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Tall Ship Races, Square Rig Tasters to Ocean Crossings

An Introduction to Tall Ship Crewing

Have you always wanted to sail a tall ship as ‘hands on’ crew ? Imagine yourself steering hundreds of tons of wind powered sailing ship across an ocean with a spoked wheel ? or get a buzz from climbing aloft and stowing sails standing on a swinging foot rope with your new ship mates ?

It’s a myth that only the young or ‘naughty’ youth can sail on square riggers and large traditional sailing vessels. There are plenty of impressive tall ships of all sizes around the world that offer adventures for adults and young people. Classic Sailing currently has tall ship holidays on brigs, barques, barquentines, brigantines, large gaff rigged ketches and schooners from 2 day tasters to ocean journeys of several legs following the trade winds around the globe.

Expert advice to help you book

Classic Sailing office staff have sailed over 15 tall ships as crew so we can give your first hand advice –whether you are trying a tall ship for the first time, looking for a challenging square rig experience or a real romantic wanting live out a Patrick O’ Brien novel.

Tall Ship Tasters & Winter Sun

There are a few 2-4 day taster tall ship voyages this autumn 2009, but you need to be quick to catch them as British Brig Stavros S Niarchos will be migrating South to the sun this winter.

Seven day island hopping voyages in the Canaries are also a great introduction to tall ship sailing at a good value taster price. Slightly more remote & adventureous is a week in the Azores archipelago.

If you know you love life on board a sailing ship at sea, We have some 10-11 day ocean and blue water passages which don't involve long haul flights.

Three masted gaff topsail schooner Oosterschelde wlll be sailing in the Mediterranean in Spring 2010.

More on Tall Ship Tasters, mini ocean passages & Winter Sun on Stavros & Oosterschelde

Become Tall Ships Race Crew 2010

 There are some epic tall ships races in 2010 and most legs will have opportunities for tall ship crew of all ages to take part.

Full training will be given so a complete newcomer to sailing can take part. These voyages are fairly 'full on' sailing so you need to be confident about your fitness and stamina.They also fill up fast so ring us soon.

Bark Europa is joining a tall ship fleet of some of the biggest square riggers in the world to race around Cape Horn and up the South American Pacific coast, through the Panama Canal to the Caribbean (March - May 2010)

Bark Europa will then sail via Bermuda to Canada to take part in the Great Lakes Tall Ships Race in 2010.

Oosterschelde is racing in the Eastern Mediterranean in Spring 2010 and Hartlepool to Sail Amsterdam in the summer.

More on Tall Ships Races on 3 different continents in 2010

 ‘Adventure: Earths Most Thrilling Experiences’  is a 250 page travel book produced by Time Out Guides Ltd

Read one of their adrenalin choices: "Crew a Tall Ship"  by seasoned sailor and journalist Libby Purves 

Ocean Passages & Wildlife Expeditions by Tall Ship

If you prefer adventure on the high seas, exploring unspoilt locations ashore and learning about wildlife then have a look at:

21 day Antarctic Sailing Expeditions on Tall ship Europa

11 day wildlife expeditions around Outer Hebrides, St Kilda or Orkney on Tall Ship Oosterschelde

Arctic wildlife expeditions to Spitsbergen / Svalbard on barquentine Antigua - Summer 2010

10 day Cape Verde expeditions on Oosterschelde (winter 2010-2011 dates to be announced)

Learn 'Block and Tackle' seamanship on our vessels- tall & small

If you have sailed a square rigger and want to find a smaller vessel with blocks and tackles – we can introduce you to our pilot cutters, Brixham sailing trawlers and other traditionally rigged craft where a tall ship sailor will feel at home, but can progress their boat handling skills on a more intimate scale

See our RYA courses on boats with bowsprits