Sailing Cruisers
There comes a time when the family needs to be more comfortable afloat, when there is need for a proper kitchen – which we call a galley – and that all important lavatory. Families with small children need to be able to keep them warm and dry, and teenagers will need their privacy. This is the time to leave behind small boats and venture into a sailing cruiser with sensible cabin accommodation and a rig which the whole family can handle. Follow the links below to find out more:
- Getting Started
- Choosing your First Cruiser
- Equipment
- Moorings
- Training & Experience
- Special Interest Clubs
A great way for you and your family to try the big boats is to go on a yachting holiday; there are two types that most companies offer:
Flotilla: Cruising in company with our lead boat crew on hand to offer any assistance if needed, a great mix of independent and social sailing. For complete freedom and flexibilty any of our yachts can also be booked for independent charter.
Villa Flotilla: The perfect introduction to yachting, offering a mixture of staying in a hotels ashore either learning how to yacht sail or brushing up on existing skills, followed by a week living on board your yacht on flotilla. For more experienced yacht sailors this can be a twin centre holiday combining dinghy sailing, windsurfing and cycling in the first week with flotilla in the second.
Trailer sailers
A trailer sailer is a small cruiser, usually with a single cabin, perhaps separate accommodation for young people in the bows, a lavatory, a small galley and a chart table. Cruisers of this kind (up to about 8m, but usually much shorter) can be trailed behind a substantial family car, and are designed so that the keels are lifted into the boat in order that the hull sits snugly on the trailer. The rigging to the mast is designed so that it can readily be lowered for trailing and quickly put up on the slipway. A boat like this can be kept at home so that there is no need for a mooring. With a trailer sailer a family can regularly explore new waters, making short trips and enjoying weekend sailing.
The small cruiser
As an alternative there are many small cruisers on the market, say between 5.25m and 10m which are usually kept on a mooring, because the design of the hull would make trailing more difficult. The smaller craft will have fairly basic accommodation, but with increasing length comes increased volume, and separate cabin accommodation, probably including a proper separate toilet compartment and the privacy of double cabins.
The substantial family cruiser
A wide range of more substantial family cruisers is available, from 10m to perhaps 18m. In a boat like this you would expect to find separate cabin accommodation, which may include an owner’s cabin aft of the cockpit, with en suite washing and lavatory facilities. There will be a well-equipped galley and a separate navigation area with its own chart table and range of electronic instruments. Whilst the rig is fairly big, it can still be handled by a family using modern mainsail and jib furling systems and highly geared winches. In a boat like this it is possible to make extensive voyages, bringing into play all your navigational skills.
You will need to invest in lifejackets for the whole family, including the baby; safety harnesses, particularly if you have children on board; offshore clothing which will keep you both warm and dry in a blow. Although you may have a wet or dry suit from dinghy days, you should now buy proper offshore clothing, for preference in breathable fabrics, and non-slip sailing shoes or boots.
Moorings, somewhere to keep the boat,are available around the coast and there are several options. A mooring in a tidal area will probably mean that the boat is high and dry for some period of time and it is wise to choose one which will sit down comfortably, probably on bilge keels. You will have to row out to your cruiser in a small dinghy when the tide is in.
Moorings in a purpose built marina often provide deep water at all states of the tide and the facility of a jetty which allows you to reach the boat dry-shod and at any time. Moorings like these are going to be more expensive but do mean that you can get afloat when you like.
For details of coastal and inland marinas request our free booklet.
Club Moorings
Several coastal clubs will have moorings of their own, which may be tidal or in their own marinas. These may be less expensive than commercial marinas, but of course you will have to be a member and will be expected to help with the club maintenance.
We must stress that if you are contemplating sailing in a boat offshore you should have done at least your RYA Day Skipper, which equips you to sail safely in daylight hours and includes navigation and boat handling skills. Courses are available through sailing schools and separate theory courses are available at night-schools in Adult Education Centres across the country.
If you are thinking of sailing into continental ports, you will also need an International Certificate of Competence which is issued by the RYA.
If you are thinking of sailing into continental ports, you will also need an International Certificate of Competence which is issued by the RYA.
For more information about this sport then contact the RYA through their website www.rya.org.uk or call 0845 345 0400.
Follow the links for detailed information on special interest clubs for adults and children.
