boomerangben
Well-Known Member
I did my yachtmaster theory with Navathome. Good course and did my test on line too. Suited me ok. They have a time limit, but you can extend if need be at small cost.
UK chartering company recommendations?
- Thread starter spindly_killer_fish
- Start date
DreadShips
Well-Known Member
I'm another who used Navathome, in my case for DS. It was generally pretty solid and I'd happily recommend it. You lose the opportunity to chat through things like you would in a classroom and occasionally the automatic marking leaves you wondering if you really grasped something (or where you went wrong), but you gain in price and convenience. The email support was less than I'd have liked but in practice more than I needed.
I'd also recommend getting hold of the little Reeds Skipper's Handbook and leaving it somewhere you can flick through occasionally. Some of it is well above DS level, but it's all interesting and the bits you do need are a lot easier to do for yourself if you've read the theory a few times previously.
I'd also recommend getting hold of the little Reeds Skipper's Handbook and leaving it somewhere you can flick through occasionally. Some of it is well above DS level, but it's all interesting and the bits you do need are a lot easier to do for yourself if you've read the theory a few times previously.
ylop
Well-Known Member
I don’t think it’s necessarily more beneficial to do in the classroom - there are pro’s and con’s to both. In the classroom you benefit from other people’s stupid question and perhaps an instructor explaining things a different way. At home you aren’t held up by the pace of the stupid question and an instructor trying to re-explain something you understand already! Some people struggle to learn online - others like to be able to click back as often as they want or to fit in 30 minutes whilst something is cooking.
I’d be surprised if any provider was not covering it.
I think Navathome are probably the “default” online provider - unless I am mistaken a number of the schools resell their product for distance learning. However I had a look fairly recently at ardent training for my daughter and I was quite impressed with their stuff. Their support seems to be quite a bit more than “email”, I’m not sure if they’ve perfected automatic marking any better.
spindly_killer_fish
Well-Known Member
Thanks chaps ill give them a look
benjenbav
Well-Known Member
Any charterer that you speak to may well be more flexible than their website suggests. Especially if you’re not trying to screw them down to a low price point.
In the context of flexibility it’s worth thinking about the weather as well as the location. Your family may love bashing into a F6 in their foulies and nursing a range of newly acquired contusions or sitting in port watching the weather go by. But, if there’s a possibility that they won’t, it might be helpful to have a little bit of flexibility in the dates for your first long weekend, especially if you want there to be a second one.
Anyway, all the best.
spindly_killer_fish
Well-Known Member
Oh My. God the plot thickens.
Im now being told by my superior she would like to tie in a 2-3 night sailing trip somewhere in the med/canaries.....struggling to find anything under 5-7 nights though. are weekend sails doable in warmer climes? I have only looked at sundsail and sail ionian etc. the big names that pop up on google.
Im now being told by my superior she would like to tie in a 2-3 night sailing trip somewhere in the med/canaries.....struggling to find anything under 5-7 nights though. are weekend sails doable in warmer climes? I have only looked at sundsail and sail ionian etc. the big names that pop up on google.
oldbloke
Well-Known Member
Even the big companies are small companies, ring up and speak to a person. Biggest problem may be that the flights are all based on 7 day packages. You may need to add on a land based stay. The Saronic Gulf south of Athens might be easier for flights and trips round the bay although the first and last days of a charter there are not very interesting
ylop
Well-Known Member
friends of my son’s did a Nielsen “Stay and Sail” holiday which was 1/2 yacht 1/2 beach based… eye wateringly expensive.
spindly_killer_fish
Well-Known Member
so we are planning on a week for flights anyway, I generally book hotels and flights separately so i can work around that, as soon as i can work out locations then i can do a bit more research, im guessing Athens is the place to go but will see what the better 3/4 says
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Charters seek to maximise usage of boats and the 7 day/14 day package does that. However you may well find skippered charters will do shorter periods, but likely out of high season when demand is lower. Athens is probably the worst place to start. Much better looking at the Ionian or Aegean. The former is generally more gentle as far as weather is concerned but spectacular scenery. I kept my boat in Corfu for many years and never short of good places to visit. You can also get plenty of cheap flights particularly mid week away from July/August. Levkas is also good but flights a bit more restrictive as package holiday based.
Sailionian is a possibility and for Corfu suggest here bobsyachts.com There are good hotels around the Marina in Corfu close to the main town and lots to do on the island. Cheap and easy to hire a car. I expect Bob (who used to look after my boat when it was there) could put together a package for you. We have stayed many times at the Hotel Telesilla hoteltelesilla.com Corfu is best in May and June then September after the crowds have gone.
ylop
Well-Known Member
Or for another off the wall suggestion…
Charter for somewhere like this: https://www.pitter-yachting.com/en/destinations/netherlands/lelystad-en for your sailing part then hop on a plane to the sunshine part! They definitely do periods of <7 days and I’m sure there was a skippered charted that came back in about the same time as we did.
It’s nowhere near as hot as the med (which may actually be a good thing) but has lots of interesting places to visit ashore, no tides - we went there after DS to convince ourselves that owning a boat would not result in divorce! They do have boats in other places, but as it’s a taxi ride to Schipol Airport it would make going anywhere after very simple.
Charter for somewhere like this: https://www.pitter-yachting.com/en/destinations/netherlands/lelystad-en for your sailing part then hop on a plane to the sunshine part! They definitely do periods of <7 days and I’m sure there was a skippered charted that came back in about the same time as we did.
It’s nowhere near as hot as the med (which may actually be a good thing) but has lots of interesting places to visit ashore, no tides - we went there after DS to convince ourselves that owning a boat would not result in divorce! They do have boats in other places, but as it’s a taxi ride to Schipol Airport it would make going anywhere after very simple.
Laser310
Well-Known Member
no certs needed in France...
they will ask about experience though, and most charter agencies can provide a captain if desired.
Brittany has beautiful scenery, and it's not expensive to get to.
without a captain, you could get a somewhat smaller boat, which you will find easier to handle.
I chartered from these guys in La Trinite sur Mer.
Location de voiliers en Bretagne, Martinique, Guadeloupe et Méditerranée
They definitely do weekends - although maybe not in high season. Apparently there is some sort of employment regulation that basically requires some firms to do weekend team-building outings, and the charter companies are set up to satisfy this need.
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ylop
Well-Known Member
If I read the OP correctly - he's been out once for a day sail with a skipper - I don't think even the most relaxed charter company will let him go without a skipper!
spindly_killer_fish
Well-Known Member
I wouldnt if i could
spindly_killer_fish
Well-Known Member
Ill give some of these a chat with the better half and try and come up with a plan, its all getting out of hand lol
spindly_killer_fish
Well-Known Member
Im going to assume youre still married and own a boat? definitely something to keep in mind