Luxury Yacht Calypso
Hamilton Island Race Week - Sail training
Experience the magic of Hamilton Island Race Week from the deck of a luxury yacht. Perfectly situated amongst Queensland's Whitsunday Islands, Hamilton Island offers fabulous trade wind sailing conditions in a tropical paradise.
Dates: 16 - 24 Aug 2019 Embark: 10:00 AM | Disembark: 05:00 PM Route: Sydney to Hamilton Island Price: $3,990.00 per person incl. GST
Begin with two days of race training around the stunning Whitsunday Islands to give the crew a chance to familiarise themselves with the boat and to settle into roles before the regatta.
During the training days you learn about race crew roles, navigation and tactics, spinnaker handling and safety procedures.
Calypso will race in the cruising division. We always aim to do well but our number one priority is to make sure everyone on board feels involved, learns something and enjoys being part of the crew.
Campaign schedule
Hamilton Island Race Week is a day sailing regatta. We generally depart the marina by around 10 am and are back by 5 pm. Thursday - Arrivals
Friday - FF crew training / registration
Saturday - FF crew training
Sunday - Short Around-the-Islands race
Monday - Short Around-the-Islands race
Tuesday - Short Around-the-Islands race
Wednesday - Lay day - Shore side activities
Thursday - Short Around-the-Islands race
Friday - Short Around-the-Islands race
Saturday - Short Around-the-Islands race
Location and sailing conditions
Sailing in the Whitsunday's at this time of the year is spectacular. You can expect fresh trade winds, azure blue tropical waters and stunning white sandy beaches.
Expect to see dolphins, whales, dugongs and flying fish!
Race on Calypso
The week will be skippered by one of our friendly, qualified and experienced instructors. You train and compete on board our luxury yacht Calypso, a Moody 54 deck saloon.
Party ashore
The 'apres sail' activities at Hamilton Island offer something for everyone. Fine wining and dining, cheap eats, cocktail parties and great bands.
Sailing Qualifications
Sailing licenses are becoming increasingly indispensable for international bareboat yacht charters. The charter industry is growing at a fast rate, and as a result there have been some unfortunate incidents where inexperienced skippers have put property and lives at risk. Therefore the need for a suitable qualification is being enforced on operators by insurance companies and foreign governments. It is impossible to imagine that a car hire company would hire a vehicle to a driver without a license!
If you are an experienced sailor but do not hold any formal qualification, the best solution is to obtain the International Certificate of Competence. This is universally recognized throughout the yacht charter industry and is now attainable in Australia by taking a practical assessment at a RYA Training Centre. The assessment lasts approximately half a day and can be taken on your own boat or one provided by a sailing school. The test includes questions on safety, collision avoidance, navigation and piloting in coastal waters. We recommend that you obtain a copy of the ICC Handbook from our friends at Boat Books because it sets out exactly what you need to know.
The assessment is not an exam and there is opportunity for some coaching during the assessment. If an applicant fails the assessment it will then be necessary to complete the (RYA) Day Skipper Certificate Course. This is a comprehensive five day course – prices and details are available from accredited training centres below.
Alternatively, the International Yacht Training course (IYT) for the International Bareboat Skipper Certificate is widely accepted throughout the world of chartering.
A Marine Radio Operators VHF Certificate of Proficiency (MROVCP) or higher is also required in most charter destinations but is a very useful ticket to have even if it is not called for – this is especially so in emergency situations. ABC Online offer this certificate course and the website for enrolment is www.vhfradioonline.com. Otherwise the VHF course can be taken with most sailing schools, Coast Guard or TAFE.
What's included?
- Tuition, certification and logbook (if required).
- Life-jackets and safety harnesses are provided. Wet weather clothing if required is available on request.
- Accommodation: Single sex, shared cabin accommodation is provided. There are 3 bathrooms on board.
- Catering: Food on board from lunch on the first day to lunch on the last day. (Crew take it in turns to cook) * We do our best to cater for both vegetarians and meat eaters.
- Qualifications and experience
- 1,000 sea miles logged
- Yachtmaster qualifying passages
- Watch keeping experience
Book a private cabin
Enjoy the privacy of a private cabin for a surcharge of $2000
Flights are not included
Before you start
No formal qualifications are required but your sailing and navigation skills should be at RYA Competent Crew level or equivalent.
What next?
At the end of the course your instructor will give you feedback on your sailing and skippering ability and make recommendations for your future training and experience.
