Price
£450
Nights
Three
Age range
18 - 65
Start port
Portsmouth
End port
Portsmouth
Voyage code
EV092
Bursary
Available
Voyage highlights
The aim of this voyage is to fly the spinnaker and look at the techniques required to manage this exhilarating sail onboard a large yacht.
The spinnaker on the Challengers is larger than a tennis court, and managing it requires a high level of teamwork, coordination and leadership. Up to 22 control lines are required to be operated in order to fly, gybe and drop the spinnaker, with even more required for advanced techniques such as peeling.
This voyage is not for beginners and is for those already with reasonable Challenger sailing experience or relevant other sailing experience. This voyage is for you if you are ready to take your Challenger sailing to the next level or have an understanding of spinnakers on smaller vessels and wish to experience the thrill of flying them on a larger yacht.
Key objectives of the voyage include:
- Refresher/Introduction to Challenger operation
- Preparation for spinnaker work
- Hoisting the spinnaker
- Flying and trimming the spinnaker (including pole height and angle)
- Dropping the spinnaker
- Packing the spinnaker
- Gybing the spinnaker
- Jockey pole use
- MOB tactics under spinnaker
Secondary objectives (which may be covered more in theory) include:
- When things go wrong – how to avoid this and how to recover
- Peeling
Our Challengers are 72ft ocean-going steel yachts, constructed to withstand the Southern Ocean. Launched in 2000, they raced round the world in two editions of the Global Challenge sailing against prevailing winds and currents.
This training course is especially valuable for anyone considering offshore racing events like the RORC Fastnet Race or the ARC and is an ideal opportunity to build confidence, resilience, and advanced sailing skills out on the water.
Flying the spinnaker is particularly sensitive to weather and it may not be possible to achieve flying the spinnaker at all or cover all of the objectives.
Your Skipper will make every effort to maximise Spinnaker flying opportunities but if the weather is not suitable, they will work with you and the rest of the crew to maximise use of the available time – this might include other activities at sea (such as poling out a headsail) or time spent on spinnaker theory and operation.
By joining this voyage as an adult, you’re directly supporting Tall Ships Youth Trust’s life-changing work with young people (aged 12 –25) across the UK, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Proceeds from this course will help fund transformational experiences for the young people we support. Thank you for helping us change more young lives at sea.
If you’re 25 and under, we have bursary available to help make this opportunity accessible. Please apply to see if you qualify.
The Skipper will determine the final route depending on weather and other variables.
If you share our values and are keen to do more, you may be able to support our vital work further by joining the TSYT Volunteer Crew.
Your Skipper can recommend you for our Watch Leader training programme if they feel you have the skills and attributes that we’re looking for.
All meals on board are included.
