Round the world Clipper yacht and flying
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Round the world Clipper yacht and flying
We all think flying is expensive but went to St Catherines Dock in London with a friend who was signed up to sail one of the round the world legs.
The Dock was full of these yachts which head off on the year long event on Sunday and got to look inside the racing yachts and meet up with some of the people signed up for the event.
There are 100s in all signed up with each leg costing them £15000 and met some who had signed up for the whole year trip costing £55000 (yikes)
At those prices there seemed no shortage of takers.
Ok many had no sailing experience and there is a large chunk of training weeks in There but Clipper is a successful industry.
i am surprised there is no equivalent flying organisation doing a similar thing in aviation as with sailing there appeared to be no shortage of punters able to pay such vast sums of money for a lifetime experience. We thought flying is expensive? Maybe 18 green sailors per boat and the Dock was full of them.
On the short legs lasting weeks what do you get rough accommodation and nothing to see but sea every day
Anyone with a spare 20 DC3s ))
pace
The Dock was full of these yachts which head off on the year long event on Sunday and got to look inside the racing yachts and meet up with some of the people signed up for the event.
There are 100s in all signed up with each leg costing them £15000 and met some who had signed up for the whole year trip costing £55000 (yikes)
At those prices there seemed no shortage of takers.
Ok many had no sailing experience and there is a large chunk of training weeks in There but Clipper is a successful industry.
i am surprised there is no equivalent flying organisation doing a similar thing in aviation as with sailing there appeared to be no shortage of punters able to pay such vast sums of money for a lifetime experience. We thought flying is expensive? Maybe 18 green sailors per boat and the Dock was full of them.
On the short legs lasting weeks what do you get rough accommodation and nothing to see but sea every day
Anyone with a spare 20 DC3s ))
pace
Last edited by Pace; 27th Aug 2015 at 06:34.
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My best mate went a couple of years ago, 47k for the berth, appropriate clothing for the various climates on the route AND airfare for SWMBO to 9 ports of call, first/business, class of course.
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I skipper a Clipper yacht (not in the racing) and I often compare sailing and flying. Well, you know what they say about "Better to be down here, wishing you were up there, rather than up there and wishing you were down here"...well, that doesn't work for sailing. When you set out on any voyage by sea of any distance, the weather forecast only takes you so far and then you simply have to deal with whatever the weather throws at you because there isn't always the equivalent of a precautionary landing when things get bad. I've been much more uncomfortable at sea than I ever was in the air (although, to be fair, I have much more experience at sea). And if you embark on challenges of the type done in the Clippers, you're gonna face some pretty horrible conditions at some point. And, the kit you are using is going to get a right battering. And you can be stuck in those conditions for days or weeks if you start doing ocean crossings. And, when bits start breaking, which they will, you really do want the vessel to solider on and sustain whatever damage arises. And the Clippers do just that.
Many times I've been slogging my way across some 'orrible bit of water with waves breaking over the deck and I look up and see something like a Cessna merrily making its way overhead, knowing that he will be having tea and biscuits in the clubhouse while we are still bashing away doing 6 knots in the dark. In fact, anyone want to buy some secondhand sailing gear?
Many times I've been slogging my way across some 'orrible bit of water with waves breaking over the deck and I look up and see something like a Cessna merrily making its way overhead, knowing that he will be having tea and biscuits in the clubhouse while we are still bashing away doing 6 knots in the dark. In fact, anyone want to buy some secondhand sailing gear?
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Hi I was really staggered how many boats are involved and the volume of people most with no sailing experience and the vast amount they are paying to do so.
Clipper must take £250,000 to £300,000 per leg or over £2 million per boat per round the world trip?
When you consider that the winds are free even with the other costs it must be quite an earner and big business.
I must admit I find it hard to see the appeal of that sort of sailing? Seeing NO land for weeks, all the stuff you said and living in such cramped and basic accommodation ? and having such broken sleep patterns.
As a lover of Scuba diving and underwater photography I can see the appeal of sailing the Caribbean islands , jumping from one island to another, mooring up for a few days,soaking up the sun, firing up the compressor and diving, while spending time ashore visiting all the bars and restaurants the islands have to offer.
But this is going way off track from why I introduced this comparison.I was surprised at the mix of people and ages and many did not look the type to afford such sums of money.
I am surprised that such a round the world adventure would not appeal to pilots maybe doing the trip in a Cessna Caravan turboprop and sharing the flying legs If so many sailors can cough up that sort of money our pilot fraternity cannot in aircraft?
So how come nothing comparable in aviation?
Pace
Clipper must take £250,000 to £300,000 per leg or over £2 million per boat per round the world trip?
When you consider that the winds are free even with the other costs it must be quite an earner and big business.
I must admit I find it hard to see the appeal of that sort of sailing? Seeing NO land for weeks, all the stuff you said and living in such cramped and basic accommodation ? and having such broken sleep patterns.
As a lover of Scuba diving and underwater photography I can see the appeal of sailing the Caribbean islands , jumping from one island to another, mooring up for a few days,soaking up the sun, firing up the compressor and diving, while spending time ashore visiting all the bars and restaurants the islands have to offer.
But this is going way off track from why I introduced this comparison.I was surprised at the mix of people and ages and many did not look the type to afford such sums of money.
I am surprised that such a round the world adventure would not appeal to pilots maybe doing the trip in a Cessna Caravan turboprop and sharing the flying legs If so many sailors can cough up that sort of money our pilot fraternity cannot in aircraft?
So how come nothing comparable in aviation?
Pace
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I see the volvo ocean races selling space for 70k GBP ++.
Personally, as a professional Master Mariner, I don't understand the desire to want to be at sea in bad weather.
Personally, as a professional Master Mariner, I don't understand the desire to want to be at sea in bad weather.
Last edited by L'aviateur; 29th Aug 2015 at 22:55.
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I get the impression the people that pay to do the clipper stuff know nothing about sailing. All they see is the parties on shore which is a stark contrast to 66444 shifts and helming into poor seas.
I and a few friends did a clipper fast net trip once to improve on our day skipper skills. There were 12 on board, two skippers, 5 of us day sailors ( we knew a bit), the other 5 side had no sailing experience at all and just thought it would be a nice holiday cruise to Ireland ( the trip was 5 days) . They turned up wearing peterstorm cagouls and wellies. They were sick as soon as we left harbour, couldn't do a thing on deck and spent the entire trip in their bunks. That left 6 of us to cover all of the shifts. It was good fun, very hard work. It convinced me that I would never sign up for round the world. As for solo rtw, that takes a special person
So for the dc3 thing sell it as a private classic holiday, there will be loads of takers, make sure the parties look good and carry lots of sick bags! You'll make a fortune.
I and a few friends did a clipper fast net trip once to improve on our day skipper skills. There were 12 on board, two skippers, 5 of us day sailors ( we knew a bit), the other 5 side had no sailing experience at all and just thought it would be a nice holiday cruise to Ireland ( the trip was 5 days) . They turned up wearing peterstorm cagouls and wellies. They were sick as soon as we left harbour, couldn't do a thing on deck and spent the entire trip in their bunks. That left 6 of us to cover all of the shifts. It was good fun, very hard work. It convinced me that I would never sign up for round the world. As for solo rtw, that takes a special person
So for the dc3 thing sell it as a private classic holiday, there will be loads of takers, make sure the parties look good and carry lots of sick bags! You'll make a fortune.
