South-West Explorer: Cornwall, Scilly & More…

IDEAL VOYAGE FOR …

Adventurous beginners and sailors who love the mix of a coastal wanderings and deep sea sailing. The world is your oyster on this week-long trip, and dependent on conditions you might head over to the Isles of Scilly, explore the stunning beaches and harbour towns of Cornwall and Devon, sail round Land’s End or even head over for a night in Brittany! Wherever the wind takes you, you can be sure of fantastic shoreside exploration as well as cracking sailing.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Varied and interesting coastlines
• A flexible itinerary allows the crew to maximise the sailing (and the fun!)
• Good for bird watching, dolphins and seals
• Wild swimming opportunities
• Possible overnight sailing

Falmouth and Beyond

Mascotte is a great choice for varied and interesting sailing like this. She is big enough to be comfortable when sailing offshore, and with a long waterline her cruising speed is better than smaller vessels. Once at anchor in a beautiful setting, whether it is the Cornwall mainland, the Scillies or elsewhere, you have wide decks and plenty of places to sit and absorb the panoramic views. Ashore you can stride out around an island or headland, swim from secluded beaches, bird watch or beach comb.

Falmouth is a fantastic jumping-off point for a South West adventure. Not only are there good public transport links, but from a sailing perspective its a sheltered and safe embarkation point, and gives the crew plenty of options for passage planning. Arriving in the late afternoon, there’s time to get familiar with the ship, receive a full safety briefing from the crew, enjoy freshly cooked dinner aboard while getting to know your fellow sailors, and then settling in to your bunk for a cosy night’s sleep before striking out to sea the following morning.

Spot Marine Wildlife along the Way

Look out for dolphins and basking sharks where the tides run the fastest. Good spots are off the Lizard, Epsom Shoal, Wolf Rock, Lands End and as you approach the Scillies. In Spring there are puffins and shearwaters and in the late summer the seas are having their pups.

 

Exploring by Sea 

You will get to know the coastline from a sailor’s point of view. You can sail among and round the rocks, from island to island and headland to headland, enjoying the differences in the geology and flora as you go. Take the opportunity to snorkel or swim in clear and private waters, far from the madding crowd, and enjoy a night sky at sea like you’ve never seen before.

Variety is the spice of life, and on a voyage focused on exploration, rather than a particular destination, you can really take the time to soak in the journey. There might be cross-channel sailing with some real miles under the keel, combined with weaving through islands and creeping up tree-lined rivers and creeks. When it gets too shallow there’s always Mascotte’s lug-rigged sailing punt by which to continue the adventure!

 

WINDS, WAVES & WEATHER

This voyage involves remote anchorages and the possibility of a bit of a roll in any swell, even in calm weather. The ship would not go to the Scillies in bad weather or big seas but it can still be quite exciting on the passage out and back. With a loose itinerary the Skipper can design the trip to suit the group, aiming for adventurous deep water passage making or sheltered coasting, or a mixture. 

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 on 01872 58 00 22 and we can chat through your concerns and possibly find options that might suit you better.

 

Included

• Sailing Instruction
• Safety Equipment (Life jackets and harnesses)
• All meals to include refreshments throughout the day
• Bed linen, duvet, pillows
• Waterproof jacket and trousers - but you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer

What is not included

• Travel to and from the port/s
• Alcoholic beverages
• Towels
• Wellie boots

What to Bring

Please limit yourself to one soft bag or rucksack as there is limited storage space on board. No suitcases please! Mascotte does have waterproof jacket and trousers you can borrow in a variety of sizes. if you have your own outdoor waterproof of any type you might want to bring your own so you know you can get a good fit. If you need any advice please ring us on 01872 580022

• warm, windproof jacket for days when you don't want to wear a heavy 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.
• Flat shoes with a good grip e.g. trainers or sailing deck shoes.
• Sailing boots or wellies.
• (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 and Reciprocal Free Health Care card if sailing in Europe.
• 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.
• You can bring a small amount of alcohol if you wish, but please be aware that drinking is always at the discretion of the skipper and will only be permitted when it's safe.

Mascotte is a totally new vessel for Classic Sailing to promote, but she has been sailing with charter guests and as a private yacht for many years - mostly in Scotland but also in the Scillies and Norway.

Skippers from many of the other boats we have worked with have sailed in company with Mascotte and we have never personally heard a bad word about her voyages.

The many photos we have of Mascotte were taken by the co-founders of Classic Sailing Debbie and Adam when they have been out on Eve of St Mawes as skippers.We have raced against Mascotte and although she was 4 times the weight of our little pilot cutter Eve Mascotte was always sailed with perfect manners and courtesy and her guests always looked like they were having fun with former skipper Richard Clapman.

We are thrilled the former mate with Richard and Mascottes relief skipper Huw has taken over the the main skipper of this big pilot cutter and historic heirloom.

You won't have to take our word for much longer.

As soon as we have the first guest feedback we will update this page.

The largest surviving Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter Mascotte is 60 ft on deck. Built in 1904 in Wales and restored in Gloucester Mascotte is a magnificent example of Welsh maritime history. She is now offering short sailing breaks around Cornwall from her new home port of Charlestown Harbour.  

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