Welcome to our latest newsletter, where we review the outgoing 2023 sailing season for Devon Sailing Experiences and fill you in about our plans for 2024. We want to let you know that although we are feeling the pinch due to increased costs, we have not increased our prices.
Sailing Gift Vouchers – the Perfect Christmas Gift
Gift vouchers for sailing experiences are available to purchase from our website. Valid for 12 months from the date of purchase, they make ideal presents for Christmas and special occasions. As the dark evenings draw in, we could all do with something to look forward to. With a sailing gift voucher, not only do you get the excitement of opening your Christmas gift on the day, but the added bonus of choosing a future date to join us on the water in the Spring/Summer of 2024.
If you are in possession of a gift voucher, we recommend visiting our sailing schedule to book a date as soon as possible to avoid disappointment as our day and weekend sails get booked up quickly, particularly during the summer months.
What is planned for the 2024 season?
Our 2024 sailing schedule is up and running. You can read a little more about all of our sailing opportunities, who they are suitable for and what is included by following the links to our website.
Exclusive charters are scheduled on demand and are ideal for special occasions such as birthdays or meeting up with friends that you haven’t seen for a long time. They are also a great way to introduce your family to the water. For more information please get in touch.
RYA courses are scheduled throughout the year. We will continue to schedule them on-demand, so if you can’t see a suitable date on our sailing schedule, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to organise a date for you (subject to availability).
Bareboat charter bookings are now being taken for 2024. A 20% deposit will secure your date with the balance due 4 weeks before you sail. Take a look at our Bareboat Charter page and then get in touch to confirm availability.
Was your booking postponed in 2023?
We sail in all weather EXCEPT when high winds make it dangerous. When this happens, we may need to postpone your booking to keep you and our boats safe. If your booking was postponed in 2023, please make sure you give yourself plenty of time to re-book your date this year.
Follow us on Social Media
Keep up to date with last-minute availability and stories from our skippers and guests by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us in any of your own posts; we love to hear about your sailing adventures so if you have any photos you would like to share (or stories to tell) please get in touch.
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2023 where you will find information about availability for our upcoming season.
What is scheduled for 2023?
ICC Assessment Day
Saturday 1st April 2023
Are you chartering abroad this year? If so, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to check your sailing paperwork is up-to-date. You are likely to need an International Certificate of Competence (ICC). If you have RYA Day Skipper, you can apply directly to the RYA who will provide the certificate for you. If you are an experienced sailor BUT DO NOT have RYA Day Skipper, you may need to take the ICC Assessment before you charter aboard. We have 1 place remaining on our ICC Assessment day on Saturday 1st April. Your instructor will assess you against a list of competencies, and provide you with the documents to evidence your ability. You may then send the paperwork to the RYA who will issue your ICC certificate.
5-day West Country Sailing ExperienceMonday 15th May – Friday 19th May 2023
Our 5-day west country sailing experience is a group sailing experience which is ideal for people who have sailed before but don’t necessarily have the experience (or a willing crew) to skipper the trip. We currently have 3 places remaining aboard this trip. Guests have their own double cabin aboard our 42’ Jeanneau (no cabin-sharing unless you book with a partner) with bedding provided. Breakfast and lunch taken aboard the yacht are included. Your overnight destinations will allow you to eat out in the evenings whilst you take your time to explore the beautiful ports along the south west coast. Potential destinations include, Salcombe, Fowey, Falmouth, Newton Ferrers, Dartmouth and Brixham. If you would like to find out more or book your place with a 20% deposit, follow the link above.
Channel Islands Cruise (Group Sailing Experience)
Monday 24th July – Sunday 30th July 2023
We currently have a double cabin remaining on our 7-day sailing experience to the Channel Islands. This type of sailing experience is called a “group sail” which is ideal for people who have sailed before but don’t necessarily have the experience (or a willing crew) to skipper the trip. Bedding is provided. The price includes breakfast and lunch taken aboard the yacht, skipper fees and mooring fees. Your overnight destinations will allow you to eat out in the evenings whilst you take your time to explore the Channel Islands at your leisure. If you would like to find out more or book your place with a 20% deposit, follow the link above.
Weekend and Day Sails
Various dates
Weekend sails and day sails continue to be our most popular sailing experiences that are suitable for all levels of sailors. Whilst they offer a good introduction to sailing, they are also useful to help build miles and develop skills. Places are starting to get booked up, so please take a look at our sailing schedule, choose a date and book yourself aboard.
RYA Courses (Competent Crew and Day Skipper)
Various dates
We have some places remaining on our RYA Competent Crew and RYA Day Skipper (Practical) courses this year. Please take a look at our sailing schedule, and choose a date to book yourself aboard. If you can’t see a suitable date, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to organise a convenient one for you (subject to availability).
Our standard RYA courses are suitable for those aged 18 and above. If you are looking to book as a family with under 18s, please refer to our RYA Training for the Family and get in touch to schedule a date that works for you.
