• Life jackets.
• All on-board food and snacks.

• Your travel to and from the start and endpoints.
• Travel insurance
• Any meals you eat ashore

Vessel

Swan 411

The Swan 411 is an absolute classic, beautifully designed by Sparkman & Stephens and strongly built by Nautor’s Swan between 1977 and 1979. It has one double forward cabin and one aft double cabin with a total of 4 bunks.

What to expect

This is a sailing expedition, so motoring 20 hours or so to reach a port is not in our plans. This means that we need wind to sail and may have to rearrange our route to follow it. It is part of the game.

Yes, it is true you may feel wet or seasick. Our job is to make you feel nice and warm. Also happy and positive enjoying the beauty of sailing.

Even with all our efforts to keep you nice and warm, at some point you may feel wet or seasick. We all do. But bear in mind that keeping positive will help you to make the most out of any challenge. Focus on enjoying the experience and preparing yourself for arrival. After a rough sail, setting foot on land again feels even better. Since sailing means teamwork and respect, you are encouraged to join all the running tasks of the vessel. Please let us know to what extent you are ready to help, learn and participate. Being proactive will make you feel more engaged and rewarded.
We really appreciate a positive environment onboard. If something is not ok with you, please tell us.

Below decks expect your own single bunk. For lunch, we will have light but healthy foods, made as much as possible from natural non-processed items. For dinner, nice and warm meals. We like to buy local, sustainable products, whenever we can. Sometimes we fish underway, sometimes we don’t.
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Aboard we will have to organize shifts for night watches and other tasks, so routines are flexible and you can individually define your schedule for breakfasts or other snacks. Lunch and dinner, however, are meant to be shared as they are part of our jobs as a team. So every day we will have a different chef onboard (chosen from the crew) and gather to enjoy it. Also ashore we will explore together and try local food in restaurants off the beaten track.

Your Role Onboard

• You have booked a sailing expedition as a crew. Do not expect a charter cruise. Don’t  expect a cruise ship type of trip.
  Feel at “home”. Take care of each other. You will be involved in running the boat, keeping the boat nice and clean. Expect:

• Wash dishes – the rule is: team doing meals does dishes
• Cleaning (heads included!)
• Cooking on a rotation system
• Standing Watch (alone or with a partner)
• Recording in the logbook
• Navigating
• Participating on the passage planing
• Going forward to reef / set the spinnaker – bring deck shoes
• Hand-steering

Rules

Dos

Your conduct should follow these rules:
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• Wear a lifejacket at all times on deck
• If you don’t know something, please ask
• Leave everything the same way you find it
• If you damage / break something, please tell the staff
• Have fun
• Smile :)

Don’ts

The following behavior is not allowed onboard:
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• Smoking
• Yelling
• Drinking alcohol during passages
• Taking illegal drugs
• Complaining

Funchal. Nearest airport: Madeira Airport, Portugal.

Horta Marina. Nearest airport: Horta Airport

Sailing boots

Trainers/ deck shoes (no black soled shoes please – they mark the deck)

Waterproof sailing kit

Hat

Sailing gloves

Clothes for on-board and on shore

A small backpack for trips on-shore (30-40 litres)

A water bottle

Sun glasses (polarized)

Sun cream – SPF50+

Small quick dry towel

Swimming kit

USB cord to charge your phone

Cash

Sleeping bag

Head torch

Sailing knife

Passport

Printed out Insurance details

Any medication you require