Tenacious - Weymouth to Southampton via the continent

Spring/Summer 2012 on Tenacious

This summer Tenacious has an exciting and varied schedule on the south coast of UK and across the channel to France, Holland, Germany and Belgium. She will be visiting the Isle of Wight for Cowes Week, and voyaging across to France to destination ports such as Ushant and Douarnenez, as well as the Channel Islands, Dutch canals and Belgium cities. A mixture of 5 to 12 day voyages, of which a couple are passport free.

There are plenty of day sails out of either Southampton, Poole or Portsmouth to whet your appetite and test your sea legs.

Visit Brittany

You will definitely require your passport and suncream on this voyage, as you head over to Brittany, visiting one of France's most rugged coastline, and explore the ancient towns and magical islands.

This is a superb cruising ground, rich in maritime history, and a yachtsmans paradise, with lots of ports, harbours, bays and islands, all with their own identity and customs. Many seafaring folk return to this part of France year after year, as there is simply so much to explore.

As you head further south you will leave behind the Breton traditions and architecture, and enter into a much more meditteranean atmosphere, with white washed houses and red tiles roof tops, and a more meditteranean climate.

You will have time ashore to explore wherever Tenacious stops, so don't forget your Euros.

All of the summer voyages will allow you a great mix of great sights ashore and some fantastic sailing in a sea area that is rich in maritime history, and a challenge to even the most experienced of sailor.

Where do we go ?

Each voyage is usually a mix of a couple of longer passages where you sail through the night, and shorter hops between ports or a scenic anchorage. Once at sea you are part of a watch so only on duty for 4 hours and then the next watch takes over. Watch duty day or night involves trimming sail and steering the ship under the stars and the watchful eye of the professional deck officers and voluntary watch leaders.  Some manouvres require 'all hands' to brace the yards or take in sail. Sometimes the ships boats are launched when sailing along in settled weather so you can take a photo of the ship under sail.  There are often lectures on board to teach you more about sailing square riggers.

Anyone Can Sail from aged 12 to 98+

The beauty of the Lord Nelson and her sister ship Tenacious is that they are big impressive square riggers so there is plenty of hearty pulling and masts to climb, but the ships wheel is power assisted and a lot of thought has gone into the design to allow all physical abilities to join in and contribute to sailing the ship and move around the ship independently.

Children as young as 12 can come with a parent or guardian and their is no upper age limit with the oldest crew member so far being 98 !  This is great if you have already sailed on the ship and you want to show your friends and family what it is like aboard.  It is also a good opportuntity for those with a disability to trial a day sail before they try a longer trip.

Sailing on the largest working UK tall ship - Tenacious

Climbing the masts to work the square sails is the essence of tall ship sailing - but it is not complusory. There aren’t many adrenalin buzzes in the world to beat stowing a sail 100ft above the white capped sea as you stand there balanced on a single foot rope.

On Deck - No Experience needed

At deck level the challenge is to make sense of the myriad of ropes than run down to belaying pins all around the tall ship, you won't be expected to understand it all on a day sail.

The decks are wide enough to move around in a wheel chair and their are handrails fo those not so steady on their feet. There are lifts to different deck levels as well as steps.

Just get stuck in and pull away on those ropes and enjoy the sight of those sails propelling you through the water. As part of a team you could be hauling on a halliard that hoists a huge yard up the mast so that the sail can be set. It may be an upper topsail, the main course or you may be alone finding the right buntlines to loosen for someone working high above you.
 

Tall Ship Rig

The ship’s rig is fairly authentic, although the royal and t'gallant sails are roller reefed from the deck.  There are no winches, no windlass for the sails and so it takes a lot of physical effort and large numbers of people working together to set all the sails. Manoeuvring a tall ship is not simple under sail and there is huge amount of work to be done when you tack or wear ship. It all takes genuine teamwork, not a cliché in a management training manual.

The sense of satisfaction and pride in your ship is a common but wonderful feature of tall ship sailing.

A tall ship voyage is not just for young and agile as these ships are built for those who believe in human power and seek to enjoy the pleasures of sailing in the old ways.

Crew Handbook

If you want to swot up on your nautical terms and learn more about the sail names and proceedures on board then have a look at the crew handbook which has sail plan drawings and pin rail diagrams so you can learn the rope positions (It is easiest to learn by doing though).

PDF Crew Handbook Tenacious and Lord Nelson

A Challenge for All

The safety of everyone is top priority and so every activity is conducted at a pace comfortable for all. The forces of nature show no compromise and the Tenacious is still a powerful square rigger so with main course, upper and lower topsails traditionally rigged so there is still considerable challenge in every voyage. Perhaps going aloft (climbing the rigging is optional) will be the biggest adrenalin buzz or simply the challenge and rewards of being part of a very special floating community.

The Buddy System on Tenacious

On Board Tenacious & Lord Nelson we operate a buddy system, which pairs able bodied and physically disabled people together. Everyone is there to help one another and share the experience, so the buddy system works both ways! You’ll get the chance to share skills and life experiences and, as many of our crew have found, make friendships that can last a lifetime.