| |
 |
| |
| A Typical
Day & Weekly Routes |
|
| |
| |
| We are on the way by 0930 am , after early morning strolls around the harbour and expressos . followed by breakfast with fresh warm bread and lots of coffee and tea ! One of the trainee Day Skippers prepares his pilotage and passage plan , and chooses the lunchtime bay , while the rest of the crew tidy away and make ready the deck and sails . All the time the instructor is there for everyone - checking safety , guiding and encouraging . How to leave the dock smoothly is discussed with the skipper and he will be by his side to help if needed. The competent crew let go the lines and off we go! |
|
| |
| |
Before we head out there is time to practise close quarters boat handling under power –developing the Day Skipper’s confidence when manoeuvring in a crowded harbour . Meanwhile the Competent Crew are practising their knots and handling mooring lines as we try coming alongside or pick up a mooring buoy . We then leave the harbour , hoisting the mainsail as yesterday but with a little more skill this time . The crew are becoming more familiar with the routine and the instructor notes that they can , wihtout realising it immediately , work as a team now and its very rewarding to watch.
|
 |
|
With the engine off and full sails up and pulling , its time to learn more about sail position and points of sail . With tips from the instructor , the crew now enjoy getting the extra boat speed if they trim them correctly . While they sail and steer the boat , the Skipper is practises fixing his position and alters his passage plan according to the wind direction and sea . He finds his lunchtime bay and organises the crew on deck to drop the anchor – this time we try it under sail only which is a little nerve wracking the first time , but he gets well deserved applause from all the crew when its over ..! |
| |
|
| |
Time to swim , sunbathe and relax , and whoever gets dry first starts putting together a buffet style lunch perhaps with salad or pasta , or whatever they feel. During the lunch we can chat informally about what we did and the instructor is careful to judge their confidence for the next step , or other topics that need another go . At any time of the day there is always time for questions . During the afternoon perhaps another Day Skipper candidate will take us to the next island harbour . The sea breeze has freshened , so the crew must reef the sails as we leave the bay – then takes turn at the helm for the daily “best speed” contest !
The Day Skipper , again with the instructor close at hand , takes us stern to the dock and although this is only his second attempt it goes well and he and all the crew are congratulated with a well – earned sundowner in the cockpit . Perhaps a last swim and shower , then we will find a cafe or restaurant to meet in later .
|
 |
|
We may eat together but there is no rule here , its your holiday and time off so we want you to do as you please . As an option we can anchor once overnight in a quiet bay – chilling out under the stars after a home cooked meal onboard . |
Weekly
Routes
There is no set routes or itinerary , we normally sail in our immediate area close by Split which includes the large offshore islands of Brac , Solta , Hvar and Vis , sometimes Korcula . Depending on the wind direction and the make up of the crew , each instructor is free to choose his own route . Their priority is always your safety and enjoyment of the week , so usually with beginners on board they will stay in more sheltered waters early in the week before venturing further offshore when the crew have found their ‘sealegs’ and confidence on deck .
|
 |
|
| |
| |
Since we do have such a wide choice , sometimes we head north to the unspoilt Kornati group of islands , and up the inland Krka river by Sibenik to the waterfalls – both National Parks . Occasionally we offer 9 day trips and on these “milebuilder” voyages we can get south to Dubrovnik Old Walled City – ( A World Heritage site ) and back – a real sailing adventure !
Now that you know a little more about what your time is like with SSC why dont you check out our courses section or just go ahead and make a booking.
|
 |
|
| |
“ ... Thank you for a most enjoyable week . For me it was a necessary course so that I might secure a good position on the Marine Section at .....Docks . For Maria it was a confidence boosting week and she was very pleased to get her Competent Crew certificate . ....it was a very well planned week , and your excellent tuition led me through what I see now as complex learning week . Many thanks!..”
- Chris and Maria Osborne – September 2007
"I
want to thank you for a fantastic course . All three of us
learned much more than we would have thought possible …I
really benefited from being the only Day Skipper on board
, with probably three or four times as much skippering as
a normal course … thanks again for such excellent and
professional tuition. ”Peter Cox - UK - June 2006 |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
| A Typical Day |
• About 6 to 7 hours sailing daily , and a 1 to 2 hour lunchbreak
• Each evening ashore in a different port
• Optional quiet anchorage on one night
• All Crew will share the daily chores on board
• Time in early mornings and evenings to yourself
• No set itinerary , allowing more flexibility |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