Exclusive Sailing Experiences
Scheduled on demand
So far this year, bookings for exclusive sailing experiences have proven popular. These types of sailing experience offer a wonderful way to introduce your family to the water. They are also ideal for special occasions such as birthdays or meeting up with friends that you haven’t seen for some time. We offer single-day and multi-day exclusive charters. You can read more about it by following the link (above) to our website. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements before booking.
Thinking about a bareboat charter for 2023?
We are now taking bookings and still have some availability for bareboat charters in 2023. A 20% deposit will secure your date with the balance due 4 weeks before you sail. Follow this link to our Bareboat Charter page and then get in touch to confirm availability.
Terms and Conditions
By booking with Devon Sailing Experiences, you are accepting our terms and conditions. Please ensure you have read these before booking. We politely draw your attention to the paragraph regarding cancellation and rescheduling and recommend you take out insurance in case of cancellation outside our terms and conditions. Please ensure you have adequate insurance cover in the case of YOUR cancellation due to YOUR personal circumstances (for example, illness or hospital appointments).
If you are unsure about any aspect, please feel free to ask before you book.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Keep up to date with last-minute availability and stories from our skippers and guests by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us in any of your own posts; we love to hear about your sailing adventures so if you have any photos you would like to share (or stories to tell) do get in touch.
We look forward to welcoming you to Devon soon.
Nick, Katie and the Devon Sailing Experiences team.
Welcome to our latest newsletter, where we review the 2022 sailing season for Devon Sailing Experiences and fill you in on our plans for 2023.
A look back at our busy 2022 Sailing Season
We started the year with our one-off 9-day RYA Day Skipper (Combined) course. This was closely followed by a couple of group sailing experiences to the Channel Islands and the Scillies for some of our more experienced sailors. Our Day Sails and Weekend Sails continued to be our most popular sailing experience, with our skippered charter yacht being booked out every single weekend from April until October.
We saw a big increase in the number of families joining us for exclusive skippered charters (single and multi-day) during the school holidays in May, July and August. These months are particularly popular, so we would recommend early bookings if you would like to join us during these months in future.
We welcomed some new skippers and instructors to our rapidly growing team – one of them was involved with a real life rescue during the RYA training course that he was running for Devon Sailing Experiences. You can read about it in our blog post here.
Looking for a Christmas gift?
Gift vouchers for sailing experiences are available to buy from our website. Valid for 12 months from the date of purchase, they make ideal presents for Christmas and special occasions.
If you are currently in the possession of a gift voucher, we recommend booking a date as soon as possible to avoid disappointment as our day and weekend sails get booked up quickly, particularly during the summer months.
What is scheduled for 2023?
We have now started adding day sails, weekend sails and RYA courses to our 2023 sailing schedule. If you are in possession of a sailing voucher, now would be the time to visit our website and get your day or weekend sail booked in for 2023. You can read a little more about our sailing opportunities below and by following the links to our website.
Weekend and Day Sails (various dates) Weekend sails and day sails are our most popular sailing experiences that are suitable for all levels of sailors. Whilst they offer a good introduction to sailing, they are also useful to help build miles and develop skills. Due to the beauty of the southwest coast, our weekend sails are often used as mini-breaks to allow guests to explore fabulous close-by locations such as Salcombe, Fowey and Noss Mayo. Please visit our website to book yourself aboard.
RYA Competent Crew and Day Skipper (various dates) Take a look at our sailing schedule and book yourself aboard. Throughout the year, we will continue to schedule RYA courses for our past guests on-demand, so if you can’t see a suitable date on our sailing schedule, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to organise a date for you (subject to availability).
Our standard RYA courses are suitable for those aged 18 and above. If you are looking to book as a family with under 18s, please refer to our RYA Training for the Family and get in touch to schedule a date that works for you.
What else can we do in 2023?
Many of our events and sailing opportunities are scheduled on-demand, so if you can’t see something that works for you on our sailing schedule, it is always worth getting in touch – we will always do our very best to help. Here are some ideas about what exciting options you could book for next year:
Channel Islands Cruise (Group Sailing Experience) 7-day sailing experience to the Channel Islands is a group sailing experience which is ideal for people who have sailed before but don’t necessarily have the experience (or a willing crew) to skipper the trip. This sailing experience is scheduled on demand and will run with a minimum of 3 guests. Guests have their own double cabin aboard our 42’ Jeanneau (no cabin-sharing unless you book with a partner) with bedding provided. Breakfast and lunch taken aboard the yacht are included. Your overnight destinations will allow you to eat out in the evenings whilst you take your time to explore the Channel Islands at your leisure. If you would like to find out more or book your place with a 20% deposit, follow the link above.
