SKIPPER VACANCY - Pilot Cutter in Cornwall from Oct 2011

Skipper Role

Classic Sailing runs adventure sailing holidays and RYA courses on our own charter boat – ‘Eve of St Mawes.’ The majority of voyages run from St Mawes near Falmouth and the main sailing ground in 2011 is the Isles of Scilly, West Country, Brittany, Southern Ireland.

Eve is a traditionally built 38’ wooden pilot cutter with gaff rig, a long keel and a displacement of 14 ton. Overall she is 51’ (15.5m) and can set 5 sails. Eve is well known and has been run by Classic Sailing since her launch in 1997. We also act as traditional sailing travel agent and marketing consultants selling ‘hands on‘ sailing voyages on larger tall ships and boats with bowsprits worldwide. See www.classic-sailing.co.uk

Our skippers generally sail ‘single handed’ with only the 5-6 customers as crew. The majority of guests are over 18 and come as individuals. They are only as good as you make them, but it is a very satisfying arrangement that brings out the best in people, and customer feedback shows that they appreciate that trust in being the real ‘hands on’ crew.

Whilst we promote our voyages as sailing holidays, these traditional vessels are quite demanding for novices and those only used to sailing small yachts. A more accurate description of the job is a sail training skipper in a holiday context, rather than a charter skipper taking guests for a sail or pub crawl. Therefore we prefer skippers who have wide interests, like cooking, exploring ashore, marine wildlife, conversation and broadening our guests horizons !

Our skippers need to be safety aware, physically agile, comfortable working with adults, capable of cooking and entertaining whilst keeping the boat safe and be good at building a working team from guests quickly each week. Any skipper of Eve plays a key role in Classic Sailing as we strive to lead by example for the rest of the fleet and the new boat owner/ operators that we work with.

Full responsibility for winter refits and the maintenance schedule for the vessel rests with the operations director but the seasonal skipper will be carry out much of the refit to an agreed refit plan, with assistance from the ops manager for the bigger tasks. During the season there is a regular maintenance schedule on board for all skippers.

Training:

The training will be on a one to one basis with Adam or Debbie Purser and possibly Lara Caine. The two directors set up Classic Sailing in 1997 and have been running the business and skippering Eve since the company was launched as we like to stay in touch with our customers.

 Both have sail training backgrounds. Debbie has worked for Ocean Youth Trust and Trinity Sailing as Operations Manager and both have worked on several tall ships. Adam is the RYA Principal for Eve’s Sailing School and was one of the first directors of Cornwall Marine Network. Debbie has a Deck Officer OOW Certificate for Yachts and sail training vessels upto 3000 ton. They have extensive links in the industry, so can advise on career development. During the sailing season the skipper will also gain valuable business experience in a very practical way. Understanding the importance of creating good stories and adventures, subtle marketing at sea, customer care and public relations is an integral part of the commercial charter skipper role and we will help you develop these skills. (you are allowed to pose on a beautiful boat and have fun too !)

Classic Sailing regularly employs skipper Lara Caine at busy periods so that Adam and Debbie can also work ashore marketing a worldwide fleet of up to 14 vessels a year. Lara is an experienced freelance sail training skipper, yachtmaster Instructor and boat surveyor, and has run Eve refits.

Classic Sailing have training / familiarisation structures in place as we train voluntary mates / employ relief skippers. The vessel has a daily, weekly, monthly maintenance check list and there are clear vessel handover procedures between skippers.

 Your work / leave rota can be discussed with you at interview. Your Job Contract will explain every aspect of your role from provisioning and budgets to communications with HQ and welcoming guests.

 How to Apply

 Key skills:

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and up to date commercial endorsement

 Either previous employment as a skipper or RYA yacht instructor OR experience as a 1^st mate working with participating customers on either sail training vessels or holiday charter vessels.

Proven good people skills and customer care.

 A strong desire to be a skipper of a traditionally rigged boat.

 Practical boat maintenance skills and would enjoy developing wooden boat & traditional rigging refit skills.

 Full Driving Licence: The boat runs from St Mawes – a beautiful but remote location, and our offices are 5 miles away in Portscatho so a driving licence is required.

 Fitness – Willing to row our harbour tender, work aloft and out on the bowsprit, and accompany guests on coastal walks. There are no winches on Eve except our manual anchor windlass.

Desirable:

RYA cruising instructor is preferred but we can help you gain this.

An interest in marine wildlife, maritime history & traditional boats, boat building or anything that can enhance the holiday experience for our guest crew. World travel experience is an asset ! Decent cooking skills. Previous experience of gaff rigged or heavy displacement vessels. Instructing or teaching skills. Previous experience of boat refits, maintaining traditional rigged wooden boats or woodworking skills.

 Future Career Prospects with Classic Sailing

12 month contract, —with regular staff appraisals and career development advice. After an initial three month probationary period there will be a staff development discussion and then a pay review in April and then on an annual basis. In addition to time off in lieu for weekends and paid holiday entitlement, all staff can request un paid leave upto 1 month —subject to commercial and operational requirements. Winter employment includes primarily the practical refit on Eve of St Mawes but may involve work in the office marketing tall ships, assisting in the sales office, or developing Eve’s voyage products in Cornwall. Our sales consultant Georgia has adventure travel expertise and the 6th member of the team is Catherine - both have their own classic boat and are keen sailors.

Classic Sailing has weathered the recession and experienced good business growth for 2 years and is now looking for a skipper interested in a longer future with the company, whether their interest lies in boat operations / learning to run an exciting business or a combination of roles. Equally the post can be a great career stepping stone. For example former Eve skippers have gone on to run sail training organisations as senior skipper / operations managers; teach RYA yachtmaster courses in the South Atlantic. In 2010 we ran a trainee skipper scheme where our trainee went from past experience as a sail training1st mate and ships cook to solo skippering after 3 weeks training. We are the shore office for 115ft historic gaff ketch Bessie Ellen and relief skippering or training opportunities on bigger vessels within the Classic Sailing fleet may be possible.

How to Apply: See Classic Sailing website for more information www.classic-sailing.co.uk

For an informal discussion ring Debbie or Adam Purser on 01872 580022

CV required by email or post to: Classic Sailing, Parton Vrane, Portscatho, Cornwall. TR2 5ET

e mail: skippers@classic-sailing.co.uk

Please indicate your availability for an interview and /or a 2-3 day trial sail between 16th August and 1st October 2011.

Downloadable PDF - Eve Skipper Job description & how to apply

Photo: Eves skipper Paddy discovering his creative side on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly - June 2011