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4.9
Based on 127 reviews
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Adventure sailing holidays

Adventure Sailing: Holidays & Expeditions

– No previous experience needed –

Arctic | Caribbean | Europe | Coastal | Offshore

60’ sailing yachts
and exploring ashore

Full training
included

Solo crew or
groups welcome

4.9
Based on 127 reviews
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An adventure sailing holiday is something that any one can take part in. Solo crew or groups are welcome and most adventures require no previous experience. Join the crew and sail to and explore spectacular high latitude regions such as Svalbard, Iceland, Norway and the Faroes. Alternatively, tick off a high adrenalin bucket list item and set sail across the Atlantic Ocean, Norwegian or Caribbean Sea. Whether it’s sailing hundreds of miles offshore, anchoring amidst icebergs and taking the RIB ashore to explore or just exploring Britain’s beautiful coast, Rubicon 3 runs Europe’s leading adventure sailing holidays, with over 30 magical adventures for you to take part in.

Our speciality is helping those with little or no previous sailing experience take a full part in the expeditions. Our expert skippers give you full training onboard so that you can learn and be fully involved in the adventure from day one, whatever your background. All ages above 18 are welcome, 90% join solo, and it’s usually a 50:50 mix of men and women. Most importantly, we know you are on holiday so you will benefit from the world famous Rubicon 3 ethos, which means supremely professional training and a gentle, supportive environment onboard where everyone can learn at their own pace and truly enjoy the experience.


SPECIAL OFFER ENDS SOON:


