In order to start your Gold DofE Award you need to be 16 years or older on the starting date of your first Duke of Edinburgh Awards section.

You don’t need any previous sailing experience in order to take part in our 14 day Expedition programme. However, if you are planning on completing any RYA qualifications in the process, we strongly recommend doing the theory elements before coming on board for your Expedition programme.

As the itinerary is much more intense on our 9 day Expedition programmes, and preparation and training time very limited, we require some previous experience in both the practical aspects of sailing (RYA Start Yachting or comparable) as well as theory knowledge (Essential Navigation & Seamanship  or comparable) before coming on board, to prevent the experience from being overwhelming and frustrating.

If you are unsure about which programme is best for you or how to best prepare yourself for this adventure, just get in touch with us and our team of instructors will be happy to assist you!

Depending on your group size and availability, our Expedition yachts are usually between 42 and 48 ft and come with all necessary safety equipment. Accommodation is in shared cabins, although – depending on the season – you may end up sleeping under the stars on deck instead. Each yacht also has a galley (kitchen), saloon (lounge area) and usually two heads (bathrooms). When spending the night in a marina, the more comfortable marina facilities can be used.

You will be involved in all aspects of life aboard: From pulling the ropes and steering the boat, planning and navigating the passages, to preparing meals* for your crew and helping to keep the yacht shipshape and clean. Sharing your home with other people requires communicating your own boundaries and respecting those of others. Under the guidance of our staff, you will become a team in no time, and learning and living together might just become the most rewarding experience of your life!

*We can serve most dietary needs on board, but please let us know in advance if you have special requirements. As not everything is available once we are under way, it is important that we can stock up on the necessary provisions beforehand.

Taking command and responsibility of a sailing vessel (and your crew) for your DofE Expedition can be a daunting prospect. However, there is no need to worry! – Throughout your training and practice expedition, our highly qualified and experienced instructor will be there to teach you and make sure you are safe at all times. And during your qualifying expedition, your assessor will not only be there to assess you, but also have the necessary sailing qualifications and experience to ensure the safety of you and the other crew on board.

Our yachts carry all life jackets and necessary safety equipment, and are certified by the MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) – who are considered to have one of the highest safety standards in the world.

All of our team members have experience working with young people, are DBS checked, and many of them we have known and worked with for many years.

When under way, many resources are limited on board a yacht, so saving freshwater and electricity is a necessity and quickly becomes second nature to everyone on board. But even beyond that, sailing is possibly the most environmentally friendly way to travel!

While unfortunately we can’t avoid the CO₂ emissions of getting to and from the marina yet, especially if there are flights involved, once on board we go fossil-fuel free for most of the way. It is part of the joys of sailing to challenge yourself to find the best route, and putting all your new skills to use to make use of winds and tides instead of the engine when whenever it is practicably possible.

When going ashore we follow the rule of leaving nothing behind but footprints in the sand, limiting single-use plastic and other waste as much as possible, and taking everything back on board with us when we leave. Whenever possible, we try to incorporate a quick beach clean-up in our activities, too.