Isles of Scilly Cruise (Group Sailing Experience) A similar format to the Channel Islands Cruise, The Isles of Scilly Sailing Experience is scheduled on demand and will run with a minimum of 3 guests. Guests have their own double cabin aboard our 42’ Jeanneau (no cabin-sharing unless you book with a partner) with bedding provided. Breakfast and lunch taken aboard the yacht are included. Your overnight destinations will allow you to eat out in the evenings whilst you take your time to explore the Scillies at your leisure. If you would like to find out more or book your place with a 20% deposit, follow the link above.
Exclusive Sailing (Scheduled on demand) Our exclusive sailing experiences offer a wonderful way to introduce your family to the water. They are also ideal for special occasions such as birthdays, marriage proposals (yes – that has happened – you can read about it here) or meeting up with friends that you haven’t seen for some time. We offer single-day and multi-day exclusive charters. You can read more about it by following the link (above) to our website.
Thinking about a bareboat charter for 2023?
We are now taking bookings for bareboat charters in 2023. A 20% deposit will secure your date with the balance due 4 weeks before you sail. Follow this link to our Bareboat Charter page and then get in touch to confirm availability.
Was your booking postponed in 2022?
We sail in all weather EXCEPT when high winds make it dangerous. We do our very best to run your sailing experience as scheduled, but sometimes we need to postpone your booking to keep you and our boats safe. If your booking was postponed in 2022, please make sure you give yourself plenty of time to re-book your date this year. We can only offer you 12 months to rebook a cancelled booking.
Terms and Conditions
By booking with Devon Sailing Experiences, you are accepting our terms and conditions. Please ensure you have read these before booking. We politely draw your attention to the paragraph regarding cancellation and rescheduling and recommend you take out insurance in case of cancellation outside our terms and conditions. Please ensure you have adequate insurance cover in the case of YOUR cancellation due to YOUR personal circumstances (for example, illness or hospital appointments).
If you are unsure about any aspect, please feel free to ask before you book.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Keep up to date with last-minute availability and stories from our skippers and guests by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us in any of your own posts; we love to hear about your sailing adventures so if you have any photos you would like to share (or stories to tell) do get in touch.
A huge shout out to say well done and thank you to Charlie Musgrove, one of our RYA Instructors, who carried out a real-life rescue with his Day Skipper and Competent Crew students last week.
On the morning of Wednesday 31st August, Charlie and his crew (a family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers who were working towards their RYA certificates) left Port Pendennis Marina. Making the decision to put 1 reef in the main to help deal with the lumpy sea state, they headed for a day out on the water. Whilst heading out, one of the family members spotted a small rubber tender that appeared to be struggling to row from St Mawes back to Mylor against the tide and increasing sea state.
Slightly concerned, the decision was made to change course to check everything was OK. It soon became apparent that they were in a spot of bother when the teenagers pointed out that the couple aboard the tender was trying to get the crew’s attention.
With a confident student on the helm, Charlie made contact with the couple in difficulty, who explained that they had engine failure and would be grateful for some assistance.
The family of RYA students sprang into action. They dropped the main sail and with the initial plan to tow the couple, it was later decided that it would be better to safely get them aboard our 42′ yacht, Bewitched. After dropping the transom, the crew worked well together transferring the couple with ease.
The couple were extremely thankful when they were dropped off at Mylor Marina, and contacted Devon Sailing Experiences to express their gratitude the next day. They said, “Please give a big thank you to Charlie for the professional way he helped us back to shore. We hope the course ended well for the family too. Such a beautiful yacht and a kind instructor who came to our aid.”
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2022, where we offer you a 10% discount on our RYA Day Skipper theory course, fill you in about our plans for the year (it’s going to be a busy one!) and introduce you to our skippers.
10% OFF RYA Day Skipper (theory)
Devon Sailing Experiences will be running a one-off RYA Day Skipper (Theory) course from Wednesday 13th April until Sunday 17th April 2022. We would like to offer our subscribers 10% OFF. Normally priced at £525 per person, you will get it at a reduced rate by entering the coupon code RYA-DISC10 at the checkout.
5 places are currently remaining, so hurry and book your theory course today. We have no plans to schedule any other theory courses this year.
What is happening in 2022?
Our sailing calendar is filling up fast which is great news for us in 2022. Lots of events/sailing opportunities are scheduled on-demand, so if you can’t see dates or events on our sailing schedule that work for you, it is always worth getting in touch to ask – we will always do our very best to help.
In the meantime, we have availability for the sailing experiences listed below:
We currently have 2 places remaining on our 7-day sailing experience to the Channel Islands. Our group sailing experiences are ideal for people who have sailed before but don’t necessarily have the experience (or a willing crew) to skipper the trip. Guests have their own double cabin aboard our 42’ Jeanneau (no cabin-sharing unless you choose to) with bedding provided. Breakfast and lunch taken aboard the yacht are included. Your overnight destinations will allow you to eat out in the evenings whilst you take your time to explore the Channel Islands at your leisure. If you would like to find out more or book your place with a 20% deposit, follow the link above.
