After finding herself single following a split from her long-term partner, Lisa (not her real name) approached the holiday season with dread. She was on her own. Where was she going to go? What was she going to do?
She chose to take to the water with a yacht charter in Devon – and why not?
An adventure sail along the South West coast is a fantastic opportunity for the single traveller, regardless of whether or not they have had previous sailing experience. With a skippered yacht charter on our Jeanneau 409, you can choose how much (or how little) you participate in the sport, whilst visiting beautiful locations along the South Devon coastline. Check out the photos on our website.
An exclusive skippered charter of the yacht guarantees you your own private use of the boat – just you (perhaps your friends) and the skipper onboard. The advantages to this are plenty of space, a choice of cabins and absolute control of the destinations (bar the tide and weather getting in the way). If possible, the skipper will leave the boat in the evenings giving you peace and quiet or time to explore your destination.
A standard skippered yacht charter (or adventure sail) means that others (often those choosing to travel without partners or family) will join you. You will still have your own cabin (one of which is en-suite) but will you’ll be with others making up a small group. Advantages of travelling this way include reduced prices, a good atmosphere and new found friends to go for a drink in the local bar.
An active holiday in the beautiful surroundings of Devon on board a 40’ yacht – there are so many opportunities for people holidaying or travelling alone.
What on earth should I do with my 2 teenagers during the school holidays?
A cry we’ve heard more than once! You want to get them into the great outdoors – they want to play computer games. You want adventure – they want..…oh, hang on a minute, they want adventure, too!
Why not take to the water with a yacht charter in Devon? That’s exactly what one family from Bristol decided to do.
Upon arrival at King Point marina, Devon, the matriarch of the family was immediately impressed with the presentation of our spacious, brand new 40’ yacht. She commented on how immaculately clean and well laid out it was with 3 separate cabins, and she was absolutely over the moon with the fact it had an en-suite bathroom!
The trip organizer (aka, Dad) was impressed by the size and sleekness of the yacht. He was going to be in control of this beautiful Jeanneau 40’ yacht (with the support of a qualified skipper who would “do all the detail’ such as make sure everyone was safe and get them to the next location on their itinerary, but would leave them alone on the boat during the evenings).
And the 2 teenage sons? They didn’t have to share a room, so that was a good start. There were gadgets on board. Gadgets! What more does a boy need? They were not going to spend the whole holiday in one boring location – they were going to sail from port to port along the South Devon coast. They were going to sail their very own yacht.
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.
Barn Pool: This attractive little bay nestles beneath the grandeur of the National Trust’s Mount Edgcumbe Estate. Anchor close to the steeply shelving beach, from where it’s a couple of minutes walk to the Edgcumbe Arms. A perfect lunch stop, and a perfect place from which to observe the warships leaving and returning to the dockyard.
Jenny cliff: If the wind is in the east, it’s possible to tuck in under the sheer cliffs at Jennycliff, between Mountbatten Breakwater and Fort Bovisand. This is particularly useful when Cawsand is untenable.
Cawsand Bay: A popular anchorage with good holding and plenty of space, just off the twin villages of Kingsand and Cawsand. Sheltered in the prevailing winds, particularly the south-west, this can be a wonderful lunchtime or overnight stop. There’s plenty of room to land on the beach and sample one of the several good pubs whilst admiring your boat. Although only a few miles from Plymouth Yacht Haven, this bay feels like a different part of the world, largely because it’s tucked away on a peninsula and takes what seems like several days to travel to by road!
Cellar Bay: Tucked just inside the mouth of the River Yealm, this secluded spot is a perfect swimming destination in settled weather. Deep keeled boats will need to check tide-tables and be aware of the sandbar in the river entrance, but this really is an ideal spot for a picnic. On a rising tide, it’s great to follow a stop here with a meander up the creek at Noss Mayo, where you can tie up alongside the pub at high water and sample the delights of these pretty twin villages.
Stoke Beach: At the western end of Bigbury Bay and approximately 3 miles to the east of the mouth of the River Yealm. With the wind in the north or west, a pretty and sheltered short stopover, and a popular yet uncrowded beach for swimming.
Mothecombe Beach: Identified by the old tea-room, constructed by the owners of Flete in the last century for private picnics, Mothecombe Beach is privately owned by the Flete Estate, but is open to the public on certain days of the week. For more information, visit www.flete.co.uk. The estuary to the east and north of the beach dries at LW, but is a mecca for paddleboarding, kayaking and windsurfing, and can be explored upstream by dinghy for a couple of miles. The estuary is carefully managed as a haven for wildlife, and kingfishers, cormorants and herons are just some of the many species which may be spotted.
Burgh Island: Whilst on passage from Plymouth to Salcombe and beyond, Burgh Island tends to blend into the coastline, but in a small boat and settled weather, is well worth a closer look. Separated from the mainland by a tidal causeway and famous for its Art Deco style hotel, a favourite of Agatha Christie, this really is one of the gems of the South Devon coastline.
Bantham Beach: Situated in a designated AONB, it offers beautiful scenery with panoramic views over Bigbury Bay and the famous Burgh Island. Bigbury Bay itself is a shallow sandy bay, which makes Bantham an ideal beach for swimming and paddling for all the family. Owing to the natural topography of the bay, Bantham also has a reputation as one of the best surf beaches in Devon. At low tide the beach opens up to reveal acres of shallow sandy pools warming up quickly in the sun to create ideal play areas for toddlers. Venture over to the South end of the beach and the low tide will expose a fantastic array of rockpools below the headland. The estuary and surrounding area are a natural haven for wildlife and enjoyed by walkers using the coastal footpaths. Bantham remains unspoilt and the beach is managed with the aim of keeping it as natural as possible.
