Absolutely not! We welcome all people on our sailing holidays, from complete novices to highly experienced guests. The skipper is a fully-qualified sailing instructor and as such enjoys teaching and sharing this knowledge. Almost everyone wants to get involved in the day-to-day sailing of the boat. We welcome that, and find people learn from this relaxed setting, without the pressure of a formal course/assessment. Of course, there is never a need to do anything, the boat is fully crewed so you can sit back and relax and let the beautiful scenery pass by.

Yes, we’re always happy to provide informal training and give you the chance to practice everything from theoretical chart work and calculations to more advanced sailing techniques. Our skipper is a fully qualified sailing instructor and am always happy to give pointers and instruction. Miles and other experiences can be recorded in your personal logbook - our skipper can sign your logbook. The trip is not a formal course, but we always encourage people to learn or brush up on their skills.

Yes. Whenever possible we will guarantee couples share a cabin.

No. We just ask that you are realistic about your physical capabilities. As a rule, agility is much more important than brute physical strength. Also, see the section in our booking terms & conditions.

All under 18’s need to be accompanied by an adult. If you book as a family, you could take advantage of our whole boat private charter where, when available you can book the whole of Stravaigin for your family/party and get up to 6 guests for the price of 5.

We will give you the option. If you don’t mind sharing, we may ask you to share with another solo traveller of the same sex. If you prefer to have your own space and one is available, you can reserve a whole cabin for your exclusive use by paying a single supplement.

We take a maximum of 6 guests along with 1 Skipper and 1 crew.

Our sailing holidays are fully catered. You only have to help if you want to – although cooking onboard is a bit of a skill, particularly at sea. The skipper and crew will always prepare all meals, but some guests enjoy this aspect, so we are always happy to let you get involved. If you don't want to help with food prep, just sit back and enjoy the view with glass of wine.

Note: We use a rota for washing up, so you will be expected to have a go at that. It's all part of the team building!

We highly recommend you take out holiday insurance to cover you for all sorts of eventualities. Make sure it covers sailing.

Yes, we require some medical information about you at the time of booking to ensure your safety on board and to make the skipper aware of any considerations to you joining a trip.

Yes! If a trip is listed as having 6 places left it is available for private charter. For private charters, you can bring up to 6 guests for the price of 5. We don’t have to follow the suggested itinerary. It becomes your own trip and along with the skipper’s intimate knowledge, we can tailor this to your own wishes.

Be it a family or group of friends, please don’t hesitate to contact us and discuss we are always keen to “make it happen”.

We’ll give you a kit list once you’ve booked your voyage. Think: Layers, hats, and waterproof shoes with good grip, wellies or waterproof shoes for beach dinghy landings. You do not need high-quality sailing waterproofs - a reasonable waterproof jacket and trousers you may use for hiking are more than enough. We can hire full sets of proper sailing waterproofs – let us know at the time of booking so we can have the appropriate size. Make sure you pack everything in soft/ foldable kit bags as storage space is limited and cannot accommodate hard cases.

All safety equipment (lifejackets, safety lines) is provided.

The price for our sailing holidays includes everything - there are no hidden fees.

Included:

• Your berth or cabin, all bed linen, warm duvet and a beach towel (if you are on one of our wild swimming trips you may want to bring an extra towel)
• All meals: breakfast, lunch and evening meals including unlimited tea, coffee and soft drinks throughout the day, and our delicious homemade baking and treats
• Sailing tuition and crew
• All the available water toys, we have a couple of inflatable paddle boards for that bit of fun anchorages

Not included: Alcohol, land excursions, travel to and from the arrival/departure ports, or travel and personal accident insurance

We carry a small stock of wine and spirits on board and charge via an honesty bar. You may bring your own favourite tipple as well. Consumption of alcohol is always at the discretion of the skipper. 

It is not uncommon to get seasick on the first day or in rough weather. If you do begin to feel unwell, just let a crew member know so that we can look after you accordingly – especially if you are on medication. We find the best way is to let you helm (steer) the boat. This quickly allows you to settle, as the eyes and inner ear are allowed to get into sync. Along the lines of you don’t get car sick when you’re driving. For most, the feeling will pass in a few hours with a hot drink, a ginger biscuit, and a lie-down.

We cater for a meat-eating and vegetarian diet on all our trips. For other dietary needs (vegan, gluten-free etc.), please check with us before booking. If you have an allergy to certain foods, please detail that on your medical form. Where you prefer or dislike a certain food, we will try our best to accommodate that, but with limited space on board, it may not always be possible.

Meals can be nut-free or gluten-free, but the boat is not a nut-free or gluten-free zone.

If you have severe allergies, contact us before booking.

We are universally applauded for our standard of food, it is a source of great pride, The skipper is famous for his saying “Food is more than fuel”. Find out more about the food we serve on here.