Price
£770
Nights
Five
Age range
16-25
Start port
Portsmouth
End port
Portsmouth
Passport
Yes
DofE
Yes
RYA
Competent Crew
Voyage code
CF786
Bursary
Available
Voyage highlights
Want to take your sailing skills to the next level? Embark on a five-night Voyage of Empowerment from Portsmouth to Portsmouth with Tall Ships Youth Trust.
This is a great opportunity to challenge yourself onboard one of our iconic 72ft Challenger yachts, while setting personal goals, building your skills and embracing responsibility onboard.
As you explore the south coast, you’ll be able to spend time reflecting on your aspirations, setting meaningful goals towards them, and develop tangible life and employability skills which will support you on your journey into adulthood.
Our Empowerment Voyages are the second stage of TSYT’s three-voyage programme, building on the entry-level skills learnt on an Exploration Voyage.
Throughout the trip onboard our challenger vessel, you’ll work towards achieving your RYA Competent Crew qualification. You can also use the voyage to complete the residential section of your Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award.
To participate in our ‘Voyage of Empowerment’ you should have some sailing experience or have a similar residential experience in other outdoor and adventure activities.
Leaving Portsmouth, your voyage will take you along the south coast. As an Empowerment voyage, your experiences will take on longer passages, overnight voyaging and challenging sailing. Likely stopovers include Cowes, Poole and Weymouth, with time to explore ashore. Depending on the weather conditions, we may sail to Alderney, Sark or Guernsey in the Channel Islands.
Bring something to record your ideas and reflections in (this can be a digital device) and be prepared to get involved in co-creating an ocean-based sustainability project to build your awareness and skills around taking action to protect our ocean environment.
Life skills. Increased confidence. Problem solving and Decision Making. Independence. Resilience. Lasting memories.
For those who have not sailed with us before, you’ll experience life in a watch system, two teams traditionally known as Port and Starboard. In your watches, you’ll take it in turns to be involved in all aspects of sailing the Challenger, from looking after her to cooking and cleaning.
Throughout the week, you’ll develop your sailing skills to the next level through extended passages, offshore sailing and taking more responsibility with your team. As part of your Empowerment experience, you’ll also take time to consider your aspirations, set goals and work towards them each day.
Each of our voyages engage with our ocean environment, taking part in activities building understanding around our oceans and how to positively impact on our environment and our communities.
Each crew member will receive a personal assessment covering their leadership, teamwork and communication skills — a great addition to your CV!
During this voyage, you will work towards achieving your RYA Competent Crew certificate.
The RYA Competent Crew syllabus includes:
- Sea terms and parts of a boat, rigging and sails
- Sail handling
- Ropework
- Fire precautions and fighting
- Personal safety equipment
- Man overboard
- Emergency equipment
- Manners and customs
- Rules of the ‘road’ (at sea)
- Dinghies
The cost of your RYA Competent Crew certificate is included in the price.
RYA logbooks are available for purchase onboard at a cost of £6 (Skippers are only able to take cash for this).
All voyages of four nights or more qualify for the residential section of the DofE Gold award.
Please let our Reservations Team know before sailing if you want to use the voyage for this.
You would need to present a valid passport for this voyage.
If you don’t have a passport, please get in touch before booking.
The Skipper will determine the final route depending on weather and other variables.
Following your voyage with us, there’s a possibility you could be recommended by the Skipper to come back and volunteer as a Watch Leader or Youth Mentor for future Tall Ships Youth Trust voyages. If you are interested in pursuing this, you can speak to your skipper at the start of the voyage as well.
