First Class Sailing

About

Sailing Experience Day on a Wooden Boat

Experience sailing a 100 year old classic boat.  Feel the warmth of the wood, help haul the lines through varnished ash blocks as you catch the wind in the sails, take control of the tiller, enjoy the gentle motion and the sounds of a traditional old boat.  Whether you are helping to sail the boat or watching the world go by sailing can be hungry work and at some point there will be a delicious tasty lunch or supper on board for you plus a glass of locally sourced wine.

Itinerary

Each day there are 2 outings:

- 9am to 2.30pm – this includes lunch

- 3.30pm to 8.30pm – this includes supper

Join the vessel in Cowes, the yachting capital of the world, on the Isle of Wight.  After a short introduction to the boat and your fellow crew mates we will cast off into the Solent to explore.

We will hoist the sails and head either east to Osbourne Bay, overlooked by Queen Victoria’s holiday retreat Osborne House; or we may go west past attractive farm land on the Isle of Wight and ancient woodland of the New Forest on the mainland, past the turquoise waters of Newtown Creek towards Yarmouth and back. 

The Boat - Golden Vanity

Sailing on board Golden Vanity is like stepping back in time.  She was built in 1908 for a private owner, a marine artist called Arthur Briscoe. She was built along the lines of a Mumble Bee Brixham Sailing Trawler although she never actually fished.  This means she is a really solid and stable platform from which to enjoy a lovely day’s sailing in the Solent

On deck she is pretty much as she was when she was built over a hundred years ago.  There is plenty of opportunity for team work when sailing Golden Vanity so if you want to lend a hand you would be more than welcome.  If you would prefer to just sit back, relax and watch the world go by then you would also be welcome to do just that!

Down below, however, the boat been modernised and she has all the comforts you would expect on a modern sailing boat.  A spacious heads, a well equipped galley and a large saloon area.  There are also 6 bunks up in the forepeak for when we go on longer trips.

Golden Vanity is an Historic Ship.  She is also part of the ‘Historic Fleet’ alongside roughly 200 other vessels included HMS Victory!