Luxury Yacht Calypso
Sail Training
This passage provides an opportunity for sailors to gain sea miles and Yachtmaster offshore qualifying passages, in comfort and style on board a stunning luxury yacht.
Dates: 6 Jul - 19 Jul 2019 Embark: 10:00 AM | Disembark: 05:00 PM Route: Sydney to Hamilton Island Price: $3,990.00 per person incl. GST
The passage starts at Sydney's Middle Harbour Yacht Club, Mosman. Sail north following the sun to Coffs Harbour, and Mooloolaba, past Fraser Island and the Keppel group and on through the 100 magic miles of the Whitsunday Group, finishing two weeks later at Hamilton Island Marina.
Course content
You will plan your route to take best advantage of the weather. You can expect to visit various ports along the New South Wales and Queensland coast.
Whatever the forecast you are guaranteed varied sailing conditions and some navigational challenges en route.
You can expect to develop your skills and experience in the following key areas:
Preparation for sea
Safety equipment and procedures
Pilotage and passage planning
Offshore navigation
Preparing for heavy weather
Sail trim
Man overboard procedures
Watch keeping and night passages
Crew management and the role of the skipper
Weather en route
You can expect the weather to be cool in Sydney at the start of the passage. As we head north into the tropics things will get progressively warmer hopefully with prevailing fresh south-east Trade winds making for excellent downwind sailing conditions. The yacht and the instructor
The passage will be run by an RYA qualified instructor on board our luxury yacht Calypso which is fully set up for offshore sailing. The passage is split into two legs, with a layover day scheduled in Mooloolaba to allow the crew some well earned R and R.
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.