Hope Cove: A beautiful coastal sanctuary, a place to relax and unwind. Once a favourite haunt for smugglers, now a charming holiday destination.
The picturesque fishing village of Hope Cove is two villages in one – Outer and Inner Hope. At Inner Hope there is a collection of cob or stone cottages, thatch galore, around a tiny square. The windows are bright with geraniums and you need to bow your head to enter the cottages.
2015 is shaping up to be an exciting year for us. We have new yachts on order (Jeanneau 409) and have decided to use the new King Point Marina in the Millbay district of Plymouth to moor them and to use as our main base.
Our original plan was to base our yachts in the Torbay area, either at Brixham (we will maintain one here) or Torquay. Taking all the factors into account, we decided to change our plan and go to King Point. A number of factors helped us make this decision which is in two parts, the area (Plymouth) and the marina .
Some of Reasons for Plymouth
Access to a main line train station ,which means our customers don’t have to take their cars.
Fairly sheltered waters with easy day sails to some beautiful locations such as the Yealm / Cawsands. See our anchorages page.
Moving slightly further afield, you can go east or west and reach destinations such as Salcombe or Fowey (a 5/6 hour window). This means you can use the weather to help shape your course, whereas in Torbay you have a significant trek to go east which includes the nasty tidal gate of Portland. See our destinations page.
Reasons for King Point
Good car parking
Excellent shower and toilet facilities
Large spacious marina
Decent, well used restaurant at the marina (pictured) called The Dock
Why not take advantage of our new charter yachts and location? Come and sail with us in 2015!
Chartering a yacht or boat in Devon should be pretty straight forward but there are things to bare in mind when it comes specifically to bare boat charter as opposed to skippered yacht charter.
You
Bare Boat yacht charter normally requires a higher standard of proficiency from the skipper: generally this will be the RYA Coastal Skipper or Day Skipper with plenty of miles.
There should be a hand over of the vessel. The handover is to ensure you know where the safety gear is and how to use it. It’s quite easy to zone out at this point, but please, stick with it. The second part of the hand over is to ensure that you are happy with reefing and to assess your boat handling skills which is important for the operator and you. If the operator feels you are not up to standard, they may offer a partial refund or a skippered charter instead. From your point of view, you’ll feel more comfortable having a quick refresher and the basics now to hand.
Financially, a boat is in a different league to that of a car. A typical a boat will be in the £100K plus category and they are much more difficult to handle!
Deposits
Insurance companies place large excesses on boat owners or companies that offer bare boat charter, typically £1,000 plus. This is why you are normally asked for a refundable deposit, to cover the excess.
You also be asked to fill in a form detailing the current marks, scratches etc on the boat so that when it is returned, the company or owner can check to see if any new marks have been added. It’s important that you take good notice of this inspection at the beginning as money can be held back from a deposit.
Your Charter Destinations
It is extremely important that you check the almanac and feel comfortable with the passage plan and the destination be that a marina or anchorage. Don’t push the limits – it can lead to a poor experience, indeed. An example of this was last year, when one of our boats was in Torquay marina next to a group of chaps that had chartered another yacht: they asked where they were going they said maybe Totnes. They had a 40′ fin feel boat with a draft of 2 metres. Totnes is a long way up the Dart and it practically dries out. There is no marina or visitors moorings, so these chaps would have been balancing an expensive fin keel boat against a wall … should they have attempted it, more likely they would never of made it. They were quickly talked out of this, but it would have made the owner faint I’m sure!
Some quick points:
Know the boat and know your own and your crews tolerances.
Don’t risk putting boats against harbour walls.
If you’re entering a marina, ask for assistance from the marina staff and make your life easier.
Don’t attempt berthing in strong tidal situations. The urge to “just get in” after a long sail can be strong but it is a mistake and will cause damage if the tide is running. Don’t risk anything more than +- 2 hours of High or Low water.
There is another post here, that is worth further reading.
When you come back
The boat should be left as you found it – this means clean and tidy. Most companies can impose a charge if they feel the boat is not left in a suitable condition.
Any maintenance issues should be conveyed as well as any marks you may of put on the boat. It’s worth remembering that if any marks are found it will more than likely come from your deposit!
Sailing is a fun past time that can contain elements of relaxation, adrenaline and unfamiliarity. If you have never sailed before, you might find some of the aspects of sailing slightly odd and perhaps a little challenging. A good example is that a sailing boat doesn’t always sail “upright” and can lean to one side (called heeling). It may feel odd, but when you understand the dynamics it makes sense and is somewhat comforting.
A boat uses two opposing forces: the wind (there’s a surprise) and it’s righting movement (normally it the shape of the keel). This opposes the wind pressure and wants to keep the boat upright, so what you get is something in between and the boat moves forward. As the wind increases, the boat leans more. This has the effect of allowing less wind to fill the sails as there is less area for the wind to catch, and the boat naturally tries to balance the conditions using the heeling of the boat. In reality, we don’t want too much, but 20% – 25% is a good value. To maintain this, we can also reduce the sail size with reefing and other controls if the wind picks up. The picture above shows about as much heel as we would want.
At Devon Sailing Experiences, we use all or part of the first day to introduce you to the basic techniques and to get a feel of how the boat moves through the water which allows you to be more accustomed and ultimately to enjoy the experience more. If we have experienced guests, we still go through the same procedure (albeit it a bit quicker) as one boat is different to another. Don’t forget, all our experiences come with a fully qualified skipper / trainer , so you can take part in as much (or as little) sailing as you choose.