Isles of Scilly Cruise (Group Sailing Experience) Monday 16th – Sunday 22nd May
This sailing experience is now fully booked, however, we can schedule more dates on demand. If it is something you would like to do in the future, follow this link to find out more. We will happily discuss potential dates with you.
Weekend and Day Sails Various dates
Weekend sails and day sails are our most popular sailing experiences that are suitable for all levels of sailors. Whilst they offer a good introduction to sailing, they are useful to help build miles and develop skills. Due to the beauty of the southwest coast, our weekend sails are often used as mini-breaks to allow guests to explore fabulous close-by locations such as Salcombe, Fowey and Noss Mayo. Please visit our website to book yourself aboard.
Exclusive Sailing Scheduled on demand
Our exclusive sailing experiences offer a wonderful way to introduce your family to the water. They are also ideal for special occasions such as birthdays, marriage proposals (yes – that has happened – you can read about it here) or meeting up with friends that you haven’t seen for some time. We offer single-day and multi-day exclusive charters. You can read more about it by following the link (above) to our website.
RYA Courses (Competent Crew and Day Skipper) Various dates
We will continue to schedule RYA courses for our past guests on-demand, so if you can’t see a suitable date on our sailing schedule, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will schedule one for you (subject to availability).
Bareboat Charter Limited availability remaining in May, June and July
April 2022 is fully booked. We currently have limited availability in May, June and July. However, August, September and October currently have plenty of availability, so please get in touch to book. A 20% deposit will secure your date with the balance due 4 weeks before you sail.
Meet our skippers
We would like to introduce you to our skippers and instructors for 2022 (in case you haven’t already had the pleasure of meeting them). You will be able to read about their sailing experience later this year in our “Meet the Skipper” blog posts – we will let you know when they are available so watch this space!
Instructors and Skippers (Clockwise from top left): Tim Sunderland (Chief Instructor), Mick Chantler, Tony Bale, Giles Ridyard, Martin Jordan and Alex Robson.
Terms and Conditions
By booking with Devon Sailing Experiences, you are accepting our terms and conditions. Please ensure you have read these before booking. We politely draw your attention to the paragraph regarding cancellation and rescheduling and recommend you take out insurance in case of cancellation outside our terms and conditions.
If you are unsure about any aspect, please feel free to ask before you book.
Covid-19
Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that 2022 will see a little more normality for us. However, we need to stay vigilant and have plans in place in case of another surge in the virus. If your sailing experience or bareboat charter cannot run due to a national or local lockdown/restriction, we will offer you 12 months to reschedule your booking. If you are unable to reschedule, we will offer you a refund of the money you have paid to us.
Please ensure you have adequate insurance cover in the case of YOUR cancellation due to YOUR personal circumstances (for example, a positive Covid-19 test or your own requirements to self-isolate). Before booking a sailing experience or course, you are welcome to take a look at our latest risk assessment. Please be aware that Devon Sailing Experiences recommend that you take a Covid-19 test before joining the yacht, but is not responsible for checking that all guests have done so.
For further details, please refer to the dedicated Covid-19 page on our website.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Keep up to date with last-minute availability and stories from our skippers and guests by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us in any of your own posts; we love to hear about your sailing adventures so if you have any photos you would like to share (or stories to tell) do get in touch.
We look forward to welcoming you to Devon soon.
Nick, Katie and the Devon Sailing Experiences team.
This newsletter marks the end of a long and busy season for Devon Sailing Experiences. We would like to extend our thanks to our wonderful guests over the last 12 months and to our fantastic skippers who made all our sailing experiences and RYA courses happen.
In this newsletter, you will find links to our sailing gift vouchers (ideal for Christmas presents), our sailing schedule and details about our sailing opportunities in 2022.
Sailing Gift Vouchers
With Christmas just around the corner, now seems like the ideal opportunity to remind you about our gift vouchers.
Gift vouchers for sailing experiences make ideal presents for friends, family and loved ones – read the reason why in our blog post The perfect gift for the imperfect year to see if you agree. Although this particular blog post was written for 2021, it is still very relevant as we look towards 2022.
Gift vouchers for day sails and weekend sails can be purchased direct from our website. They are valid for 12 months so the recipient needs to book within 12 months, not necessarily complete the experience within 12 months. Our sailing season is from April – October. Fewer dates are available on our sailing schedule from September onwards due to the seasonal change in weather and sailing conditions.
If you would like to receive your gift voucher in time for Christmas, please order by midnight on Sunday 19th December.
Sailing Schedule for 2022
Dates are now available on our sailing schedule for 2022. You can book your place aboard day sails, weekend sails and gift vouchers directly from our website. Our sailing season is from April – October. Fewer dates are available on our sailing schedule from September onwards due to the seasonal change in weather and sailing conditions. We are constantly updating the schedule throughout the year, so it is always worth checking back for additional dates. If you cannot see a suitable date, please contact us and we will do our very best to help you.
