Gibraltar Sailing

[twodragons]

High folks.

Towards the end of the year, i'm going to be doing my Day Skipper RYA. I know that there are cheaper, prettier, warmer places to do this than Gibraltar, but that's the plan nonetheless.

I'm considering Trafalgar sailing to train with. Does anyone here have good/bad experiences with them.


Cheers, again.

 

[tcm]

Re: calling Suncoast

aw i wdn't be tooo harsh from a sailing perspective: sailing with that fab view of the Rock is really quite something - a must-do boating experience inho, tho admittedly Gib is a bit rubbish ashore, the town rather like a 1970's cross channel ferry with evertywhere flogging cheap fags and manky food. But I went in oct or was in Novemebr and quite nice and sheltered on the water.

No idea of trafalgar sailing but poster suncoast runs another RYA training school which I DO have exp of and is quite good and will have more knowledge.

 

[twodragons]

Re: calling Suncoast

Thanks.

One of my considerations, is doing the courses in the med, but being sure of some nasty weather in which to learn, rather than encountering it without the benefit of an instructor around. Am i limiting my options needlessly?

Where's best in the med to do this, then?

 

[tcm]

Re: nasty weather experience

um, nasty weather isn't a sort of tick-box experience ah yes, done that no problem at all! It is unpredictable and varies with crew and boat and position and more. For a general wide-range course, you wd learn more whilst having reasonable mid-range conditions. The instructor won't go out much in a force 9 though to teach yer how to handle it.

However, bear in mind that just 20 mjiles up the coast is Tarifa, claim it'self as wind capital of the world (or europe anyway) so it could easily be rough in the straits. From the east, the med can be very rough and short waves which wouldn't be nice either. For day skip, yoou eant to be be near-guiaranteed of getting out on the water and using the boat, and bay of gib (and solent too) gives that near-guarantee.

 

[powerskipper]

these guys are good and in that area, sailing mainly.
http://www.alferseaschool.com/

 

[AIDY]

Re: calling Suncoast

I did my coastal skip with them about four years ago. Was inpressed with the set up. Cathy and Peter O'Hanlon made us all most welcome. And Peter was a great tutor. I sailed a Gibsea on my course, done a few miles but was well maintained.

Not sure of the setup now.

Agree with TCM great place to sail in Gib, and quite sheltered sailing in the bay. Some great places to sail / visit along the spanish coast.

If you do a course in Gib waters it will be classed as tidal any further into to the med would expect you will get a non tidal qualification.

have a great time what ever you decide to do.

 

[muminator]

We did ours with Trafalgar last year. They're a small company so the service is personal and very friendly. We took our teenage kids with us, so we had the boat to ourselves.

The boat we were on was a gibsea, not the newest boat in the marina, but well maintained and comfortable. The teaching was good, with plenty of chance to practice.

We were surprised how much we enjoyed Gibralta, we had some very exciting sailing with fresh winds. If you normally sail in the Solent, Gib is quite good because coming in and out of the harbour you'll have a lot of traffic, so your observation skills will be put to good use.

Highlight was when a pod of dolphins joined us for about an hour, diving under our bows.

Good luck

Sue

 

[Danny_Labrador]

Did my Day Skipper with Allabroad Sailing Academy 2 years ago.

Wife and two teenagers did Competent Crew at same time. We had a Bavaria 44 to ourselves for the week. Went to Africa (Smir) then Spain (Sotogrande) and back to Gibraltar.

Loved it and all got the qualifications. No experience of the others but no complaints with Allabroad. New(ish) Bavaria’s and Moody. Pick up from airport everything. Quite a social lot I seem to remember
Ask for Vic
http://www.asa.gi/

 

[twodragons]

Thanks, guys, and a good point with the tidal qualifications - it does say on their site "Day Skipper - Tidal" and i do want the tidal experience. TCM, I agree with the weather comment. I've worked in the North sea in 110mph winds, so i understand. What i should have said was that i didn't want my first nasty weather experience on a yacht to be my first time skippering a yacht, ie one week after a course in a flat calm sea.

I've been in e-mail contact with Cathy, and she has been very helpful - i'm currently working through the shore-based stuff from over here (middle east). Going to Iran on thursday, which is nice.....errrr..

Rob.

 

[Sailfree]

After an on the spur of the moment decision to buy an AWB 6 years ago we also chose Gibraltar for day skipper. Went with Straits Sailing and can recommend them but I am sure others are equally as good. However after first few attempts at berthing in a tide in Hamble, Bucklers Hard & Medina realised I knew nothing about boat handling in Tidal Conditions!! Went out for additional lessons in Pontoon bashing with Hamble School of Yachting.
For warm weather (and brownie points with the other half) go Gibraltar but add to that initial experience with extra boat handling in real tidal conditions. Marina watching can be very revealing when it comes to berthing. IMHO the Solent and British & French waters can be a testing place for both tides, winds & weather.
Good luck with whatever you choose but remember its only the start of the learning curve.

 

[Hakuna]

I did my coastal skipper with them in 2003 (February I think) and Cathy was very friendly with excellent organisation.

There were only three of us on the course (which was helpful) Although the instructor I had seems to have left and joined/set up another school in Gib. The yacht is very well maintained.

One of the advantages of Gib is visiting Spain and Morocco, and crossing the straits with all the traffic that that entails - On my crossing there was an American Aircraft Carrier Group transiting the strait at the same time which was very interesting.

 

[bumblefish]

If you get there quickly you might be able to buy some of those stamps with pieces of HMS Victory in them, allegedly.

 

[Achillesheel]

Just to throw in a wobbly, I did Day Skipper with Classic Sailing from St Mawes, on "Eve", a wooden gaff rigged pilot cutter. Learnt a lot more about sail handling, rigs, etc and did all the usual boat handling stuff, saw dolphins off Helford, fab food, good company. Warmly recommended, but admittedly the water will be warmer off Gib.