The Best Wooden Boat Festival in Europe

FULL VOYAGE DESCRIPTION

Explore Rugged North Breton Coast 

With several days before the festival starts we aim to try and explore either the North Coast of Brittany or wizz south to explore beyond the Raz du Sein.

In the North is Roscoff or L’Aberwach. On the skippers hit list is Lampaul anchorage Isle de Ouessant itself. 

 

 

 

 

Douarnenez Wooden Boat Festival – Temp Fetes 2026

Douarnenez Festival is big in terms of vessels participating but the town is quite remote so the gatherings ashore tend to be just the sailors.

This medieval town has cobbled streets and two waterfronts, golden sands and a working fishing port. Also famous for wooden boat building it had a great atmosphere for those who love messing about in boats. There are also sandy beaches and a river waterfront on the other side of the town with wooden wharves, warehouses and often boat building projects going on in the street.

Ashore there are street musicians, music stages, stalls, food and exhibitions and craft demonstrations. You can also escape into the cool and narrow streets and enjoy cafe life or walk through to the other harbourfront with its wooden boardwalks, ancient warehouses and wooden boat building in the streets. There are even golden sand beaches to swim, sunbathe or enjoy moules and chilled white wine from Tallulah’s skippers favourite restaurant.

The Sail Home 

We have 4 days to sail home so if the weather is kind, it would be great to visit Isle De Sein or Ushant. If the Atlantic is a bit wild, we can dip into Cameret or the Rade de Brest inland sea. In good offshore weather there are great anchorages along the limestone shoreline north of DZ. The Western Approaches are rich in marine wildlife and once past the Ushant shipping lanes the journey feels very much like ocean sailing.

 

Chanel du Four & Lonely lighthouses

Our voyage home past the wild west corner of France will be timed to catch the tidal race northwards through the Chanel du Four.

The dark, forboding present of Isle d’Ouessant (Ushant) is a distinctive landmark on route. Some of the tallest lighthouses in Europe remind us to focus on our navigation, but the Chanel du Four between Ushant and mainland France is wider than you think, with many beacons to funnel the fleet southwards towards Pte De Mathieu and the entrance to Cameret and Brest. Bring a Hornblower book with you to set the scene. This is the famous seascape for the British Naval blockade during the Napoleonic wars.

The guest crew will be split into watches to cross the English Channel. Known as the Western Approaches the sea can often feel like the ocean, with impressive swell rolling in from the Atlantic. Other times the 100 mile crossing can feel totally benign with gannets diving, impressive sunsets and an empty horizon for miles.

HANDS ON HOLIDAYS

Whether you are an experienced sailor or a complete beginner, the professional crew will train you to be guest crew from the moment you arrive, with the intention that everybody works together to sail the ship. The common thread to all Classic Sailing holidays is ‘Hands on’ participation on ships that use ropes, blocks and tackles and ‘people power’ to set sail.

SAILING STYLE & LIFE ON BOARD

We cater for a wide range of ages and physical abilities, and how much you are expected to do varies a bit between vessels. See the vessel tab above which explains all about the ‘sailing style’ and what to expect in terms of hands on participation.  There is a lot of information about day to day life, the ships facilities and accommodation on the vessel pages.

AGILITY & FITNESS

Every customer sailing with us will need to fill in basic medical questions on their booking application.  If you are not sure if your current level of fitness and agility are up to a voyage, then please ring the Classic Sailing Office and we can chat through your concerns and possibly find options that might suit you better. 

What to pack for a sailing holiday on Tallulah

Plus Parking in St Mawes

What's Included

• Sailing Instruction
• Safety Equipment (Life jackets and harnesses)
• All meals on board & refreshments throughout the day
• Bed linen, duvet, pillows
• Wooden rowing boat activities
• 2 x Stand Up Paddleboards & buoyancy jackets (on summer voyages)

What is not included

• Alcoholic beverages
• Towels
• Wellie boots
• Waterproof jackets & trousers 

What to Bring

Please limit yourself to one soft bag or rucksack as there is limited storage space on board. No suitcases please!

Tallulah does not have waterproof jacket and trousers yet, so please bring a properly waterproof jacket and trousers on all voyages.

