Moosk was built in 1906 as a classic gentleman’s cruiser and she is beautiful and fast. Her distinctive yawl rig and long bowsprit stretch her 39ft decks up to an impressive 58ft overall, yet she can be sailed safely by a small crew with the option of flying between 2 and 7 sails.
Moosk races competitively in both Small and Tall Ships Races and often achieves a very high ranking. A strong construction of oak frames and teak planking strapped with iron floors and knees makes Moosk a very seaworthy vessel.
She is listed on the National Historic Ships UK Register and was one of the first boats to be built with a motor and ‘sparks’ for lighting the cabin.
Moosk is under the ownership of The Island Trust, a charity, who provide life-enhancing, residential and day-sailing activities for young people with educational support needs, disabilities, and those experiencing hardship and deprivation. During the season they run a small number of adult voyages aboard the stunning Topsail Schooner, Johanna Lucretia – a rare opportunity for adults to experience life on board this magnificent sailing ship.
What Moosk Does Best – RYA Courses on a Classic Boat
Rigged as a gaff yawl, Moosk is simple and handy to sail with a fine and deep hull that makes her light through the water.
Moosk offers RYA Competent Crew or Day Skipper in Devon and Cornwall. For these 6 day courses she will only take up to 5 students and you have the luxury and attention of two RYA instructors – her regular skipper and a mate.
A couple of times a year Moosk also runs Yachtmaster courses for aspiring skippers and more advanced sailors.
RYA Competent Crew
We want you to develop a love of sailing, and the best way to make a start on any boat is to feel you are a vital and competent part of the crew. On the RYA Competent crew course, we will learn seamanship skills of steering, setting sails, reefing, and tying knots with conviction!
The course is about going places, so you can experience a wide range of sailing experiences: – anchoring in remote bays, mooring in sheltered rivers, coming alongside harbour walls or pontoons, night sailing. The skills you learn will be relevant for modern yachts, but after the RYA competent crew course you should also feel at home on traditional boats and tall ships with blocks and tackles.
If you take your Competent Crew on Moosk it is likely that there will be a student or two doing their Day Skipper at the same time, so you can learn a lot about the next stage up the RYA ladder.
This is a 6 day course. Maximum 5 students to one instructor on any RYA course.
RYA Courses on a Classic Yacht. Moosk is the most yacht like in the Classic Sailing Fleet
RYA Day Skipper Practical on Moosk
You need a certain amount of boat handling skills and navigational knowledge to achieve your Day Skipper Practical Course. In a ideal world you will have completed a day skipper theory course first and be happy preparing a boat to set sails, tack and gybe and trim the sails efficiently.
If you are not sure you are ready for Day Skipper Practical – read our article about ‘Ways to Learn Navigation Skills before Your Day Skipper Course’ which offers several ways to learn navigation and chart work. We hope this suits everyone from the classroom phobic to the ‘fast track me to skipper’ types and learning theory at home fans, but you can ring us for advice too on 01872 580022.
Or just buy a RYA Day Skipper Theory Course and learn on line before you sail. There is not time for Moosks’ instructor to teach everyone navigation theory and basic pilotage skills from scratch, but they will do there best to bring any rusty candidates up to speed in the week.
Skippering a boat is fun, and this RYA day skipper course is about taking your first steps towards taking charge, with the safety net of an instructor on board. Everyone will be given a chance to navigate and take control of Moosk on short coastal passages. You will also have plenty of practice at coordinating manoeuvres under sail and power, and learning how to cope with emergencies. Learn big boat watch leader skills on deck, and navigational techniques below with GPS and radar and a large chart table. Successful completion of the RYA day skipper course means you should feel confident enough to tackle short day passages as skipper in tidal waters.
Preparing for a night sail on Moosk – RYA Day skipper
RYA Yachtmaster Prep Course – for the Yachtmaster Offshore or Coastal Exam
Many commercial skippers working on traditional boats today have started their careers on Moosk. A Yachtmaster Prep Course and exam for RYA Coastal Yachtmaster or RYA Offshore Yachtmaster Qualification is possible on request, if we can find 4 candidates for the exam that want to train for and take the exam on a long keeled yacht like Moosk.
Swallows and Amazons Nostalgia – Come Sailing for the fun of it
If you already have RYA Day Skipper or you just fancy sailing a traditionally rigged yawl in beautiful scenery, then there is nothing wrong with signing up for these 6 day sailing courses, just for the chance to do some intensive sailing and a bit of a skills refresher.
As long as you are happy to participate in a lot of close quarters sailing, handing under power exercises, emergency drills like Man Overboard Recovery and quite a bit of instructional chat….then its a great way to sail in the West Country.
The likely cruising ground depends on the weather but could typically stretch from Falmouth to Brixham.
If you are thinking about buying a classic wooden boat, or already have one similar to Moosk then this could be a unique opportunity to learn some new techniques or quiz the crew about care and maintenance.
Moosk – an elegant but seaworthy option for RYA courses
Sail Training Charity
When Moosk isn’t busy with adult RYA courses, the Charity who own her offer sail training and personal development with young people. Moosk was chosen as a brilliant vessel for sail training because she is both adventurous to sail and small enough for young people to take charge of running the boat. If teenagers can learn to do it then Moosk is sea-kindly enough for adults to feel confident too….It also means your RYA instructors on Moosk are VERY patient and good at explaining things in inventive ways.
Moosk takes part in tall ships races all over Europe
What to expect
Sailing on Moosk for an RYA Course
Moosk is a fast yawl and with two masts there is a lot of sails to set and trim to meet the wind to best advantage. Your learning will help you sail on a variety of small sailing craft whatever their style of rig or construction.
Moosk can sail with ten people on board but that is distinctly crowded. For RYA Course there only five students and two crew making a more comfortable compliment of seven.
Her hull is narrow and the deck is not far above the water line so it is a good idea to have full height waterproof boots. You can either bring your own waterproofs jacket and trousers, or use those onboard.
Accommodation
Accommodation on Moosk
Below Decks
Moosk has 8 guest crew berths in the saloon and two aft bunks for the skipper and mate. The bottom beds are solid bunks with a mattress and the top berths are a pipe cot type bunk. For RYA courses Moosk will only take 5 students with a RYA instructor and a mate/cook, so you have plenty of room and two staff to learn from and quiz for advice.
Moosk Accommodation
Ship specification
Moosk a gaff yawl built in 1906
Moosk 1906 Gaff Yawl
Moosk was built in 1906 as a classic gentleman’s cruiser and she is beautiful and fast. Her distinctive yawl rig and long bowsprit stretch her 39ft decks up to an impressive 58ft overall yet she can be sailed safely by a small crew with the option of flying between 2 and 7 sails. Moosk races competitively in the annual Sail Training International Tall Ships’ Races and often achieves a very high ranking. A strong construction of oak frames and teak planking strapped with iron floors and knees makes Moosk a very sea worthy vessel as she has raced across Biscay with young crews.
You may see photos of Moosk with a cream hull. She is now painted dark green but distinctive from all of Classic Sailing vessels in that she is a yawl. The mizzen mast is behind the tiller.
