid food that will make a mess such a pastries or greasy food.
The yachts have fridges, so you are welcome to bring beer and wine for the evening, however in our experience, you’ll be out and about in one of the harbours so you don’t need loads. The yachts may not be moored together.
To prevent carrying lots of stuff on your trip to us in Plymouth, you can have the food and drink delivered direct to the boats using one of the many home delivery services.
What to bring
Depends on the time of year of course but the basics are as follows
When trying to choose a yacht charter in Devon, you can’t go far wrong with chartering a yacht from Plymouth which is an excellent area for charter. Not only do you have a number of locations within the protection of Plymouth Sound such as Cawsands, Kingsands and the Yealm, but many anchorages as well.
From Plymouth, you can sail East or West. Just a day sail away to the East is Salcombe and to the West is Fowey, meaning you can choose a destination that suits the weather. You are also in striking distance to Cornwall if you choose to venture that way.
Devon Sailing Experiences has yachts based in Plymouth for charter, both skippered and bare boat. So when deciding to charter a yacht from Plymouth, Devon Sailing Experiences can help you get on the the water at a sensible cost.
Yacht charter Plymouth also has the advantage of being close to the mainline station – just 5 minutes away from our moorings at King Point marina.
If you choose to charter a yacht from Plymouth, then our facilities at King Point marina are second to none. Being a new marina, it offers large walk in shower and toilet cubicles that are to such a high specification, they put any other marina to shame. There is plenty of space for you to manoeuvre the yacht, and friendly marina staff are always on hand if you need help.
For more information contact info@devonsailingexperiences.co.uk
The first of our new 409’s arriving from France, freshly shrink wrapped. Commissioning will be complete by the end of April with our first customers – Devon Life, coming on board soon after.
This yacht will mainly service the local South Hams area of Salcombe, Dartmouth and Plymouth
Our yacht charter season is up and running and what a great start with easter giving some great sailing weather. Winds were light but flying a asymmetric allowed us to achieve a good 5 knots in 9 knots of wind. The sun was warm and for the first time this year it was time to break out the casual sailing gear and caps.
Who needs the med when you got great sailing locations on your door step in Devon and Cornmall. Bareboat and Skippered charters available for this summer.
Picture above was taken from Brixham looking north to Torquay.
Devon Sailing Experiences offers bespoke sailing packages tailored you your own personal requirements and interests. To get the most out of your holiday, please visit www.devonsailingexperiences.co.uk to find a package that suits you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you cannot find what you are specifically looking for – we are flexible.
When sailing with us, in addition to personal belongings, guests will need to bring:
– Suitable clothing for an outdoor pursuit – bring warm and waterproof clothing, even during the summer
– Non-marking footwear
– Sun glasses
– Sun cream
In the unlikely event that we are forced to cancel due unusual and unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, (Force Majeure), we will endeavour to offer an alternative voyage at a mutually agreeable date.
Your safety is our primary concern. Devon Sailing Experiences is equipped with safety gear in excess of that required by law, and is run by highly experienced management team. You will receive a full safety briefing at the start of the booking. You must agree to abide fully with the instructions of the skipper and permanent crew.
Sailing is a hands-on experience and your participation is required to sail her to the best of her potential. A reasonable level of fitness is required to sail. If you or any of your party suffer from any medical conditions that might affect their health and safety during the experience, e.g. Heart conditions, epilepsy, diabetes or if you are on any medication that may be adversely affected by seasickness you must disclose it to us at the time of booking. This information will be held in confidence by us. Failure to disclose a condition could result in the affected crew being put ashore for their own safety.
Tourism is increasingly a vital part of the income for residents of Devon and Cornwall, therefore we use local products and local services with the intention of helping to support local businesses, create employment and contribute to the overall sustainable development of the west-country. As a traveller, we believe that by choosing to purchase locally produced goods and services, your Devon and Cornwall experience can be greatly enhanced.
Marine toilets on-board our yachts are water efficient, as they flush using water from the sea. Travellers need to ensure that the holding tank is used when moored in marinas, on mooring buoys/pontoons or at anchor. Where possible, land based toilet facilities should be used.
Guests are encouraged to use eco-friendly soaps and washing up liquids whilst on-board our yachts.
Be part of the marine community. Information about how to report sightings of various marine life and to minimise damage to individual ecosystems can be obtained from each harbour (and are available in our Guest Information packs on each boat).
