The Press Gang Story
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The Press Gang is after you! |
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Life at sea was not that bad, you got three square meals a day. [The Navy used to serve all its meals on square wooden platters hence the expression.] Conditions were harsh but life ashore may often have been tougher. In addition there was the rum ration and if you were lucky and had a successful Captain you might be in with a chance for some Prize Money. This was money distributed to all on-board in proportion to your rank for the capture of enemy ships and the value given to them by the Prize Court. Some of the British Ships at Trafalgar had been captured from the French. We see it as our task to get you to sea. Unfortunately, oops I mean fortunately, we are not allowed to Press Gang you by force but we hope our powers of persuasion will get you out on the water and enjoying the freedom of the sea. Perhaps you could say Classic Sailing has press ganged you to go sailing. We would love to hear from anybody that has a tale to tell about how they got away with such a story!
Complete list of voyages dates and prices. Gaff Sailing & Gourmet Food in the Western Isles of Scotland If you are looking for a voyage with a great difference then sailing with Laurie on Lizzie May's last gourmet voyage of the year is the perfect answer. Laurie, the skipper, is a renowned for his excellent cooking and congenial sailing skills. There is no better way to see the wonderful Western Islands of Scotland. By land you travel miles and miles for the occasional view, by boat you are surrounded by wonderful sights the whole time. This voyage starts in Oban and finishes not far away in Fort William, there is a regular coach service between the two towns. There is a train but you would have to go half way around Scotland to make the connection! LM1024 Friday 10 – Tuesday 14 September Last Gourmet Gaff Sailing Adventure for 2010 Only £495 including all meals and accommodation on board.
6 Day RYA Day Skipper Courses only two places - RYA Courses This Practical Course over 6 days on Eve of St Mawes gives you longer sea time and less pressure than those schools which offer only a 5 day course.
E1030 Saturday 9- Friday 15 Oct Extra 6 Day - Competent Crew and Day Skipper Course This is a brilliant combination of course so that every body gets to see all aspects of both courses. Competent Crew people get to see and possibly achieve some of the Day Skipper Practical Syllabus. The Day Skippers have a keen crew to work with. 1 place only E1031R Saturday 16th to Friday 22nd October Eve is extremely easy to manoeuvre and once you have come to grips with her length it will make any modern boats seem easy peasy. Your confidence will soar and the skills you gain on Eve are equally applicable on new yachts. The difference is that you are doing it on a boat that looks amazing.
 Annabel J Autumn Blast Enjoy a weekend sailing in the Solent on Annabbel J, starting and finishing in the Hamble near Southampton. Great sailing and lots to see and do with Phil the skipper's expert understanding of the Solent Begins at 4pm on Friday 8th and ends at 4pm on Monday 11th October and to get the full advantage of the weekend ends at 4pm on Sunday 26th September. Directors Annual Special Choice - Cape Verde with Adam and Debbie
 Sail the impressive three masted topsail schooner Oosterschelde with a piano and bar in her saloon! Oosterschelde is a Dutch ship but english is the working language on board and the crew love to sail the ship to its full potential. This is Adam and Debbie's choice for our own winter sunshine break, like us we expect you need a good holiday away from it all. This is our passion sailing well with a great team on a wonderful tall ship. Add to that hot sunshine trade winds and new landfalls. Discovering new places and thoroughly relaxing after a long year working away. Join us in the sun for some great adventure sailing. The crew includes a professional cook and the food is some of the best you can find at sea. Saturday 11th to Wednesday 22nd December 2010 Cape Verde CV3 Oosterschelde returns to the tropical Cape Verde Islands where her local connections and previous experience in these waters ensure you will have a great sailing holiday. The islands are are in two main groups giving some longer sailing between the north and south islands and shorter voyages in the northern group. There will be time to go ashore and explore as well as beach barbecues and tropical sunsets. Cape Verde Sailing
Strong £ makes sailing to Antarctica less than £5000.
Tall Ships in Antarctica and across the Southern Atlantic Bark Europa has some dream making voyages this to Antarctica winter 2010 to 2011, on these three week voyages you sail from Ushuaia, the southern most port in Argentina, to the Antarctic Peninsula and south to the glaciers and icebergs.With a strong £ this is a great time to book these voyages , from only €5300 Antarctica Adventure There are trips ashore all very carefully controlled to preserve this amazing unspoilt landscape. A wildlife guide is on hand to explain the wildlife and breeding cycles of penguins, seals, whales and bird life. In the Spring of 2011 she sets off on 5,500 mile passage from Ushuaia to Antarctica for about a week followed by a week in South Georgia, on to Tristan da Cuhna and ending in Cape Town South Africa. The ultimate sailing voyage of a lifetime, not many places left. Cape to Cape
Each year from May to November tall ship Soren Larsen undertakes a series of voyages to the very best of the tropical South Seas. In 2010 and 2011 there are ten voyages to chose from - varying in length from 10 to 32 days. Some are pure ocean passages, others have island hopping as a main theme, and a few have a combination of a long ocean passage and some exploring amongst island groups. Auckland to the Cook Islands or as it is properly none Rarotonga is the first voyage in Søren Larsen's South Pacific Polynesian Adventure. From Rarotonga she sails onto Samoa and breaks her journey there and carries onto Fiji. Departing Fiji for Vanuatu where she has three voyage based in the fascinating Vanuatu Islands, home of the original bunjee jumpers. From there she sails to new Caledonia and on to Sydney. The last voyage in the circuit is from Sydney back to Auckland in New Zealand. These are some of the best voyages you could ever imagine. Søren Larsen has twenty four guests and a large crew of fifteen to help you sail the boat. The smell of fresh bread baked overnight is a wonderful start to the day. Life at sea is wonderful and exploring remote South Pacific Islands is the icing on the cake.
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Time to go sailing - press ganged on not! There are always a lot of exciting voyages to choose from at Classic Sailing and they all have different character and destinations. If you need any advice just call us on 01872 580022. Good sailing  |
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PS Please note prices are for new bookings. |
During the Napoleonic Wars the British Navy forcibly took people from the land and merchant ships to serve in the Navy. If you were taken, Press Ganged, you had a hard life at sea to look forward to. A slightly less harsh approach was to ask for volunteers who would be paid the King’s Shilling on agreeing to join the Navy. Sad to say this was often abused as recruiting officers would enter an inn and put a King’s Shilling in suitable men’s pints of beer. If the unsuspecting gentleman drank to the bottom of his mug and exposed the King’s Shilling this was considered acceptance of volunteering for the Navy. You can to this day find mugs with glass bottoms that were designed to prevent this happening. 
Sail the South Pacific This Summer or next year. 
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