Sailing Experience Opportunities for 2022
In 2022, we continue to offer our popular sailing experiences aboard our 42’ sailing yacht, Bewitched Follow the links to read more about them on our website.
Day Sails Our day sail experiences from Plymouth are a great option for people who want to give sailing a try, or perhaps just want a fun and hands-on day out on the water. Suitable for age 16 years + (with no maximum age limit!) Gift vouchers are available.
Weekend SailsAnother great option for those who are new to sailing or would like to refresh their previously learned skills under the watchful eye of an experienced skipper. Suitable for age 16 years + (with no maximum age limit!) Gift vouchers are available.
Exclusive Day Sails Perfect for families to spend some time together whilst enjoying an active adventure. Regardless of sailing ability or experience, it is ideal for those who want to give sailing a try, introduce their children to sailing and have a fun day out on the water. Each and every member of your family is welcome to get involved as much (or as little!) as they choose. Suitable for all ages. Dates are scheduled on demand.
Exclusive Family Charters (multi-day) Our 42′ yacht becomes your home-from-home as part of your sailing holiday in the west-country. This type of experience is a great opportunity for families to spend some time together whilst enjoying an active adventure. Price stated on the website is based on a family of 4. If you have more than 4 people in your family, the price is the same but your skipper will need to return to Plymouth every evening so they can leave the yacht safely in King Point Marina. Dates are scheduled on demand.
Group Sailing Experiences Want to go sailing but don’t have a crew? Join one of our west-country group sailing experiences. Take a look at our website for information about how we run our 5-day and 7-day sailing experiences. Dates are scheduled on demand and will run with a minimum of 3 guests.
RYA Courses for 2022
Although Devon Sailing Experiences is predominantly a sailing “experience” company, we are also registered as a sailing school with the RYA where we adhere to their high standards. We currently offer the RYA courses listed below. All courses are scheduled on demand, so if you would like to discuss a date and secure it with a 20% non-refundable deposit, please get in touch.
RYA Competent Crew This RYA Competent Crew Course is for beginners and those who would like to become active crew members rather than just passengers.
RYA Day Skipper (Practical) This course is for aspiring skippers with some yachting experience and basic navigation and sailing skills. Please check our website for pre-course requirements.
RYA Training for the Family Ideal for an active family. Price stated on the website is based on a family of 4. If you have more than 4 people in your group, the price is the same but your skipper will need to return to Plymouth every evening so they can leave the yacht safely in King Point Marina. Dates are scheduled on demand.
ICC Assessment If you are planning to charter abroad next year, you are likely to need an ICC. (Please be sure to check full requirements with your holiday company.) This assessment day is for experienced sailors who do not necessarily hold official RYA qualifications, but can demonstrate skills and experience to the level of Day Skipper. Check our website for pre-assessment requirements. Dates are scheduled on demand.
RYA Day Skipper (Combined) Only 1 date is available for this 9 day course this year: Wednesday 13th April until Friday 22nd April 2022. During the shore-based part of this course, you will need to book your own overnight accommodation. You are welcome to board the yacht for the practical part of your sailing course from 18:00 on Sunday 17th April until 16:00 on Friday 22nd April 2022.
RYA Day Skipper (Theory/Shorebased) Only 1 date is available for this intensive 5-day course this year: Wednesday 13th April until Sunday 17th April 2022. Overnight accommodation and meals are not included.
Bareboat Charter
We have already been taking bookings for 2022 and currently have limited availability in May 2022, but more availability from Monday 20th June 2022. Please get in touch to discuss dates and secure it with a non-refundable 20% deposit. Follow this link to our yachts and prices.
Terms and Conditions
By booking with Devon Sailing Experiences, you are accepting our Terms and Conditions. Please ensure you have read these before booking. We politely draw your attention to the paragraph regarding cancellation and rescheduling and strongly advise you to take out travel insurance to cover your cancellation outside our terms and conditions.
In the case of another national/local lockdown due to Covid-19, we will do our very best to work with you to reschedule or refund your sailing experience. Please refer to the dedicated Covid-19 page on our website. If you are unsure about any aspect, please feel free to ask.
Keep up to date with last-minute availability and stories from our skippers and guests by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us in any of your own posts; we love to hear about your sailing adventures so if you have any photos you would like to share (or stories to tell) do get in touch.
Wishing you all the very best and looking forward to seeing you in 2022!
In line with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), our Privacy Policy is detailed below. It was updated in January 2021.
Section 1. Your Consent to this Privacy Policy Section 2. Information about you Section 3. How we use your information Section 4. How we store your information Section 5. How we may share your information Section 6. Passwords and PIN numbers Section 7. Your Rights Section 8. Access to Information Section 9. Changes Section 10. Contact
1. YOUR CONSENT TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY If you undertake any of the following activities and provide personal data to us we will endeavour to make it clear why we need it and to obtain your specific consent to use it. You will be treated as having consented to our use of your personal data under the terms of this Policy if you have contacted us by telephone or email with an enquiry or provided any personal details to undertake a sailing experience, bareboat charter or RYA training course.
