Travel the length of Britain on this historic voyage

FULL VOYAGE DESCRIPTION

Celebrate Provident’s 100th Birthday!

Be part of this exciting and historic voyage, as we sail Provident from Oban all the way “home” to Brixham, Devon for her centenary! There will be lots to see and do along the way, as you travel the length of Britain aboard this beautiful ship. 

100 years of history

Provident is a Brixham Sailing Trawler and spent the majority of her working life fishing out of her home port of Brixham. Brixham has been an important fishing port for hundreds of years, and it continues to be so today. It’s location, tucked away in eastward facing Torbay keeps the harbour well sheltered from the prevailing westerly winds, making Brixham a great location to sail (and fish!) from.

With a dramatic coastline, featuring the impressive Berryhead headland, a half-mile long breakwater and it’s pretty light house, nearby red cliffs to the North and countless picturesque anchorages – not to mention a host of marine wildlife – Brixham is a underrated sailing location and a real gem on the coast of Devon. 

Provident’s story is even older than she is – the Provident you see today is in fact a copy of an earlier trawler of the same name. The original Provident was stuck and sunk by a U Boat in 1915. Today’s Provident was one of the last sailing trawlers to be built. By the 1920’s, the heyday of trawling under sail was quickly fading out in favour of more modern motor vessels. In contrast, 50 years prior (in the 1880’s) there were  over 3,000 sailing trawlers registered around the UK.

After her life as a sailing trawler came to an end, Provident became a private yacht in America for some years. More recently she was a she returned to Brixham to work as a Sail Training vessel with Trinity Sailing Trust. 

WINDS, WAVES & WEATHER

Some of the best UK sailing trips happen in May – the temperature is on the rise but not unbearable. the Worst of the winter storms have subsided and the wildlife is abundant. You will experience a range of sailing conditions on this trip as you travel the length of Britain. Things can change quickly, but the crew are incredibly knowledgeable and familiar with the coastline and of course the ship and her capabilities. 

A NOTE ON VOYAGE DESCRIPTIONS

On a sailing voyage we never use the word itinerary, as skippers will always be aiming for the best and safest sailing routes for the forecast. They are as keen as you to include some of the highlights described above, but when it comes to sailing, you have to go with Mother Nature, not fight her. The description provided is based on what we think might be possible, based on past trips, or prior experience, but nothing is guaranteed on a sailing voyage. As such, the scheduled joining ports, routes, activities and/or destinations may be altered. Due to the complexities of weather systems, this may be at very short notice. 

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. Handling cargo adds an extra dimension – building teamwork and communication skills and leaving you with a great sense of achievement.

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.

What to pack for a sailing holiday on Provident

What is Included:

• Bedding
• All meals and soft drinks aboard.
• All safety equipment, including lifejackets
• Fantastic sailing

What is Not Included:

• Travel to and from your voyage
• Personal travel insurance.
• Alcohol (although reasonably priced wine, beer and whisky will be available to purchase on board). Consumption of alcohol is always at the discretion of the skipper
• Waterproofs - If this is your first voyage good walking waterproofs will be fine. We only recommend buying sailing waterproofs if you are frequent sailors.
  • You will find exploring ashore in walking gear much better than struggling around in sailing kit!

What to Bring

• Enthusiasm!
• Waterproofs - see above.
• Your own towel.
• 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.
• Flat shoes with a good grip e.g. trainers or sailing deck shoes. Sailing boots or wellies are also helpful.
• (An alterative 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.
• Camera, binoculars, sketchbook, a relaxing read.
• Any medication, spare spectacles. Seasickness tablets or pressure-point wrist bands (talk to your pharmacist)
• Your own logbook if you'd like to keep track of your sea miles
• Tech chargers (USB sockets are available in all the cabins) and waterproof cases for anything valuable

N.B. BOATS HAVE LIMITED STORAGE SPACE SO PLEASE LIMIT YOURSELF TO ONE SOFT BAG OR RUCKSACK  (NOT SUITCASES)