5 DAYS NON STOP

OVERVIEW:

This mile building course enables you to hone up specific skills and improve your previous sailing performance. This longer course goes beyond the normal ‘cruising’ as you will concentrate on a specific set of skills. We will give you plenty of opportunity to practice and you will gain in confidence as you learn why a yacht behaves in a particular way and how to achieve a better sailing performance out of the yacht. This course also focuses on rig tuning and sail trim and includes working with spinnakers when weather conditions permit.

Starting with briefings on different aspects of the boat: - yacht familiarisation, boat handling, using the canting / swing keel, sail locker, night pilotage and sailing, safety issues, how to cope in emergency situations, and MOB (Man Overboard) procedures. Basic engine checks, the galley, passage planning, chartwork and navigation at sea, electronic position fixing, the shipping distance and rules of the road all whilst making a lot of miles. Plus preparing the yacht for sea, .

To be able understand some of the skipper's responsibilities. Each person will be given the opportunity to act as skipper during each day. Whilst skipper, you will be able to navigate and take control of the yacht on short daylight passages. Your skipper or instructor is there to ensure that your first, perhaps hesitant steps as a skipper are taken in safety.

Sailing 24 hours can be exhilarating and yet tiring with long runs and demanding sections. We introduce a ‘watch’ system which divide the 24 hour day into shorter periods of sailing and rest for the crew.

We know that continual physical exercise will put a strain on the body. You will find that concentration will dip between 24-36 hours, with a degree of difficulty completing the boat manoeuvres and changing the heavier sails. Sleeping by day and night may seem strange to begin with, but the skipper has years of experience and many thousands of sea miles, and will help you as an individual and as a team - we all support each other.

However you will be able to achieve five days of challenging, fun and adventurous sailing.

Our philosophy is simple; “Sailing should be exciting, enjoyable and above all safe!”

COURSE DURATION:

5 days and 4 nights. The evening before the course commences, you can arrive and sleep on board the boat.

CONTENTS OF THE COURSE:

The course is designed to give you the experience on how to sail a boat with a canting (swing) keel and double foils, and how the sails,, by selection and trimming, can be used to your advantage.

During this sea experience training you will be developing techniques that can be undertaken to manage the yacht on a passage. You will be covering a lot of sea miles

DAY 1

Inspection of the rigging and sails including those stored for heavy weather, furling and reefing the sails. Safety and Emergency procedures including Man Overboard (MOB) review.

Knowledge of the boat below deck including the galley, front sail stowage areas, personal amenities, giving you an overall view of life below deck.

The briefing will also include planning steps in navigation, watch system, roles on board, meteorology.

DAY 2-3-4-5:

SAILING OFFSHORE. This is the perfect opportunity to get some experience at sea and put non-stop miles towards your sailing experience.

The crew will have mixed levels of experience. Routes and manoeuvres may vary due to technical or medical reasons. Your safety is our utmost concern at all times. The skipper or instructor must evaluate each situation according to ability and level of the crew members aboard. The skipper’s decision is final.

REQUIREMENTS:

● Minimum age 18

● Minimum Experience Desired: Good knowledge of manoeuvres in cruising or regatta sailing (Please send your Sailing C.V.)

● Minimum Experience Desired: - JSA Course cyclops routes 2016, 2017

ROUTE 1.

5 days. 550 nautical miles: - Vibo Marina – Straits of Messina – Capo Passero – Malta (Manoel island or the Blue Lagoon in Comino) – Maltese Islands tour - Capo Passero - Straits of Messina - Vibo Marina.

ROUTE 2.

5 days. 450 nautical miles: - Vibo Marina – Aeolian Islands of Lipari, Salina, Volcanic Stromboli, Strombolicchio, Alicudi, Filicudi and Listica - Vibo Marina.

ROUTE 3.

5 days. 450 nautical miles: - Vibo Marina – Strombolicchio – Capri – Ventotene –Ischia – Stromboli - Vibo Marina.

Routes and total mileage may vary depending on the prevailing wind direction and sea state. There is no guarantee of actual number of nautical miles or passages.

This course includes at least two stages which will enable you to reach a high level in your sailing skills set.

An ideal opportunity for all candidates to increase their log book entries signed off by the skipper and an ideal opportunity for Yachtmaster candidates to accumulate their required sea miles for their qualification.

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

● Skipper and First Mate services.

● Yacht expenses; mooring, diesel and calor gas.

● Accommodation on board.

● Meals, drinks and snacks on-board.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:

● Personal Locator beacons (PLB) (€ 50.00 on board rental)

● Life jacket, safety line, strobe light. (€15.00 on-board hire available.)

● Wet Weather high visibility waterproofs. (€10.00 on-board hire available.)

● High Visibility Night light/headlamp with red and white light. (€10.00 on-board hire available, if yours is deemed unsuitable.)

● Meals, beverages and snacks consumed onshore.

● Non marking deck shoes, waterproof sailing boots.