Dazedkipper Practical?

I was fascinated to learn that the 'Pelagic' venture run by Skip Novak is an RYA Recognised Training Centre, riveted by the imagery in the Slide Library, and intrigued by the range of passages to out-of-the-way places they complete.

What about this for an anchorage? No issues about scope....


anchorage.jpg



Right now they seem to be headed for South Georgia again, and are about 400 miles out from the Falkland Islands. It recalls for me that epic of navigation and survival at sea, 'Shackleton's Boat Journey' by Captain F A Worsley.

:)
 
Well I found it interesting. Tis a fantastic and spectacular part of the world they operate in and I gave serious consideration to getting a job down there this winter.

I'd fully recommend sailing there if you get the chance. I'd go back like a shot if offered.
 
sailing school recommendation

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I'm afraid I can't recommend any schools that operate a Mirror :rolleyes:

However, if you want something a bit different outwith the Solent but don't want to go as far as South Georgia then Westbound Adventures is a sailing school that operates out of Barra in the Outer Hebrides in the Summer months. The Sigma 33C they operate is a superb training vessel, sound, seaworthy and well equipped though not packed with luxury features. If you want to learn a lot about sailing amid some of the most fantastic scenery anywhere in Europe and don't need hot water on tap and nouvelle cuisine then I can thoroughly recommend it.

- W
 
I came onto Scuttlebut to post my views on Sailing Schools
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Aw, naw, you didnae, PinkKnickers!

You cam' on 'ere to troll your way aboot and roundly abuse that shy and gentle 'wee white settler' and ragged-ersed alternative-religionist, our dear auld apoplectic friend Webbie.

You're a big bully, so ye are. Away an' pick oan somebody yer ain size! Leave the puir wee Webbie alain; look, he's greetin'.....

:D
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webcraft said:
This is what I would look for in a course. Too many people expect a fancy holiday or a luxury cruise. RYA courses are about learning to sail, and value for money means learning lots of stuff from a great instructor, not gourmet food or a cabin to yourself.

- W
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With Cornish Cruising (No link - just happy customer), there is the choice anyway, the usual DC,CS,YM courses, plus Mileage Builder cruises. Done both, Mileage builders a little more relaxed, good food on both and plenty of it all the way. Both my wife and I have enjoyed them as holidays as well as training. (There again, came from a Camping Background, so luxury is a flush loo and sleeping off the floor).
 
Sadly . . .

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You cam' on 'ere to troll your way aboot
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Vast though the internet is I find it is unable to furnish me with a picture of a troll dressed in crimson ecclesiastical robes sailing a Mirror dinghy :(

(A challenge for someone perhaps?)

- W
 
nmeyrick said:
For a non solent but still UK based course I can recommend Cornish Cruising in Falmouth. Definitely run as a course, with simple honest food, nights at anchor and the emphasis on learning to sail rather than being a fancy holiday.

Its a beautiful area, and like the solent has a huge variety of places to go both inside and outside the sheltered harbour. I did my coastal there a couple of years ago and there was a guy on the same boat doing his Dazed - must have learned two or three times as much as I did when I did my Dazed course, with Sunsail in the canaries. That was definitely a holiday type course, and I certainly know which approch I'd go for in future!
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Interesting. I did my ds with Sunsail in the Canaries (la Gomera) and what a useless idea that was. Depth was off the scale unless you could actually touch the sides (1500 metres on the chart) and the only vessel lights I remember seeing were on a schooner. No navigation marks to speak of and the night sail (20 odd miles from La Gomera to Tenerife) was a case of, "see those lights over there? That's Los Cristianos - sail towards it." The only tricky part was finding the green and red at the entrance to the harbour against the backdrop of a million disco lights. On the plus side we did see a comet (was it Halle Bopp?) on that night sail. I did my coastal skip with Southern, in the Solent. I also did a mile builder with Cornish Cruising and they were good.
 
+1 for Cornish Cruising.
I did CC and DS with them this year. Good tutors, great scenery, plenty of pilotage and navigation around that coast together with 'interesting' weather, large tidal ranges, variety of anchorages and overnight on pontoons etc. All in all a varied weeks sailing each time.

I liked them so much that even thought I'm now living in the UAE (lotsa sun!!!!) I'm going back to do more with them next year.
 
Sunsail?

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I did my ds with Sunsail in the Canaries (la Gomera)
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Are you sure it was Sunsail and not either Canary Sail or Clubsail?

Bet you are **** hot at backing into a marina berth though - that seems to be the main teaching point with that lot :D

I wouldn't rate the Canaries as a good training ground - barely tidal, never a reading on the echo sounder as you pointed out, no decent anchorages in Winter when there is any swell (i.e. most of the time) and not many good shortish day sails.

- W
 
bilbobaggins said:
Someone close to me asked for recommendations for an "RYA Approved Training Centre that really knew what it was doing, not the BluddySolentAgain, and with some scenery...."
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I'd like to endorse the recommendations for www.rusailing.com

After 35 years of motor boating, I bought a yacht at the start of 2009. I have only ever used Rob at Rusailing.com as my sailing instructor and now after just 1500 miles of sail, he has put me successfully through the YM Offshore Exam with the local examiner.

Robs attitude is basically "I ask for nothing less than 100% on every exercise during the course - simply because you wont perform at 100% on exam day through nerves/stress. But you will perform at 80% and that will impress the examiner".

So if you want brilliant instruction, warmth, great scenery and a fantastic boat where everything works - go to www.rusailing.com

Oh and while you are in Lagos, look me up!:)
 
We have used John at Christchurch Yachting (Dorset) Website Here and can't recommend him enough. His style suits us perfectly and he has an ability to impart knowledge without you feeling that you are being taught.

OK so its near the Solent, but we have spent some fantastic times with him sailing between the Yarmouth and Weymouth.


No connection just a long standing very satisfied customer,
 
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