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Weekends & Short Sailing Breaks
Any weekend or 3 day short break on Eve of St Mawes, Lizzie May or Annabel J is an ideal taster voyage for beginners. If it’s your first voyage you will not be expected to understand all that goes on immediately. There is full training throughout the three days but as guest crew you are learning by doing - so its fun and you hardly notice the steep learning curve. In no time at all you will be pulling on ropes and taking an active part in all the sailing as if you had been sailing for years.
We have three pilot cutters strategically based in the best sailing areas around the UK in Cornwall, Western Scotland and the Solent, so there really is no excuse not to give sailing a try.
Something different for the weekend
Experienced sailors come for a refreshing break on our three pilot cutters. It is a great pose to 'own a classic boat' for a few days. Not only are they fun and physical to sail, Eve, Lizzie May and AJ are rather show stopping when they come into port, and it is nice to get admiring looks out on the water. Many of our customers come just to experience gaff rig sailing as a change from modern yachts.
Pure Cornwall - 3 day breaks afloat
Eve of St Mawes is a 38ft wooden pilot cutter built and designed by Luke Powell. She was the vessel that launched Classic Sailing in 1997 and we created many themes to our 3 day voyages to take full advantage of our fantastic surroundings. Classic Sailing HQ and our 'flagship' Eve is based in St Mawes on the Roseland Peninsula. This seafaring village with its castle guarding the bay has instant access to Falmouth Estuary and miles of unspoilt coastline to explore.
Cornwall has secret coves, rugged headlands, and historic fishing ports. If the weather is a bit too wild for the open sea, there are deep drowned river valleys like the Helford River where you can sail deep inland surrounded by oak woodland. Our skippers know the coastline intimately 'like a smuggler' and exploring ashore is part of our ethos.
Special short breaks include Sail- Walk- Row -our multi activity voyages: women go wild weekends for women only with a female skipper; One for the boys - act like a pirate voyage.
Eve of St Mawes 2010 short breaks
More on the vessel Eve of St Mawes >>
Scotland traditional sailing for a weekend break
Lizzie May is a slightly larger sister to Eve. Also built by Luke Powell of Working Sail, her design is based on the original pilot cutters working from the Isles of Scilly in the 1870's.
Now based in Scotland, she looks equally at home amongst the mountains, islands and sea lochs. Robust and seaworthy enough for the open ocean, she will take care of you. The majority of Lizzie May's short breaks are from her home port of Largs on the Firth of Clyde. With sheltered flat water options around the Lower Clyde you can learn to handle up to five sails on a remarkably stable deck. There is plenty of open water to go or a blast and experience a few waves down the deck.
Perhaps you will circumnavigate Arran, visit Tarbert Loch Fyne in search of seafood or sailing through the narrow Kyles of Bute. Joining Lizzie May for these voyages is easy as Largs is on rail and bus routes from Glasgow and only twenty minutes from Prestwick airport and 45 from Glasgow Airport.
New for 2010 Lizzie May is offering 2-3 day gastronomic voyages with skipper and professional chef Laurie Mill. Have a great weekend sailing and sample the best of Scotland's seafood and local organic produce - prepared and cooked on board. Voyages from Largs, Oban and Mallaig.
Lizzie May >>
Solent Short Breaks
Skipper Phil is an expert on Annabel J’s home ground the Solent and being close to the South East he offers many excellent and convenient short breaks.
The Solent is a mecca for yachtsmen and women from around the world and there is always something going on. With the Isle of Wight protecting this vast expanse of water there is good sailing at all times of year. Annabel J is a 54' beauty based on the legendary Bristol Channel Pilot cutters. Her large gaff mainsail is very distinctive and if you want to cut a dash you will certainly stand out from the crowd.
Well placed at the entrance to the Hamble Annabel J can get you out on the water for a great weekend break in no time at all.
Call A Skipper 01872 58 00 22 (Non UK 0044 1872 58 00 22)