For the purpose of the Data Protection Act 2018 (the Act), the data controller is Devon Sailing Experiences, Cedar House, 32 George Lane, Plympton St Maurice, Devon, PL7 2JJ.
2. INFORMATION ABOUT YOU We may collect and process the following data about you:
Information you give us.
You may give us information about you by filling in forms on our website or by corresponding with us by phone, e-mail or otherwise. This includes information you provide when you do any of the following things:-
contact us by telephone or email with an enquiry;
book a sailing experience;
book a bareboat charter;
book an RYA training course;
subscribe to our newsletters.
The information you give us may include
your name, postal address, e-mail address and phone number, personal description and photograph;
the name, address, email address and phone number of your next of kin and/or emergency contact;
details of any relevant training records and training plans;
details of your relevant qualifications including the results of any examination, assessment or training course provided by us or by any recognised training centre and any accompanying notes and observations regarding your performance.
details of your participation and performance in sporting events and competitions;
details of any relevant boating, yachting or other seafaring experience you may have
health information including details of your age, sex, height, weight and any particular health conditions or mental or physical impairments you may have
any relevant dietary records and details of your dietary requirements.
Credit card and financial information
DSE does not hold or store any payment information. Payments are made via an accredited payment processor (in this case, Square and Payzone).
If we have not heard from you after 5 years, we will contact you directly to check that you are happy for us to continue to store your details. If you do not agree (or if we do not hear from you) we will automatically delete all the information we hold about you.
3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION We use information held about you:
to administer your sailing experience, bareboat charter and RYA training course bookings and payments.
to keep you updated about our own products and services. If you do not want us to use your data in this way, you may unsubscribe at any time. Your data is not passed on to a third party.
4. HOW WE STORE YOUR INFORMATION DSE’s electronic information is hosted by WordPress and is kept on secure servers in the UK. Information is input by the Administrator via Jetpack CRM and WooCommerce.
Declarations signed by you and returned to DSE as part of your EXPERIENCE or RYA COURSE are kept for 7 years in a file in a secure location.
5. HOW WE MAY SHARE YOUR INFORMATION We will not normally share your information with third parties.
We may disclose your personal information to third parties:
in the event that we transfer, sell or buy any business or assets, in which case we may disclose your personal data to the prospective transferee, seller or buyer of such business or assets;
if we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply any contract or terms in force between you and us;
to protect the rights, property, or safety of DSE, our customers, members or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organisations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
6. PASSWORDS AND PIN NUMBERS Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password or PIN number which enables you to access certain parts of the DSE website, you are responsible for keeping the password or PIN number confidential. We ask you not to share passwords and PIN numbers with anyone.
7. YOUR RIGHTS If we retain your personal data, you have the right to ask us not to process your personal data. You can exercise this right at any time by contacting us at info@devonsailingexperiences.co.uk
Our site may, from time to time, contain links to and from the websites of our partner networks, advertisers and affiliates. If you follow a link to any of these websites, please note that these websites have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for these policies. Please check these policies before you submit any personal data to these websites.
8. ACCESS TO INFORMATION The Act gives you the right to access information held about you. Your right of access can be exercised in accordance with the Act. Any access request may be subject to a fee of £10 to meet our costs in providing you with details of the information we hold about you. You can exercise this right at any time by contacting us at info@devonsailingexperiences.co.uk.
8. CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY Any changes we may make to our privacy policy in the future will be posted on our website and, where appropriate, notified to you by email. Please check back frequently to see any updates or changes to our privacy policy.
9. CONTACT Questions, comments and requests regarding this privacy policy are welcomed and should be addressed to Devon Sailing Experiences, Cedar House, 32 George Lane, Plympton St Maurice, Devon, PL7 2JJ or info@devonsailingexperiences.co.uk.
In our final newsletter of 2020 we launch our new logo and gift vouchers (just in time for Christmas). Read on to enter our competition and to find out more about our website update as well as the progress of our yacht upgrades for 2021.
Sailing Gift Vouchers
Devon Sailing Experiences have a new, updated logo which can now be seen on our gift vouchers. Gift vouchers for sailing experiences make ideal presents for friends, family and loved ones – read the reason why in our blog post The perfect gift for the imperfect year and see if you agree. If you would like to receive your gift voucher in time for Christmas, please order by midnight on Sunday 20th December.
Gift vouchers for Day Sails and Weekend Sails can be purchased direct from our website. They are valid for 12 months so the recipient needs to book within 12 months of the purchase date. Our sailing season is from April – October. Dates for 2021 will be added to our website in January. If you can’t see a suitable date, do get in touch and we will do our best to help you.