Environmental
All bookings are made online or via the telephone. Information will be sent electronically wherever possible, saving on printing and paper costs.
For those already living in the UK, staying in the UK for a holiday is beneficial to our environment, as it is unlikely that air travel will be involved.
Guests are encouraged to sail our yachts powered by the renewable and sustainable power of the wind as much as possible, rather than by engine.
Many of our sailing destinations are classified as AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) or eco-harbours. These locations provide information leaflets with advice on protecting the local environment. Such information is always shared with our guests via the skipper and within our Guest Information packs.
Glass, can, food and card recycling points are widely available when moored in marinas and at popular destination points. Our on-board policy is that all rubbish is brought ashore and, as with all sailors, we strongly encourage a positive recycling policy.
Use of eco-friendly soaps and washing-up liquids are encouraged.
Marine toilet facilities (such as those on our boats) are water efficient and use sea water. Guests are advised to use holding tank when using on-board toilet facilities.
Fresh water is available from marinas and town docks and is stored in water holding tanks on-board. Limited water storage facilities ensure that our guests are aware of their water usage, limiting wastage.
Economic
Devon Sailing Experiences is a small, family run business.
For those already living in the UK, staying in the UK is beneficial to the country’s economic situation.
Tourism plays a vital role in the income of residents in Devon and Cornwall. With in-depth knowledge of the local area, we are able to provide personal recommendations for local pubs, restaurants and shops, as well as areas of cultural interest and events based on the preferences of our guests.
Where optional meals are provided, a range of locally produced food and beverages are offered. Information about our suppliers is made available to our guests.
We work closely with other local businesses and always use local professionals for any element of boat maintenance that is required.
If our guests request something that we are not able to offer (for example, training for official RYA qualifications), we will not hesitate to put them in touch with a local company who will be able to help them.
Social
Tourism is increasingly a vital part of the income for residents of Devon and Cornwall, therefore we use local products and local services with the intention of helping to support local businesses, create employment and contribute to the overall sustainable development of the west-country. Current local suppliers of products and services (2015) include: Trafford Yachts, Dart Fire Protection, Dartside Quay, Veaseys, Sharpham Vineyard, Riverford Farm, Beacon Park.
Devon Sailing Experiences also provide comprehensive guest information packs on each boat which gives information about visits to local areas of interest and activities. We actively encourage our guests to visit locally important heritage sites, local shops and restaurants, sample local delicacies and participate in local cultural events through our comprehensive guest information packs, as well as through discussions with our enthusiastic skippers and crew.
Operation
This policy has been distributed to all staff members, and is available to suppliers and travellers upon request.
We are counting down the weeks now when we receive our brand new Jeanneau 409 from Trafford Yachts, this boat will be supplied with: folding prop, heating, AIS and a raft of other options making the boat a great addition to our 36’s.
She will be available for bare boat charter or skipper charter from locations in Devon, but primarily out of King Point marina in Plymouth. The car park is free and the mainline station is just 5 minutes away.
The layout is 3 cabin with en-suite double fore cabin, two further double cabins and additional toilet and shower room.
January (and February) is a tough time to find decent days to go out sailing. In recent years, the jet stream seems to set in during these months and we’ve taken the view to have the charter boats out the water.
This leaves plenty of time for the essential maintenance tasks such as: anti fouling, engine service, replacing the anodes, rig checks (see below) and hull cleaning. Even this can be tough to do when the weather sets in.
Some people take their boats out for just a few weeks or they use the sea lift type systems which may mean the boat is out for a day. Personally, we believe that having some time with the boats ashore gives you a good period of time to check the things you don’t see for most of the year – the bit that stays under the water. I can’t see how you can do this in a few hours or days.
I often wonder why people don’t bother with annual rig checks; the rigging is the ‘engine’ of a sailing boat and takes very high loads. An inspection at the top of the mast is vital to see if there is wear and tear on the halyards or a jam. How often have you taken down the fore sail? Good rig set-up also helps the boat sail better. As with everything boat based, I’m sure it comes down to cost. An engine service is your get out of jail card, so many just opt for that.
January also provides us with time to pop up to the London boat show (we haven’t had a stand there yet) and catch up with our friends in the industry …. then pretty much everyone takes a holiday 🙂