10% OFF ALL ICELAND SAILING ADVENTURES DEPARTING BEFORE AUGUST 31 2023. ENTER ‘ICELAND10’ WHEN BOOKING


See what our customers have to say

RUBICON 3
4.9
Based on 127 reviews
Simon Redfearn
Simon Redfearn
10:01 22 Mar 23
Fantastic week sailing the leeward islands. Skipper and mate were great
Helen Wilson
Helen Wilson
22:35 13 Mar 23
Jorge Bernal
Jorge Bernal
16:58 01 Mar 23
Excellent live hands on sailing at the sea with Experience and nice Skipper. boat need better maintenance.
Bev Hurley
Bev Hurley
12:56 28 Feb 23
josh stiller
josh stiller
17:49 26 Feb 23
I joined the yacht for the trip up from Grenada to Antigua ready for the RORC Carribbean 600 race.The skipper and the first mate were fantastic. Both of them are extremely knowledgeable and couldn't help you more.During the initial meet and chat between all the crew, one lady mentioned that her previous experience with other companies had been of skippers shouting at people and only being given simple tasks. That was not the case for this trip. Everyone onboard was equal and we all had to pitch in to get the large yacht moving!Onboard the yacht was very clean and well catered. Each crew member had their own bunk with ample storage (I took far to many clothes and still had room left over), only advice here would be to bring a sheet for the mattress and a pillow case and also pack all your stuff in bags, it makes it easier to spread between the storage areas.Temp wise the boat had AC and fans so it wasn't to bad considering it's the Carribbean and hot.The other people that joined the boat all seemed to be like minded people and conversation on watches seemed to flow easily. Very quickly we all relaised that we needed to help each other with tasks, especially the Yankee sheets. It's a powerful sail on a big winch we ended up having 2 on a winch handle most of the time.The Race, RORC Carribbean 600. Wow! This was my first yacht race and it was an amazing experience. Skipper Andy had an amazing knowledge of the course and knew what route to send bluejay on to suit her.The first mate Alex, she knew bluejay inside out and was able to really get the most out of the yacht too, she was continuously checking the sails to make sure they were trimmed just right to keep us moving fast.Overall, I really enjoyed the trips and learned so much, I will definitely book again with Rubicon 3, just need to decide where!
Tara Jewell
Tara Jewell
23:24 23 Feb 23
A fantastic way to see the Caribbean. The itinerary was flexible to accommodate our interests, and the crew experienced and supportive of teaching new skills. A fun adventure, thank you!
Andrew Munn
Andrew Munn
20:47 23 Feb 23
Rubicon3 is a thoroughly professional sail touring company. I enjoyed a two week sail starting in St Lucia; travelling through Martinique, Dominica and Guadeloupe; finishing in Antigua. The skipper and mate were very professional and courteous. I really enjoyed sailing and exploring with everyone on the boat. The boat, sails and gear were in excellent condition. I will be joining Rubicon3 again soon.
ryan scott
ryan scott
18:34 15 Feb 23
Andy and Alex were fantastic! Their calm and cool nature, their patience and experience, their ability to teach and encourage were suburb. I will sail with them again.
Craig George
Craig George
23:40 14 Feb 23
Ben Morison
Ben Morison
11:16 25 Jan 23
A really lovely adventure, quite unlike any sailing I have done before. Getting away from the the usual charter boat experience and heading offshore, sailing from one country to another, and getting some fantastic instruction along the way was everything and more that I'd hoped for. The boats are exciting, rugged and fun. I bonded so well with everyone and already miss the banter and daily experience. I'll be back soon Rubicon!
Kate Shires
Kate Shires
20:08 23 Jan 23
Fab sailing holiday with a great bunch of people to the Channel Islands! As a first time sailor, I highly recommend Rubicon 3!
Dumitru Capdefier
Dumitru Capdefier
20:16 14 Dec 22
Thank you all for the great time I spent on board of Starling ! Thank you Bruce Jacobs ! Thank you Manu Parker! Many, many tanks Pete French! …the amazing trip from A Coruna to Las Palmas was not only enjoyable for myself but productive as per today I am a newly qualified Yacht Master Ocean!Once again many,many,many thanks everyone!
Chris Haworth
Chris Haworth
11:29 15 Nov 22
I am an experienced sailor who joined a celestial navigation course (both in the classroom for 2 days and in a 12 day sailing environment). On the boat were 9 other customers comprising a full range of sailing experience from novice to Yachtmasters. Some were preparing for/completing RYA Qualifications others not. I consider Rubicon provided excellent training and an excellent environment at all levels.
Nathalie Moreau
Nathalie Moreau
08:23 05 Nov 22
Beautifully fitted boat with lots of new sails and equipment. A dream to sail and live on. Plenty of opportunities to practice and learn, and also to chill in the beautiful surroundings and with other crew members. Will definitely come back for a longer passage!
Charles Robinson
Charles Robinson
09:29 31 Oct 22
Went with them on the Biscay crossing on Starling. Excellent trip, very professionally run. Skipper (Maggie) and Mate (Manu) both excellent. Highly recommended
Claire Goodridge
Claire Goodridge
19:15 29 Oct 22
Sailed Gosport to Falmouth. Fantastic skipper and First Mate. Brilliant boat. Crew were so friendly. Felt so safe with such knowledgeable skipper and first mate. The itinerary changed, but was no bother. We had a fantastic 5. I had been a little apprehensive but didn't need to have been! Next trip already booked. Grenada here I come!!
Mike Tait
Mike Tait
06:44 29 Oct 22
Take the opportunity to choose and have an adventure on one of their trips. The skippers and boats will inspire you and raise your sailing game from whether beginner, intermediate or advanced.
chris lawes
chris lawes
09:41 28 Oct 22
This was my first time sailing on a yacht - it was a great experience and I plan to do so again. I really recommend it for any first timers wanting to dip their toes into sailing - but it is addictive.
C E
C E
21:34 03 Oct 22
Awesome trip to Channels Islands. The Skipper Pete and mate Matt - totally made this trip . Whether a beginner or experienced Day Skipper, they tailored to everyone's needs and were a brilliant laugh!
Debby Moore
Debby Moore
10:03 22 Sep 22
An amazing trip! Didn't know what to expect going in but was pleasantly surprised and had a fantastic time. The dedicated and friendly crew made all the difference.
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More about Rubicon 3 and our adventure sailing routes

You can join a Coastal Adventure such as our Faroe Islands Explorer, or wonderful Loch Fyne and the Isles of Arran or you could head up to the high latitudes and explore somewhere such as Norway’s Lofoten Islands. If your heart is set on a big offshore passage and heading hundreds of miles offshore, then why not sail the Atlantic Ocean with us, or make a high adrenalin passage such as Norway and Iceland or Jamaica to New York City.

For those with previous experience, looking for intensive real world skills building, we also run a series of Skills Builders and specialist Skipper Development routes. Whatever your goal, it’s all but certain we have the perfect sailing adventure just waiting for you.

