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Adventure Sailing - Longer Voyages

The Classic Sailing fleet of large and small traditional sailing vessels are self sufficent liveaboard ships built for passage making. Once you have had a taste of our sailing holidays why not try a longer adventure: 6 day voyages; island hopping and coastal passages;  2-3 week sailing expeditions to wild and wonderful places; ocean voyaging with the trade winds; or rites of passage like crossing the equator or sailing around Cape Horn.

Escape for a week or more.

Our interpretation of adventure sailing is where the voyage is long enough to feel you are really journeying under sail.

 There is always an element of the unknown about chosing a sailing voyage as a holiday- which is partly why turning up on the quayside to join a vessel is a moment full of excitement and anticipation for even the most experienced sailor. You can chose a route with tantalising destinations, but the journey is shaped by the wind and tides, wildlife and other seafaring cultures you meet along the way, and last but not least - the people on board. The beauty of sailing is that no two voyages or crews are the same.

Where can I go in 5-8 days ?

In 2011 we have 5-8 day adventure sailing voyages in the Isles of Scilly, Brittany & Normandy, French islands in the Bay of Biscay and Golfe du Morbihan, Scotland, Orkney and the Hebrides, the North Island of New Zealand, the Mediterranean and island hopping in the Canaries and the Azores.

More on our 5-8 day voyages on pilot cutters and tall ships

2-3 Week Sailing Expeditions

Our first brochure in 1997 was titled 'Adventure Afloat: Explore Ashore.' It reflected our hope that if our guest crew arrived somewhere special under sail, anyone with an ounce of adventure in them would want to go ashore. The explorer within us comes in different shades: You may want to make footprints in the sand, climb the nearest clifftop, commune with the local wildlife or impress the locals with tales of your epic journey on the beautiful vessel that is anchored in their bay. Classic Sailing vessels explore remote and wild places by frequent forays ashore by small boat, and seek to understand the wildlife and cultural history of a location-we call these voyages sailing expeditions. The ships crew will often supplement the experience with lectures, and some voyages carry specialist guides aboard.

Where can I explore in 2-3 weeks ?

In 2010 we have 2-3 week sailing and wildlife expeditions to St Kilda and the Outer Hebrides, The Svalbard Archipelago (Spitsbergen) in the Arctic, Antarctica, Cape Verde islands off West Africa, South Pacific island groups like Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and Torres Islands and New Caledonia.

More on our sailing and wildlife expeditions

Ocean Sailing Around the World

Seven tenths of the worlds surface is ocean....and sea levels are rising ! Maybe it is time to run away to sea and gain a different perspective on our watery planet.

If you don't have time for an epic trans-atlantic trip on a tall ship we have quite a few mini ocean passages and offshore sailing adventures of about 8-10 days where the emphasis is continuous sailing. There is quite an art to living on board a ship on the open sea and keeping the vessel sailing to its full potential, day and night until a far destination is reached. You may have to weather a storm or other moments of high drama, but equally there are times for quiet contemplation and many long lasting friendships are made.

If you do have time to 'cross an ocean' or fancy wandering the world following the trade wind routes that windjammers have used for centuries, then you have come to the right place. We have ocean voyages to suit GAP year travel or career break plans in North and South America, New Zealand and Australia, Europe and Africa.

 Tell us your dream, even if you can't afford it quite yet.....because we know you'll find a way to do it one day. Our office staff are traditional boat skippers, romantics who read Patrick O Brien books in winter, and given the chance and money to sail a new part of the world on a traditional boat - we would jump at it too.....Let us help you scheme and plan !

More on our 2011 Ocean crossings and wandering the world under sail

Why take a GAP year ? - some of the benefits of stepping off the treadmill

 " I was extremely impressed by how well organised the whole voyage was, and running the ship in general. I thought the crew were superb the way they motivated and encouraged everybody to do whatever it took to ensure the ship could continue to sail through the day and night. Thanks again for a great holiday!" - Maryjane Crane