Walking and cycling waterproofs are usually adequate and much lighter to pack, so there really is no need to buy a coastal sailing jacket (unless you really want an excuse to invest in your future sailing). If you need any advice, or lack of a jacket is preventing you participating, please ring us on 01326 53 1234

• warm, windproof jacket for days when you don't want to wear a waterproof jacket
• Hats for sun and cold weather.
• At least two sets of warm clothes - layers e.g. tracksuit bottoms, shirts, fleece jacket, wool jumpers, thick socks, and neck scarf. It can get cold at sea even in mid summer.
• Swim suit, towel, and suntan lotion.
• we have space if you want to bring a wetsuit for wild swimming or SUP adventures
• Flat shoes with a good grip e.g. trainers or sailing deck shoes.
• Sailing boots or wellies as the sea can come over deck if rough*.
• (An alternative to boots in summer is to bring another pair of flat shoes with a good grip in case the first pair get wet).
• All terrain type sandals are great for dinghy trips ashore – but you do need shoes which protect your toes for sailing.
• Scillies trips – Walking boots are useful and can be these can be worn on deck too
• A small rucksack is useful for going ashore
• Camera, binoculars, sketchbook, a relaxing read.
• Passport for European or Ireland Voyages, Reciprocal Free Health Care card in Europe.
• Please bring a passport on French trips
• Any medication, spare spectacles. Seasick tablets - check with your Doctor, which brand if you suffer asthma or are on medication.
• RYA Cruising Logbook or similar if you want to log your sailing experience e.g. sea miles, night hours
• Musical instruments are always welcome.

Alcohol

Tallulah does not always have wine bottles for sale on board so you are welcome to bring modest quantities of alcohol, (unless it is an alcohol free voyage) e.g. to drink with evening meals, but drinking whilst sailing is not allowed.

A Note on Covid 19

While Tallulah's guests do not need to prove Covid Vaccination status at this time, it is expected that if a guest feels unwell prior to joining the ship they should always use common sense and test when appropriate to decide whether they should join the voyage, for their own safety and the safety of others onboard. It is a requirement that guests on residential voyages take out appropriate Travel Insurance and care should be taken to ensure insurance includes cover for such a case. Likewise, should members of Tallulah's professional crew including the skipper feel unwell prior to a voyage, they will always use common sense & test when appropriate.

 

Car Parking in St Mawes for Crew Joining Tallulah

If you're arriving by car, motorbike, or camper van to join Tallulah in St Mawes, here’s what you need to know.

There is a long-stay car park behind the Rising Sun pub in central St Mawes. It's run by St Just in Roseland Parish Council. You pay at the machine on arrival — card payments are accepted. Advance booking isn’t possible.

As of April 2023, the daily charge for a standard vehicle using one bay was £6, with reduced rates for longer stays (e.g. £35 for a week). Prices may have changed since then.

Motorbikes parked on yellow hatchings are free. Full mobility vehicles are also free. Blue Badge holders pay the standard rate.

Camper vans are welcome to park during the day but cannot be used for overnight stays. If your vehicle uses more than one space, you’ll need to pay for each and display a ticket for both. Coach bays are not to be used.

The car park is in regular use by both locals and visitors. High-value vehicles are often parked here, and concerns around theft or vandalism are very low, though of course no guarantee can be given.

Note
Always check the signage when you arrive, especially if staying multiple days or parking a large vehicle. Local rules may change.

Remember that most boats are tight for space so “muck in” and enjoy the close quarters.

I can't fault it, I’m lost for words, tearing up right now just thinking about the trip.

James, June 2025

W.N.G

---

Tip for first time sailors: 'You don't need as much clothing as you think you do... Keep it simple to warm jackets and a dry change if you need it.'

The bad..... Nothing comes to mind.
The good..... The other guests and the crew; The boat is beautiful and sails so well; The food; The learning and new experiences; The value for money.

Jason May 25

The beauty of the coast line here blows my mind, it is so stunning, there's not a moment of any time on the trip when you can't look around and be overwhelmed. Being on board overnight means you get to see the beauty of the sunrises and the sunsets which are breathtaking, Tallulah makes any view ten times more beautiful.

Gill April 25

Hi Debbie,

It was a great trip! Despite losing a day sailing to bad weather we made good use of the time to learn some theory and get to know Tallulah - so time well spent.

Highlights for me - apart from not feeling even slightly queasy - rescuing the man overboard, ferry gliding onto the pontoon in Fowey, heading out into a big swell and tacking back into St Mawes, and finding our way in the dark to our hiding place in the Fal ahead of the storm.

I feel far more competent and much more confident on the water and that was exactly what I wanted to achieve from the course.

Thank you Debbie.

I know criticism can be valuable but I really can't think how the course could have been better.

I'm not veggie but maybe fewer meat based meals?? Great skipper and great crew.

Many thanks Chris

Hi Skippers,

I had a great weekend on Tallulah thank you.

I learnt the basics of sailing and tried a lot of things I’ve never done before. Beccs and Anthony were very competent and informative. I loved rowing out to beaches for morning yoga followed by a swim.  Sophie was an excellent yoga instructor.

Food was great! Much better than I anticipated. 

