Sail aboard Tall Ship Phoenix

Phoenix is one of the most recognisable Brigs in the world as a result of her star-studded film and TV career.

In recent years she has taken the starring role in ‘In the Heart of the Sea’, as well as appearances in Poldark, Taboo and Frontier to name but a few.

Phoenix is under new ownership, and you can join the family who live and work aboard for some remarkable trips on this classic ship.

Ship Stats

Length Overall

34m (112ft)

Length On Deck

24m (79ft)

Year Built

1929

Vessel Type / Rig

2 Masted Brig

Guest Berths

Crew Berths

Sailing Style

Phoenix is now under family ownership, based in France, and joining the crew with Yannick, Céline and their children is a fabulous experience. They really are living and breathing the ship, and their excitement for Phoenix is infectious.

No sailing experience is needed as full training is given, so you can learn and take part in sailing with the crew. The guest to crew ratio is fantastic, with 8 crew to 12 guests, so there’s plenty of capacity for one-on-one training as required. With square sails on both masts as well as a suite of staysails and a gaff-rigged spanker, there’s plenty to get to grips with!

You can be as involved as you like with every aspect of running the ship, including night watches, deck work and domestic duties, but it is all optional. Feel free to kick back and relax if you’d rather (although we would ALWAYS recommend getting stuck in to all of it- it makes for a much more rewarding experience).

Note that climbing the rig is not a given, and will always be at the Captain’s discretion. If you are eager to go climbing do make the crew aware of this, but please note that there are no guarantees.

Sun deck cushions - not your average sail training ship

Life on Board

The crew are very welcoming and sociable, and you’ll soon feel like part of the team. They love to teach, sharing their love of this wonderful ship.

Meals are communal, with crew and guests eating together in Phoenix’s sociable saloon. The fare is largely French, plus plenty of homemade cakes and snacks to keep you going after all that sail handling… there’s no appetite like a sailor’s appetite!

Soft drinks and light alcohol can be purchased on board, but like most of the vessels in the Classic Sailing fleet, Phoenix is a ‘dry ship’ when underway. Alcohol may only be consumed, at the Captain’s discretion, when the ship is at anchor or moored up.

Yannick and Céline have remodelled (and greatly improved!) the accommodation on Phoenix, opening out the saloon and adding bunks either side, each with a light, USB socket and privacy curtain. There are eight bunks in this common area, plus an additional four in a separate cabin. The ship’s crew sleep separately aft.

Phoenix has two heads (toilets) and a shower room.

In addition to the USB sockets in the bunks, there are some UK sockets which can be used for 240v charging when the ship is alongside or the generator / engine is running.