Well, what can we say about our 2020 sailing season? It certainly didn’t go as planned but I’m sure that was the case for almost everybody.
In our Autumn newsletter we take a quick look back at the sailing experiences we were able to run in 2020 and a look forward at what we anticipate being able to offer in 2021 (including a new RYA course and upgrades to our Jeanneau 409).
Thank you
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to you – our guests past and present – for your support during Covid-19. Everyone was so understanding when sailing experiences, courses and bareboat charters had to be postponed due to the national lock-down. Your patience, flexibility and understanding was very much appreciated by our small, seasonal business.
And a huge thank you to our wonderful skippers who worked with us to ensure that the majority of our guests were able to get out on the water at some point this year. They made themselves available for last-minute bookings, last-minute schedule changes and were understanding when we had last-minute cancellations due to regional lock-downs or shielding guests.
Finally, an additional thank you to all our NHS staff, carers and key workers from the Devon Sailing Experiences team.
2020 – a look back
As you are no doubt aware, the national lockdown started at the end of March – just as our sailing season was about to begin. By July, we were able to safely operate a small number of sailing experiences. We worked hard to ensure that effective risk assessments were in place so we could welcome you back on the water as soon as possible.
Day Sails grew in popularity. We had always limited the number of guests onboard our Day Sails to 5 (plus skipper) for comfort and to ensure everyone gets a full, hands-on experience. Because of this, we were able to continue to run this experience from July as normal (with a few extra precautions in place to ensure our guests and skippers were covid-safe).
Sadly, due to the nature of our Weekend Sails and RYA Courses we were only permitted to run them if 4 guests were booked onboard from the same household/family/support bubble. This resulted in many cancellations and postponements.
Exclusive Skippered Charters and Bareboat Charters were popular with families and those who were expecting to go sailing abroad this year (and found that due to Covid-19 related restrictions they were unable to go).
2021 – a look forward
We are planning to continue to run our Day Sails from April 2021 and will be adding plenty of dates to our sailing schedule in November.
Exclusive Day Sails can be scheduled on demand subject to yacht and skipper availability.
Exclusive Skippered Charters of more than 1 day can also be scheduled on demand. However, please bear in mind that you may need to postpone should Government restrictions regarding staying overnight with multiple households are put in place.
With this in mind, we will be limiting the dates we offer for our standard Weekend Sails in 2021 unless all 4 guests are from the same household/family/support bubble.
RYA Courses will be offered in 2021, but if Government restrictions regarding staying overnight with multiple households are put in place, we may need to alter the course slightly. Normally, our courses would take students to a variety of fantastic overnight destinations such as Salcombe, Fowey, Dartmouth, Brixham or Falmouth. However, restrictions may require you to return to King Point Marina each evening so your instructor can leave the yacht overnight. This will not affect the course content (and you will still be able to achieve your night-sailing hours).
Bareboat Charters are starting to get booked for 2021. We anticipate being able to run them as usual (or at least for guests who are from the same household/family/support bubble). A 20% deposit will secure a date.
My booking was postponed due to Covid-19. What should I do?
Guests who had to postpone their sailing experience or course in 2020 have been offered 12 months to rebook. Please get in touch to discuss an alternative date and we will do our very best to help you. Also, keep an eye on our sailing schedule which will be updated in November.
What if I book and a lock-down means I can’t attend?
We will always try our very best to work with you to reschedule. Although we will continue to watch the news and follow the latest guidelines, please give us as much notice as possible – this is vital for our small, family-run business.
A new look for Bewitched
Our Jeanneau 409, Bewitched, is currently undergoing upgrades to keep her to the high standard you would expect. Upgrades include new high performance laminate sails, a graphite grey stack pack and spray hood, a matching graphite grey interior, composite helming wheels and grey hull stripes. The upgrades will result in a fresh, modern look for our flagship yacht as well as an enhanced sailing experience.
2021 Sailing Schedule for Experiences and Courses
Dates for 2021 will be added to our sailing schedule from November 2021. Many experiences and courses can be booked on demand (depending on yacht and skipper availability). If you can’t see what you are looking for, please get in touch and we will do our very best to help you.
Power Boat (Level 2) will be added to our list of courses in 2021. Details to follow at a later date.
Terms and Conditions
By booking with Devon Sailing Experiences, you are accepting our Terms and Conditions. Please ensure you have read these before booking. We politely draw your attention to the paragraph regarding cancellation and rescheduling. If you are unsure about any aspect, please feel free to ask.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Keep up to date with last-minute availability and stories from our skippers and guests by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us in any of your own posts; we love to hear about your sailing adventures so if you have any photos you would like to share (or stories to tell) do get in touch.
We look forward to welcoming you to Devon soon.
Nick, Katie and the Devon Sailing Experiences team