If I was going to change anything I would have possibly done a bit more cove exploring but we did only have a weekend. 

I’d definitely recommend it and do another trip.

Dana Sept 24

Well, I was surprised everything else went right, given the lack of experience of us paying crew members.  Only a couple of things went wrong for me, which did not spoil the trip.  I was caught off guard the first time the jibe swung over to the other side of the deck, but in fact I was well forward of it.  The rope ladder to the sea was at a crazy angle which I found difficult to descend, even more so to ascend and nicked my knee struggling to get back aboard.  I decided against swimming and went for a bucket shower.  

The most memorable moments were the moments together when we shared experiences, stories, jokes and excellent food thanks to Finlay and Anthony.  Then there was Tallulah scudding along with the deck at 45 degrees with the water spilling into the scuppers, 7-8 knots at times.  I was trusted at the tiller for a few short periods. 

Anthony is a great skipper.  He thanked us constantly for our assistance despite having to intervene many times.  

It was a brilliant and too short a voyage.

David Sept 24

Thank you, I had an amazing time. The skipper and first mate, were very warm and welcoming , they did everything they could to make our mini adventure the best they could, discussing destinations and ports of call, ensuring we had plenty of sailing and opportunities for a swim. The food was excellent, catering for many individual requirements, vegetarian, lactose intolerant. 

I was also very grateful that Antony was kind enough to let me practice my tidal curves, streams , taking bearings, helping me with my day skipper theory, I really appreciated the help…thankyou.

Sarah Sept 24

This was a brilliant trip. We sensibly didn’t go to the Scillies given forecast gales from awkward directions but had a splendid time nevertheless touring nearer destinations west, east and north of Falmouth. Skipper Debbie and mate Anthony made a great job of showing us a good time , teaching us the ropes and involving us as much or as little as we wanted. Tallulah is beautiful and an exciting sail and the food was great too. Highly recommended. Many thanks .

Scillies Island Hopping 17-23.8.24

This was a brilliant trip. We sensibly didn’t go to the Scillies given forecast gales from awkward directions but had a splendid time nevertheless touring nearer destinations west, east and north of Falmouth. Skipper Debbie and mate Anthony made a great job of showing us a good time , teaching us the ropes and involving us as much or as little as we wanted. Tallulah is beautiful and an exciting sail and the food was great too. Highly recommended. Many thanks .

Duncan

Hi Adam and Debbie,

First of all, thank you for providing the opportunity for Fran and I to realise one of our dreams: to sail to - and explore - the Isles of Scilly. The fact that we were able to do so on a classic boat, with a knowledgeable and experienced skipper in Debbie, certainly heightened the experience.

Memorable moments, there were many but here are some highlights:

- Making the 19-hour sail under the stars at night, keeping tabs on the huge vessels looming by while we bobbed along on the rolling sea.

- Coming ashore on white sands in St. Martin's Great Bay and heading off to explore the island's incredible scenery, and rich flora and fauna on foot. - Learning how to crew a pilot cutter, taking part in watches during the night sail and becoming more adept at sail handing and anchoring as the week progressed.

- Visiting the stunning Tresco Abbey Gardens on a sunny day and meeting an inquisitive red squirrel.

- Last but not least, the ease with which Debbie and Will kept spoiling us with a variety of tasty and nutritious meals even while under sail.

Is there anything you think we could improve for future voyages?

Not really anything that we can think of. The trip met all of our objectives in full. As sailors, we know that all plans are necessarily weather dependent and Debbie did a good job of explaining the options and gaining a consensus when we had to change tack: for example delaying the return journey by a day due to a change in the forecast.

Do you have any stunning photos you'd like to share with us? I have already shared some photos on the trip's Whatsapp group. You are welcome to replicate, and also to use any comments. Thank you once again for making our trip to the Scillies such a wonderful, life-affirming experience.

Richard and Frances.

I had a lovely weekend aboard Tallulah and really enjoyed the company of all the interesting women on board. Claudia was a great and inspiring teacher and we all appreciated Debbie’s calm and very good humoured competence in the face of some difficult weather conditions. Debbie and Bex looked after us extremely well and were both superb teachers, incredibly patient with their explanations and instructions, and I would be delighted to sail under them again. The change of schedule was completely immaterial to my enjoyment of the weekend.

Being the last on board, though, I got the saloon seat berth which meant there was nowhere I could retreat to and no space that was "mine" to stash my stuff, and I did find it very difficult having to stuff literally everything back into my bag and rummage for everything I needed. 

I had two particular highlights: Claudia producing a Celtic Harp and playing it softly on deck in the evening light, and the thrill of manning the jib sheets with the clear cold water rushing over my feet in the scuppers.