Christmas 2020 Competition
On Monday 14th December, we will be posting a photo on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Your challenge is to identify the location by commenting on the post. If you are correct, we will place your name in a hat and draw the names of 3 lucky winners at midday New Year’s Day 2021. Winners will be announced and notified on our social media pages on New Year’s Day. Your prize? One of our new, Devon Sailing Experiences limited edition mugs. Look out for that post.
Website
Our website is currently being updated with our new logo, text and photos. This will be launched in January 2021 (along with the updated sailing schedule). The current Devon Sailing Experiences website is still running so you can purchase your gift vouchers and book sailing experiences as usual as we continue with our upgrades. If in doubt, just call us on 01752 424514.
Looking forward to 2021
With our yacht upgrades underway (see below for details) we are looking forward to welcoming you aboard Bewitched for the sailing experiences listed below:
Our new RYA Powerboat Level 2 will take place onboard our Quicksilver 555. It is scheduled on demand and can be booked for exclusive training or group training (maximum of 3 students).
Bewitched is currently out of the water for her annual yacht maintenance. Already, she has received a makeover in the saloon area with new, modern seat covers. Other upgrades due include new high performance sails, a graphite grey stack pack and spray hood, grey hull stripes and stylish-looking composite helming wheels. We will add photos to document her progress on our social media pages (see links below).
Covid-19 Update
We reviewed and updated our Covid-19 guidance for guests on 1st December 2020 – you can view it by following the link to our website. In the meantime, here are answers to our most frequently asked questions:
My booking was postponed due to Covid-19. What should I do? Guests who had to postpone their sailing experience in 2020 have been offered 12 months to rebook. Please get in touch to discuss an alternative date and we will do our very best to help you.
What if I book and a lock-down means I can’t attend? We will always try our very best to work with you to reschedule. We will continue to watch the news and following the latest guidelines, however, please give us as much notice as possible – this is vital for our small, family-run business.
Terms and Conditions
By booking with Devon Sailing Experiences, you are accepting our Terms and Conditions. Please ensure you have read these before booking. We politely draw your attention to the paragraph regarding cancellation and rescheduling. If you are unsure about any aspect, please feel free to ask.
Keep up to date with last-minute availability and stories from our skippers and guests by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us in any of your own posts; we love to hear about your sailing adventures so if you have any photos you would like to share (or stories to tell) do get in touch.
We would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and look forward to welcoming you to Devon soon.
Nick, Katie and the Devon Sailing Experiences team
Christmas 2020 – much like all of 2020 – is going to be very different for most of us this year. With this in mind, we would like to remind you why our gift vouchers will make a perfect Christmas gift for the end of an imperfect year.
Something to look forward to in the new year
We could all do with something to look forward to in 2021 after such a difficult year. With a sailing gift voucher, not only do you get the excitement of opening your Christmas gift on the day, but the added bonus of choosing a future date to join us on the water in the Spring/Summer of 2021. Dates will be added to our sailing schedule in January, but if you can’t see one that is suitable, just get in touch and we will do our best to help you.
Flexibility
Gift vouchers are available for a range of experiences including Day Sails, Weekend Sails and Exclusive Charters. They are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase (so you will need to get in touch to book your date within the timeframe before they become out of date). Our sailing schedule offers a huge choice of dates between April and October, and the schedule is continuously updated throughout the year. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to ensure you receive up-to-date notifications. If you can’t see a suitable date on our website, get in touch and we will do our very best to help you.
Relax and be active at the same time
Research has shown that both nature and exercise are good for our physical and mental health. (You can read NHS, BBC, RYA and Mind reports by following the links). Onboard a yacht, you may feel yourself relaxing as you breathe deeper with fresh air filling your lungs. Later that evening, you may feel tired from the sea air or a slight ache in your body where your core muscles have been working out without you even realising. (Personally, I find the lack of phone signal and internet access whilst out on the water the biggest benefit! KR)
Try something new or rediscover the love of a forgotten hobby
Whether the recipient of your gift voucher is new to sailing or they are experienced but haven’t sailed for a long time, we have something to suit everyone. Our highly experienced, commercially endorsed skippers will ensure everyone has as many (or as few!) hands-on opportunities as they choose.
Spend time, not money
“Time spent is priceless”. It’s not my quote, but I read it somewhere. Sharing a day or weekend out with a loved one aboard one of our yachts will create some wonderful memories.
After the March – July 2020 lockdown, we were able to safely start up our day sails and exclusive charters immediately. We’d had plenty of time to put Covid-19 policies and risk assessments into place. The good thing we found was that because of our high-standards of care and cleanliness aboard our yachts, and the fact that we limit our numbers for the comfort of our guests, we didn’t actually need to implement many changes to our procedures. We will continue to send out copies of our Covid-19 risk assessments to our guests and provide copies to potential future guests upon request. Our Coivid-19 updates are transparent on our website.
