Yachts & Yachting - July 2018

PHOTO: SERGIO VILLABLA/WE PHOTOAGENCY

Searchingforasailingholidaybutnotsure

about going it alone?SUE PELLINGhas advice

forsun-seeking,adventuroussolosailors

BEST HIT SINGLES

G

rowingnumbersofsolo

travellers worldwide

indicate that any stigma

thatmayoncehavebeen

attached to holidaying

alonecouldbeathingofthepast.In

2017, in the UK alone, 12 per cent of

holiday makers were solo travellers*.

Within the marine industry, some

companies, such as Ocean Elements,

have taken the initiative to review single

person supplements. hat said, the nature

ofthelayoutofmanycharteryachts,

with limited cabins means there could

still be an extra cost for single cabin

useforthosewhodon’twishtoshare.

Greek specialist Sailing Holidays,

is amongst those taking a pragmatic

approach to minimise costs for solo

travellers. Becky Addison comments:

“We price our share-a-yacht boats

basedonfourpeopletravellingand

whether two, three or four people book

on the yacht the individual price will

always remain the same. If only one

person books onto the yacht we put

astafmemberonboardtoensure

thattheholidaycanstillgoahead.”

WHY GO SOLO?

As seasoned solo travellers will tell

you, holidaying alone need not be

daunting. Chantel Everil was amongst

thoseImetlastyearonavisittoOcean

Elements’ Porto Heli base. She says:

“Booking a solo holiday was the best

thingIhavedone.Myfearwasthat

peoplewouldfeelsorryforme,but

thatwasnotthecaseatall;theyjust

genuinely wanted to help and include

me in everything. I learnt such a lot

and made some really good friends.”

Some companies ofer speciic holidays

for dedicated groups looking to improve

their skills. With Sail Ionian, for example,

individuals can join a group of three

otherpeopleonaRYACompetent

Crew, Day Skipper, or Coastal Skipper

course. “All courses run for ive days

but the holiday is for seven so there

is also time for the team on the yacht

toexploretheareabythemselves,”

explains director Neil Bingham.

For those who are keen to race and

perhapstickofabucketlistregatta,

there are always plenty of by-the-

berth places on ofer at home and

overseas, through yacht race charter

companies such as Ondeck Antigua,

Sail Race Crew, and Sailing Logic.

Withsomanyoptionsforalllevelsthe

dilema oten comes in deciding which

holiday to choose. Narrowing down

the type of sailing experience you are

ater is oten the best place to start...

DINGHY SAILING OPTIONS

A beach club holiday that ofers

group tuition in similar style to a

skiholidayisagreatwaytobond

with fellow holidaymakers. Beach-

based holiday centres such as Ocean

Elements and Wildwind typically run

courses and tuition for all levels, from

total beginners to those with more

experience, and are the ideal way to

learn and make plenty of new friends.

Ocean Elements, for example, has

worked hard to respond to customer

feedback. Mike Everett says: “his year we

haveintroducedalatfeeofjust£50for

single room use. We have also introduced

speciic dates for solo sailors in two of

ourGreekresorts;HotelLedainPelion,

andNauticaBayHotel,PortoHeli.”

Above

A solo sailing trip

can be a great

way to make like-

minded friends

TRAVEL SOLO SAILING

*STATISTICS RECORDED BY STATISTA

72 Yachts & Yachting July 2018 yachtsandyachting.co.uk