Very best wishes,

Heather July 24

Hello Adam,

Thank you for your invitation to contribute my impressions of my “Escape the Election” voyage last week.

This was a short voyage, and for reasons which I completely understand, was not able to follow the planned itinerary. Hence I am not able to contribute any interesting anecdotes or photos. However I should like to express my thanks to Debbie and Becky, and Classic Sailing, for providing four days of absorbing experience of living on a classic pilot cutter. Their professional expertise was obvious and their patience in explaining and instructing was exemplary. I particularly enjoyed the very high standard of cuisine which was provided; I had fully expected to be offered four days of soup and sandwiches!

I have no hesitation in recommending Classic Sailing to anyone, of whatever level of experience, who wants to enjoy traditional sailing in good company.

My regards and very best wishes to all at Classic Sailing.

Richard July 24

Hi Adam

Thanks for this. We had a great time and an authentic small boat sailing experience, having only done tall ships before. I tempted my wife along on the promise of a double bed in a luxury en suite room, lavish food and drink and personal service by a valet. Only one of these turned out not to be true but we are still together!  We certainly had some exciting times as well as moments of tranquility! It was very reassuring having half the crew who knew what they were doing! I loved the area but probably wouldn't do the shanty festival again. It was an experience wandering around the town amongst all those pirates and a plethora of peg legs and we really enjoyed the music with everyone enjoying the bunfight. At one point I was hearing Drunken Sailor coming at me from three different directions, each accompanied by a raucous audience! Enough is enough though, and talking like a pirate all evening was rather a strain. It was brilliant that you arranged for a couple of excellent folk musicians to be on board - Alan and Penny - who kept us entertaining even in the most perilous conditions. Proper job!

Tallulah is a lovely vessel and so were the gallant crew. I will send some more photos when I've sorted them out.

Kind regards

Steve and Diane, May 24

Hi Adam

I very much enjoyed the whole experience of sailing with Debbie, and Will  (and you) on Tallulah.

Despite poor Peter having to leave on the second morning,   and Linda   waking us all  vomiting for hours on the third night , it was  just brilliant ; such a beautiful boat, amazing sailing and learning how to sail Tallulah   was scary at first but soon began to feel more at ease , lovely to sleep on board , Will prepared delicious food , and the trips ashore were fun as well - seeing the seals in their hidden cove was a bonus , as was  exploring the little Celtic Church of St Anthony.

 and  I loved rowing ashore and then back to Tallulah in the dark . Oh and being on the tiller too!  It was great that on the second day we were able to get out to sea - so thanks Adam for coming on board so that it was possible.  For me it has restored my confidence in my physical abilities,  at a stage in life when its easy to feel such adventures are no longer possible.  - and I really enjoyed the company too - so maybe the Scillies next year and  hoping to do a longer voyage when my two aged dogs  are no longer around.  The only improvement I can think of  is it would be great to have environmentally friendly   wash up liquid etc.

 Hope to see you again,  all good wishes for the rest of the season.

 Jane May 2024

Fantastic experience where we were given expert help and advice by Debbie and crew. I never thought we would tack Talulah into Falmouth harbour but we did, what a fun experience and soooo enjoyable. Highly recommended and will be booking up again soon, thank you

Howard - July 2023

This was the first time I had sailed, and although I suffered from seasickness a couple of times, the experience was something that I could not have even imagined. The crew were all very helpful to a "newbie" and would think of another sailing trip, but perhaps in calmer waters .

Anonymous happy customer - July 2023

Fantastic day! The skipper (Debbie) kept it interesting by rotating crew and still maintaining full control! Amazing

James - July 2023

Debbie is great, she has a great passion for sailing and is very knowledgeable about boat building too! Anthony was extremely helpful, they make a great team and they made us feel very comfortable on board. Understandably, there is limited space and privacy but I slept really well which I really did not expect! Would love to sail again with Debbie and Tallulah.

Caroline Spring 2023

Thanks for looking after us very well. Good to be in safe, sure and pleasant hands...It was a nice experience I've wanted to try for a long time. Thanks for making it a good one...I love what you're doing and your courage and I wish you great success.

Diane

Great to sail on another class of sailing vessel with an experienced skipper and mate. I enjoyed the sailing a lot. The crew were very helpful and the food was very good.

Peter

Sailing on Tallulah

Both Debbie and Jess were excellent. Both were good at explaining things and very patient. I have also been out on Moosk and Agnes. Going out on Tallulah with Debbie and Jess was by far the best experience.

Alasdair, Spring 2023

Photos and images of the striking 44ft pilot cutter Tallulah, offering charter voyages for individuals, couples and groups from 2022.  Based in St Mawes, Cornwall. No experience is necessary and a local skipper as your guide.