There are many of us who would prefer to take a holiday and do nothing but relax. But for those of us who crave a little adventure, and the chance to learn new skills, an activity holiday can be the way to go.
The choice of activity holiday to choose from in the UK is extremely varied: bush craft and survival skills, horse riding, biking or river rafting are all popular choices. However, one up-and-coming area has recently been sailing holidays. At one time the hobby only of the super-rich, sailing has become a popular pastime for many who want to become independent on the water and see the world from a different perspective.
Not only is sailing an activity that the whole family can take part in, it also gives you the chance to take in a lot of nature during your trip – spotting dolphins, seals, puffins and rare sea birds.
The UK’s island status location means there are plenty of seaside ports to choose from that offer sailing courses. Almost all of these courses provide food, and board will be on the boat on which you’re learning. Leading provider of marine insurance Bishop Skinner Marine summarizes here some of the best companies in the UK with courses on offer for the complete beginner.
Sunsail
As well as offering full holiday packages to charter yachts and crew, Sunsail offer three courses for beginners with no prior experience. These are the One Day Taster course, the RYA Start Yachting and the RYA Competent Crew course.
The courses set sail from Port Solent, near Portsmouth in Hampshire. Prices range from £109 per person for the One Day taster Course, to £529 per person for the Competent Crew course which takes 5 days to complete. All courses can also be undertaken by families with children over the age of 8, although families with children under 13 years of age must provide their own life jackets.
Pembrokeshire Cruising
Pembrokeshire Cruising is located in Neyland, South Wales and offers both a Start Yachting course and a Competent Crew course sailing out of Neyland Marina every weekend. Prices for the RYA Start Yachting course start from £226 per person in the low season (October – March), and for the RYA Competent Crew course from £510 per person in the low season. Food and board is included in every trip but it doesn’t specify whether courses can be undertaken by families.
Nomad Sailing
Nomad Sailing offer the RYA Start Yachting Course and the RYA Competent Crew Course. Both offers from Nomad Sailing have a Pay Once And Pass guarantee. If you fail the course taken, you can resit again at no extra cost until you pass. Families have the option of taking a 5-Day Flotilla Preparation course, a 7-Day Jurassic Coast cruise around Dorset, or a Solent Sailing Week. For more information on prices, go to the Nomad Sailing website.
Classic Sailing
Classic Sailing offer RYA Competent Crew Courses for adults only on a wide variety of vessels, departing from several different locations in the UK – Brixham, Plymouth, St. Mawes, and Newlyn are just a few. You have to pay a booking fee of £20 and prices start at around £375 for 3 days.
END
