Sailing on TV
More sailing on TV, but I wonder how many of us spotted the Vendee globe programme on Channel 4 on Saturday, hidden away at 7 o'clock in the morning. Still, it is on again next Saturday, so we can always set the video. RYA Sea School
We've had an amazing number of sea school bookings already this year and the recession is clearly not deterring people from learning to sail. This month there are spaces on the 2-day weekend of 14th/15th, and also on the 5-day course starting on Sunday 22nd. Normally March is cheaper because it is colder and therefore less popular, but If the weather remains as it has been over the last two weekends i.e. mild and sunny with just enough wind to sail by, we may have to think again. Congratulations go to Katherine for passing her Coastal Skipper exam in January.
As usual, all the course dates and prices are on our website here, but there is also now a web based game to help you with your yacht berthing skills. Non-sailing holidays
Here's an idea for anyone that likes the yachting lifestyle, but doesn't have the experience or inclination to take on the responsibility of actually putting to sea. You and your family could stay onboard one of our yachts and use it just as accommodation for a shore-based holiday. A bit like camping but with a lot more style and comfort. The yachts can sleep up to 10 in four cabins, the prices are 40% cheaper than our regular prices (midweek), there are no berthing or electricity costs, we supply pillows and you only need duvets or sleeping bags. Some yachts even include a cockpit tent, that gives you a 'conservatory' to sit and relax in. No yachting experience is necessary as we will show you all you need to know. Charter a berth
Do something different at the weekend and join us to sail across the Channel or along the coast on one of our charter-a-berth cruises. No experience is necessary and there is no need to find a group of friends to come with you as most of our guests come alone. You'll be amazed how quickly people become friends when they're sailing a yacht together and there have been a lot of interesting people to meet on these trips. During the weekend you'll experience the cruising life aboard one of our larger yachts visiting interesting locations and experiencing a variety of sailing conditions on the way. At the end of it, you'll get a tremendous sense of achievement and feel fitter for it too. Choose a trip and book on line here. Off-shore racing
Our Fastnet crews are all set to begin their training campaign and part of this includes up to five pre qualifying races. However not everyone can make it on every race and the spare places are available for anyone to attend. Details are shown highlighted on our website here. The first event is the Myth of Malham Race (named after the yacht that won the Fastnet in 1947 and 1949). Join the boat in Gosport on the Friday night for an early start on Saturday. The race takes us west along the coast past the tidal gates at Portland bill and Start Point to the Eddystone Rock lighthouse off Plymouth. After rounding the rock, we return to a finish at the western end of the Solent. The basic price is only £259 for a three-day, 230-mile sailing experience. Who knows, it might even tempt you to join the Fastnet race itself. | Corporate events
Sailing is an amazing way of building relationships between work colleagues who would otherwise rarely interact and our experienced skippers are well used to getting people involved. Whether it is just a day sail for a new sales team or a weekend of racing with a small fleet of matched yachts, Solent Sail has done it before and knows what works. Best of all it needn't cost a lot and the benefits to the company and your employees are enormous. See here for some more suggestions. Nautical terms
Voyage or Passage? The voyage is from wherever you start to your final destination, whereas a passage is from one port to another during the course of a voyage. Windlass or capstan? Both are used to recover the anchor but the windlass has a horizontal drum whereas with a capstan it is vertical. Gypsy or Wildcat? These are both barrels on a windlass, the gypsy is smooth to haul rope, whereas a wildcat has recesses for chain. Flotsam or jetsum? Flotsam is what's left of a boat when it sinks, whereas jetsum is stuff deliberately discarded from a boat, perhaps to lighten its load in heavy seas. New yachts
We have two new yachts in our fleet this year that can be chartered either with or without a skipper.
Jeanneau 36i - a fast yacht at the smaller end of the Jeanneau range, easily handled by a small crew and fantastically well equipped by the owner.
Lagoon 380 - impressive catamaran great for long passages and with loads of room for cruising in luxury. One way sailing
Ever wanted to sail that little bit further, but without the time to go there, and come back again? Now you can by using our one-way sailing option. You just keep going until the end of your charter and then one of our skippers returns the yacht for you. |
