The Round the island experience
Experience the thrill of sailing around the infamous 60 mile course, which circles the Isle of Wight aboard an exciting, proven Ocean Race Yacht.
This trip provides the perfect opportunity to take these Ocean Race Yachts into the open water for which they were designed. Whether you take the helm as we speed past the Needles, or change sails on the front of the yacht whilst she crashes through the waves of St. Catherine's Deep, this is a trip that will leave you with unforgettable memories. It is a long, but exhilarating day and well worth it!
"It's a classic sailing course - around the Isle of Wight on this 60 mile trip. With open water in front of the boats we can take them off the leash a bit; and with the weather in our favour, have a fast rounding, usually experiencing every point of sail!"
Join the yachts at the 8am for a quick safety brief, before we motor down Southampton Water to the start of the famous Round the Island couse, which is just off Cowes. Then we will hoist the sails and power up the Solent towards the Needles.
It will be hands-on as you take part in all aspects of crewing these exciting vessels from helming to sail changes and trimming. A fast but fun day out, there will be lots to do, although there is also normally time to sit on the high side and enjoy the ride. By the end of the day you should be working as part of a slick and efficient racing team.
Find out more...
7:30 - 8:00: Meet us in our office in the marina for a tea or coffee whilst everyone arrives.
8:00 - 8:45: Your Skipper and Crew for the day will fit you with life jackets and take you to the boat for a quick look around before a full safety brief is given and everyone rigs the boat ready for sea. At this stage you will be hands on getting the sails ready, leading the ropes and getting used to the boat.
8:45: Depart the marina and motor down the River Hamble to the Solent where we hoist our sails and get underway.
13:00: Lunch is served under sail, by which stage you will hopefully be around St. Catherines Point on the South side of the Isle of Wight.
17:00 - 19:00: Dependent on boat and wind speed the finish time can vary. Arrive back outside the River Hamble and drop the sails before motoring back up the River to the Marina ready to depart the yacht.
Sails from: Hamble
Event time: 8am to 7pm (the finish time can sometimes be earlier – weather permitting!)
Maximum participants: 12
Boat: Clipper 60 Taeping and Whitbread 60 Blueprint
When: Selected midweek dates from April to September, approx twice a month. We can only run this experience when the tides are correct to go around the Isle of Wight, which does limit which dates can be run.
You must be at least 16 to come on this day and if you are 16 or 17 you must book with a parent or guardian.
There is no upper age limit, however you must have a reasonable level of mobility in order to move around the yacht unaided.
Do I have to have previous sailing experience to come on a Round the Island Day?
No, but we do recommend it. The Round the Island Day can last up to eleven hours, which is a long time if you find that you don't enjoy sailing, therefore we recommend participants have some previous sailing experience. However if you enjoy a challenge and you like being out on the water, then you may well enjoy the Round the Island Day as your first trip out on a yacht!
Would like to thank you for a lovely day onboard Blueprint. What a yacht and the weather was windy which made it a great day. The crew were very helpful and very experienced. I look forward to going again in the future. Thanks again. Julian
Had a great days sailing around the island. My need for speed was well catered for; assisted by boat and wind alike. Simon
A very good day with the weather very clearly with us. The crew excellent. Martin
Thoroughly enjoyed the experience which was my first in terms of any type of sailing. The activities carried out on board during the trip gave a good insight into the rigours of sailing and was great as a team building exercise! Chris
