COASTAL SAILING & EXPLORING

Coastal Sailing: what to expect

The beauty of coastal sailing is that we rarely have any real distance to do and that means the pressure is off in lots of different ways. After a good breakfast, we’ll usually look to be sailing by 0930hrs. This means we haven’t had to rush but still gives us plenty of time for some good sailing and to find somewhere new for the afternoon. As always, one person will be nominated to be navigator for the day, and they’ll be deep in the charts and looking out for key landmarks and enlisting the help of everyone else to help find them! We might drop anchor at lunchtime and if the water’s warm jump in for a swim and explore. Then it’s sails back up  and we’ll sail on until about 1600hrs, when we’ll aim to stop for the night. That gives us time to have a gin and tonic, then head ashore and do some serious exploring, before dinner at about 1930, followed by a whisky or two and some more chat before lights out for a sound night’s sleep.

Who else joins the crew

In total, you can expect a maximum of 8 paying crew plus a skipper and mate. On a big 60′ expedition yacht, that gives you plenty of space and plenty of scope to get involved in all the various sailing jobs. It also means you have a 1:4 instructor to crew ratio, so there’s all the instruction you want. There’s a wonderfully eclectic mix on board, with crew joining from all round the world but joined by a shared love of sailing and adventure. All ages are welcome, from 18 to 75 and there’s usually a 50:50 mix of men and women. These trips are really not that strenuous and so long as you meet our basic fitness and medical criteria you will we welcome to join. Sailing experience amongst the other crew members will range from none to some, so whatever your experience you’ll be around others at a similar level.

The boats: fun, safe and comfortable

Rubicon 3 runs 60′ expedition yachts that are fun, robust and ‘go anywhere’.

Incredibly safe

They are designed with safety and sea keeping to the absolute fore and are all designated Category 0 by the maritime authorities. This is the highest safety rating possible and allows them to sail anywhere (most charter and school boats are Category 2, meaning they cannot be used more than 60nm from shore). It means that whatever the conditions, you will be as safe as it’s possible to be. See more about the boats here

Huge fun

Size does matter! Too small and you’re not going to  go anywhere fast and everyone will be really cramped inside. Too big and it’s just hard work, everything takes forever and the boat can’t fit in many places. 60′ is the ideal size for an exepedition yacht. It gives us speed and lots of interior space, but these boats are still easy to sail and just huge, huge fun. You’ll see! See more about the boats here

Comfortable

Being 60′ means one gets a really comfortable boat. These are expedition yachts, not cabin cruisers, so there are no individual cabins. There’s a big saloon and galley and an 8 bunk communal sleeping area (it actually gives you more space and privacy than being squeezed into a cabin with someone you don’t know). Each bunk then has a big lee cloth that comes up and gives you privacy. There’s also two heads (toilets) on board and a shower. Add in unlimited fresh water from our powerful water makers and you have everything you need for an amazing adventure holiday. See more about the boats here

Qualifications you can earn onboard

Training is at the very heart of what we do. Our passion is giving you the skills you need to be fully involved in every aspect of the adventure. Real world training and skills such as this will always be what really matters, but obviously formal qualifications are also key. Each trip page will tell you what qualifications can be earned on that route  and you can read more about the qualifications we offer here.

Food onboard

We pride ourselves at Rubicon 3 on the food we offer onboard. Our focus is on fresh food, fresh fish and good quality provisions. Pies, beans and pasts are great occasionally, or as quick easy food in rough conditions, but part of a great holiday is eating well and part of what we can teach you is how easily this can be done on board with a little planning and effort.. We can accommodate most allergies and diets so long as you can be a little flexible and can sometimes ‘eat around’ the main dish and will always have around three vegetarian dinners a week anyway. We cannot accommodate those with severe allergies so if any any doubt, please do contact us before booking.

No previous experience needed

You don’t need any previous sailing experience to join and nor do you need any specialist equipment as it’s all provided on board. Whether you are a complete novice or have done some sailing before, you will have others onboard at a similar level. You will need to bring a sleeping bag and some waterproof boots, but that’s it. We provide the waterproofs, the lifejacket and all the other specialist equipment you will need.

How to Book

To book your trip, you need to place a deposit. This reserves your place immediately. Each trip page has an ‘Add to Cart’ button, and this will take you to the section where you can book. The deposits range in price from £400 to £800, depending on the value of the trip. Once you book, you will be committed to paying a percentage of the balance, even if you subsequently cancel. The amount owing increases toward 100% as the due date approaches. You will be asked to pay the balance of the invoice 60 days before departure. We will remind you of this at the appropriate time. You can see the full terms and conditions here