Easy to buy, new style sailing vouchers
Purchase our new, re-styled vouchers online by following the links below. If you would like to discuss options, just call Devon Sailing Experiences on 01752 424 514.
Well, what can we say about our 2020 sailing season? It certainly didn’t go as planned but I’m sure that was the case for almost everybody.
In our Autumn newsletter we take a quick look back at the sailing experiences we were able to run in 2020 and a look forward at what we anticipate being able to offer in 2021 (including a new RYA course and upgrades to our Jeanneau 409).
Thank you
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to you – our guests past and present – for your support during Covid-19. Everyone was so understanding when sailing experiences, courses and bareboat charters had to be postponed due to the national lock-down. Your patience, flexibility and understanding was very much appreciated by our small, seasonal business.
And a huge thank you to our wonderful skippers who worked with us to ensure that the majority of our guests were able to get out on the water at some point this year. They made themselves available for last-minute bookings, last-minute schedule changes and were understanding when we had last-minute cancellations due to regional lock-downs or shielding guests.
Finally, an additional thank you to all our NHS staff, carers and key workers from the Devon Sailing Experiences team.
2020 – a look back
As you are no doubt aware, the national lockdown started at the end of March – just as our sailing season was about to begin. By July, we were able to safely operate a small number of sailing experiences. We worked hard to ensure that effective risk assessments were in place so we could welcome you back on the water as soon as possible.
Day Sails grew in popularity. We had always limited the number of guests onboard our Day Sails to 5 (plus skipper) for comfort and to ensure everyone gets a full, hands-on experience. Because of this, we were able to continue to run this experience from July as normal (with a few extra precautions in place to ensure our guests and skippers were covid-safe).
Sadly, due to the nature of our Weekend Sails and RYA Courses we were only permitted to run them if 4 guests were booked onboard from the same household/family/support bubble. This resulted in many cancellations and postponements.
Exclusive Skippered Charters and Bareboat Charters were popular with families and those who were expecting to go sailing abroad this year (and found that due to Covid-19 related restrictions they were unable to go).
2021 – a look forward
We are planning to continue to run our Day Sails from April 2021 and will be adding plenty of dates to our sailing schedule in November.
Exclusive Day Sails can be scheduled on demand subject to yacht and skipper availability.
Exclusive Skippered Charters of more than 1 day can also be scheduled on demand. However, please bear in mind that you may need to postpone should Government restrictions regarding staying overnight with multiple households are put in place.
With this in mind, we will be limiting the dates we offer for our standard Weekend Sails in 2021 unless all 4 guests are from the same household/family/support bubble.
RYA Courses will be offered in 2021, but if Government restrictions regarding staying overnight with multiple households are put in place, we may need to alter the course slightly. Normally, our courses would take students to a variety of fantastic overnight destinations such as Salcombe, Fowey, Dartmouth, Brixham or Falmouth. However, restrictions may require you to return to King Point Marina each evening so your instructor can leave the yacht overnight. This will not affect the course content (and you will still be able to achieve your night-sailing hours).
Bareboat Charters are starting to get booked for 2021. We anticipate being able to run them as usual (or at least for guests who are from the same household/family/support bubble). A 20% deposit will secure a date.
My booking was postponed due to Covid-19. What should I do?
Guests who had to postpone their sailing experience or course in 2020 have been offered 12 months to rebook. Please get in touch to discuss an alternative date and we will do our very best to help you. Also, keep an eye on our sailing schedule which will be updated in November.
What if I book and a lock-down means I can’t attend?
We will always try our very best to work with you to reschedule. Although we will continue to watch the news and follow the latest guidelines, please give us as much notice as possible – this is vital for our small, family-run business.
A new look for Bewitched
Our Jeanneau 409, Bewitched, is currently undergoing upgrades to keep her to the high standard you would expect. Upgrades include new high performance laminate sails, a graphite grey stack pack and spray hood, a matching graphite grey interior, composite helming wheels and grey hull stripes. The upgrades will result in a fresh, modern look for our flagship yacht as well as an enhanced sailing experience.
2021 Sailing Schedule for Experiences and Courses
Dates for 2021 will be added to our sailing schedule from November 2021. Many experiences and courses can be booked on demand (depending on yacht and skipper availability). If you can’t see what you are looking for, please get in touch and we will do our very best to help you.
Power Boat (Level 2) will be added to our list of courses in 2021. Details to follow at a later date.
Terms and Conditions
By booking with Devon Sailing Experiences, you are accepting our Terms and Conditions. Please ensure you have read these before booking. We politely draw your attention to the paragraph regarding cancellation and rescheduling. If you are unsure about any aspect, please feel free to ask.
Keep up to date with last-minute availability and stories from our skippers and guests by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us in any of your own posts; we love to hear about your sailing adventures so if you have any photos you would like to share (or stories to tell) do get in touch.
We look forward to welcoming you to Devon soon.
Nick, Katie and the Devon Sailing Experiences team