More about Coastal adventures

From 5 to 12 days, these are perfect for any level of sailor, from absolute beginners wanting to learn to sail to those with more experience. Our Coastal sailing holidays are run in wild and wonderful places, but always close to shore and with plenty of time to explore ashore.

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Some days you’ll berth in a town centre, small port or marina. Others you’ll be at.anchor in beautiful hidden bays. You could sail and explore the crystal clear waters and sun soaked beaches of the Caribbean’s Grenadine or Windward Islands. These are magical island chains, fringed with white sand and palm trees and perfect places for those who love snorkelling.

If spectacular wildlife grabs your heart, head to the puffin paradise of the Faroe Islands or the polar region of Svalbard, a magical world of glaciers, icebergs, walrus and polar bears. For those who love stunning landscapes, culture and history, the west coast of Scotland is rightly famous around the world, as are the coast of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Whichever route you choose, it’s a new destination every day with plenty of time to explore ashore.

More aboutOffshore passages

Our offshore voyages head hundreds of miles out to sea, sailing from one country to another. This is where you’ll experience the ultimate freedom of life out on the mighty ocean. It is a world of white specked waves and endless horizons, gorgeous sun sets, heart warming sunrises and white blanket of stars at night.

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Sometimes you’ll be drifting in hot sun, searching for ripples of wind, other times battening down the hatches to cope with stronger winds and bigger seas. The feeling you get when making landfall in a new country is an experience you’ll share with sailors throughout the generations and the satisfaction from completing an offshore voyage or crossing an ocean something you’ll never forget.

More aboutSkipper Masterclasses

Building skills and experience is hard once you’ve got your Day Skipper, Coastal or Yachtmaster. Despite having the ‘ticket’, in our experience many courses don’t prepare you for skippering a passage of any length and inevitably the skills you do have fade without regular practice.

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A typical candidate on our skills builders or skipper development courses might have got their sailing qualifications in Greece but are not confident in the tidal waters of the UK. For other, it’s been a few years since they sailed and everything has just got really rusty. More experienced sailors might be wanting to learn how to take on a longer passage so they can head to a foreign port themselves.

Whatever your current situation, if rapid improvement in skills and confidence is your goal, these skills builders and skipper development courses are exactly what you need.

Full financial protection Book with confidence

We know how confusing it can be to understand the consumer protection you get for your holiday, with a mix of schemes such as ATOL scheme, whether the company has an ATOL certificate, protection from ABTA and such like. With Rubicon 3, it’s simple because we give you the best protection of all.

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To ensure you are totally financially protected and can book with real confidence we deposit all money you pay for your booking with the Protected Trust Service. It means if for any reason your booking cannot be fulfilled, you get a guaranteed, immediate refund. To find out more about our Refund Guarantees, Financial protection and Covid Guidance, click here

Further Information for your Sailing holiday

We know how hard it can be to choose the right sailing holiday. In fact, with so many holiday options, it’s very common to need some advice to make sure you get the right trip to the perfect destination and for help with connecting travel.

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You can speak with us as much as you want before making a booking. We are proud of our great service and no question is too simple or too obvious. Our HQ team, based here in England, will give you the advice you need, from which type of trip to join, what to expect on board the yacht, which destinations you might find most fun – right down to which start and end port you need to get to and when. Our adventures are not flight-inclusive holidays so our team will also be happy to help you pick the right flights to connect to and from the yacht. If ever you need more information, all you have to do is get in touch.

More about Our ethos & skippers

Rather than luxury yachts, Rubicon 3 sailing holidays are run on spectacular 60’ expedition yachts, custom built to take on oceans and expeditions off the beaten track. These boats are perfect whether you want to learn to sail for the first time or cross the Atlantic Ocean.

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Being one of the most skilful and experienced skippers in the industry is given for a Rubicon 3 skipper. However, it’s not enough and to run our adventure holidays and expeditions, they also have to be exceptionally kind, patient and good company. Too many crew join us having previously had a bad sailing experience which damaged their confidence or even been shouted at. It is the antithesis of the sailing spirit and you will find our skippers and mates to be warm, inspirational and hugely caring..

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Who we are

Blueco Holdings Ltd, t/a Rubicon 3 Adventure
20 – 22 Wenlock Road, London, N1 7GU

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