Got a question?
Click on the drop down menu below to view our FAQs. If you still have any questions, feel free to get in touch at [email protected]
Got a question?
Click on the drop down menu below to view our FAQs. If you still have any questions, feel free to get in touch at [email protected]
Yes! We welcome everybody – even if you have no prior sailing experience.
The full-time crew will be there to explain everything to you. You just need to have fun and be willing to get stuck in!
Most voyages are for young people between 15-25. Some vessels take people as young as twelve. If you are in a group from a school, the vessel may take younger people.
Don’t worry if you are over that age, some vessels sail with 80 year olds on board. Click here for more information.
The prices of Sail Training voyages vary according to the length of the trip, or the size of the vessel – so it’s best to check with our members directly before booking. As a guide, a 5 day voyage will usually cost between £400 and £600 per person, or less if you book as a group. This includes all food, accommodation and use of safety equipment on board.
It depends! Some voyages last only 2 or 3 days, whilst others can last up to three weeks. Again, it is best to check with our members directly to find out the durations of their upcoming voyages.
Absolutely! Sail Training is accessible to almost everyone. Whilst there is only one tall ship and one yacht that are accessible to wheelchair users, many of our members do provide Sail Training and offshore adventures for disabled people who have specific impairment types.
That’s fine too. Every member of the crew is required to wear a life jacket whilst the boat is at sea, and we’d prefer you to stay on board (even if they are the next Michael Phelps!)
…We find that most people prefer to stay dry anyway.
You will become part of the crew, taking part in a watch so that the vessel can run throughout the day and night. You won’t be on duty all the time.
You’ll hoist sails, maybe climb the mast, navigate and steer. You’ll help in the galley (kitchen) with cooking and cleaning. You will be an integral part of the crew for the time you are on board!
A lot of the planning is done by the group but it will also be specific to where you join the vessel. Some trips go over to France. Other trips take part in specific races and events each year.
Where the ship goes is also dependent on the weather, the time you have available and the level of challenge you are looking for!
Contact the Sail Training organisation directly. You can view your local organisation, link to their programme or see which vessels cater for specific needs here.
You are welcome to come on your own. Some voyages take individuals and some take groups. Check with the individual organisation for more information.
Of course, you can, but sometimes it’s more valuable to come on your own and meet new people on the voyage.
Yes. Most voyages and vessels specifically take groups. This can be a school group, a scouting group, a group from university or any other type of youth group.
Many of our vessels take part in the Tall Ships Races each year. You can usually find those taking part in upcoming Tall Ship Races on our events page. There are also ASTO’s annual Small Ships Races and other events in the UK.
All ASTO vessels are operated under strict safety regulations. The staff are highly trained to give young people a safe but challenging and fun experience. You can find out more about these here.
All vessels have their own rules regarding safety and behaviour. Sail Training encourages personal responsibility, however on board, the Skipper is the boss! Drugs will not be tolerated on any vessel. People who break this rule will be sent home and/or reported to the authorities.
You can always speak to your Watch Leader, Group Leader or ultimately the Skipper. You should never feel nervous about speaking up, we are there to make your voyage an amazing and positive experience.
The permanent crew will be used to dealing with seasickness! Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to tell someone you feel unwell. Most people will experience it at one time or another and it usually passes quickly. If you know you suffer from seasickness or get travel sick, bring medication with you and mention this when you book.
Yes, they’re called ‘heads’! They are a little bit different from regular toilets, you will use a manual pump to flush them. Some larger vessels will have traditional toilets. The most important thing to remember is not to put anything down the toilet that you didn’t eat first!
Most vessels don’t have showers on board. However, they regularly call into marinas where you can use their nice, hot showers.
You probably won’t have time to get homesick! Join in, get involved and make new friends.
If you do have a problem, however, you can always talk to one of the members of the permanent crew and they will be happy to sit with you and help you feel at ease.
Yes, just make sure you let us know any dietary requirements that you have when you book the voyage! Most vessels are able to deal with dietary requirements as long as you let us know.
Yes! We welcome everybody – even if you have no prior sailing experience.
The full-time crew will be there to explain everything to you. You just need to have fun and be willing to get stuck in!
Most voyages are for young people between 15-25. Some vessels take people as young as twelve. If you are in a group from a school, the vessel may take younger.
Don’t worry if you are over that age, some vessels sail with 80 year olds on board. Click here for more information.
The prices of Sail Training voyages vary according to the length of the trip, or the size of the vessel – so, it’s best to check with our members directly before booking.
It depends! Some voyages last only 2 or 3 days, whilst others can last up to three weeks. Again, it is best to check with our members directly to find out the durations of their upcoming voyages.
Absolutely! Sail Training is accessible to almost everyone. Whilst there is only one tall ship and one yacht that are accessible to wheelchair users, many of our members do provide Sail Training and offshore adventures for disabled people who have specific impairment types.
That’s fine too. Every member of the crew is required to wear a life jacket whilst the boat is at sea (even if they are the next Michael Phelps!)
…We find that most people prefer to stay dry anyway.
You will become part of the crew, taking part in a watch so that the vessel can run throughout the day and night. You won’t be on duty all the time.
You’ll hoist sails, maybe climb the mast, navigate and steer. You’ll help in the galley (kitchen) with cooking and cleaning. You will be an integral part of the crew for the time you are on board!
A lot of the planning is done by the group but it will also be specific to where you join the vessel. Some trips go over to France. Other trips take part in specific races and events each year.
Previous trips have taken Trainees to Portugal, …. FINISH
Contact the ASTO member organisation directly. You can view your local Sail Training organisation, or see which vessels cater for specific needs here.
You are welcome to come on your own. Some voyages take individuals and some take groups. Check with the individual organisation for more information.
Of course, you can, but sometimes it’s more valuable to come on your own and meet new people on the voyage.
Some voyages and vessels specifically take groups. This can be a school group, a scouting group, or a group from university or similar.
Many of our vessels take part in the Tall Ships Races each year. You can usually find those taking part in upcoming Tall Ship Races on our events page. There are also ASTO’s annual Small Ships Races and other events in the UK.
All ASTO vessels are operated under strict safety regulations. You can find out more about these here.
All vessels will have their own rules however, on board, the Skipper is the boss. Sail Training encourages personal responsibility. Drugs will not be tolerated on any vessel. People who break this rule will be sent home and/or reported to the authorities.
You can always speak to your Watch Leader, Group Leader or ultimately the Skipper. You should never feel nervous about speaking up, we are there to make your voyage an amazing and positive experience.
The permanent crew will be used to dealing with seasickness! Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to tell someone you feel unwell. Most people will experience it at one time or another and it usually passes quickly. If you know you suffer from seasickness or get travel sick, bring medication with you and mention this when you book.
Yes, they’re called ‘heads’! They are a little bit different from regular toilets, you will use a hand pump to flush them. Some larger vessels will have traditional toilets. The most important thing to remember is not to put anything down the toilet that you didn’t eat first!
Yes, most vessels have showers, although they may just be a shower attachment in the heads. They may not be as hot as you are used to, and there may be limited water. Most vessels call into marinas at some point, where you can use their nice, ‘hot’ showers!
You probably won’t have time to get homesick! Join in, get involved and make new friends.
If you do have a problem, however, you can always talk to one of the members of the permanent crew and they will be happy to sit with you and help you feel at ease.
Yes, just make sure you let us know any dietary requirements that you have when you book the voyage! Most vessels are able to deal with dietary requirements as long as you let us know.