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Coolhand
Newbie Joined: 30 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 34 |
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Topic: Sunsail Beach Club Holiday Posted: 01 Dec 04 at 8:52am |
Does anyone have any experience of these? I have a 21/2 year old, a non-sailing wife and am new to small boat sailing. I see one of these holidays as a way to get some decent experience and maybe a qualification whilst still having a family holiday. Will I get what I want? Are there any alternatives? Apart form Mark Warner who only seems to operate July, August and September. Edited by Coolhand |
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malawirich
Newbie Joined: 01 Dec 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 9 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 01 Dec 04 at 5:24pm |
I can say you will get what you want on the Sunsail Holiday, but i am slightly biased as i have work at there clubs for a number of years. I was taken on them by my parents before I started work so have seen them from both sides. If you want further details don't hesitate to ask. When talking to Mark Warner satff they are jelous of the amount of kit we have, Neilson would be the other option. Rich Edited by malawirich |
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hurricane
Really should get out more Joined: 15 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1047 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 01 Dec 04 at 5:45pm |
i have been on 3 markwarners and would be happy to answer any questions on them!!
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Lucy Lee
Far too distracted from work Joined: 17 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 276 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 04 at 12:10pm |
The best sailing holiday I have been on was Menorca Sailing. The teaching was great, the range of kit (boats & windsurfers) was excellent and the villa / flats were very clean and spacious. There is a creche and a swimming pool for the non-sailors. By the end of the fortnight my mother ( a committed non-sailor) was racing about in a topper having seen how much fun we were all having. |
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Fly Cherub!
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iansmithofotley
Far too distracted from work Joined: 16 Mar 04 Location: Otley, West Yorkshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 209 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 04 at 12:47pm |
Hi Luke, I went to the Sunsail site at Kos nine years ago and had a fantastic time, as did my two sons who were aged 25 and 21. We were all experienced sailors and windsurfers. My wife, who is not interested in sailing, was not impressed due to all the sailing talk all the time. The Kos site is no longer a Sunsail site as the accomodation was very basic and, I believe, the company wanted better, with air conditioning, etc. All of the sailing/windsurfing equipment was excellent and there were very good facilities for child minding, all day, for all ages, so both of the parents got chance to sail or learn to sail. You have not said when you wish to go. Just at the moment, Sunsail have some good offers on for Club Colonna in Antigua, in January, for £999, for two weeks, half board. I have not stayed at this resort but I visited it about five years ago and it seemed great. It is situated in the very north of the island and, when I visited, there were strong winds. Antigua is a small island and you can drive around it in a day if you rent a car. Y & Y did an excellent feature on the resort but I can't remember how long ago it was. Minorca Sailing is a great place with fantastic equipment but it is expensive and, I think (without checking) that is a 'summer' place. Again, I have not stayed there but have visited it. Neilson would be another option and there are sites all over the Mediterranean and I understand that they are very good. I have a friend who has worked there for the last three summers, whilst he was at university. He was at Mar Menor, Vassiliki and has just returned from Bitez. I have visited the site at Grand Anse Bay in Grenada, which was an 'all year round' venue. I was staying at a hotel in the next bay and used to sail amongst the Neilson clients, most of their boats were Lasers, 2000's, 3000's and Dart 16's or Hobie Waves. I don't think that the site is open this winter due to the damage caused by the hurricane. I think it may open again in May but I am not certain. I hope that this helps. Ian (Yorkshire Dales S.C.) |
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Lighthouse
Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 23 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 04 at 1:25pm |
Sunsail Club Javelin in Turkey is brilliant! Really good boats, helpful and
fun staff and a fantastic jetty bar to wind away the hot evenings. Go there! |
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Coolhand
Newbie Joined: 30 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 34 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 04 at 2:16pm |
Thanks for all the great input so far – I was a little nervous about posting the question but am glad I did now. I have some more detail to add and then a couple of additional questions. We’d be looking to go May 05 and at the moment Galini is looking favourite. Reasonable flight times, good price and we’ve done flotilla in the Ionian so know the area. What me wife will be interested in a reasonable pool to sit around and read her book plus the option to escape for a bit of an explore now and then as a family. Cost is a key consideration – I’ve got to sell this as not much more expensive than a normal package. This makes Minorca Sailing a little expensive and Neilson doesn’t have prices available yet. Questions:
Will the instructors be able to cope with a beginner who knows (at least thinks he does) how to drive a yacht?
Will our little “terror” have enough to do to stop him going stir crazy?
Edited by Coolhand |
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malawirich
Newbie Joined: 01 Dec 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 9 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 04 at 3:53pm |
I have been on a two holidays and worked at Galini and it would be fine for this. Speaking as an instructor we recive allsorts in the courses so are used to accomodating different levels in one course. Since iansmithofotley went to Kos the clubs have become far more family orientated and now all have large kids club areas but still have a large number of boats. Put your son in this and he should have enough to do ( he can also be removed at any point). Also because of this change to family holidays there are a large number of women who often refer to themselves as sailing widow who sit by the pool and catch rays. The pool at Galini is raised so you can look out over the sailing area for them to keep an eye on you, so I very popular. If you think that you know how to drive a yacht on the first day there will be a skippers brief which will show you around clubs yachts and let you know the cruising area, after this you are able to go out for the day as a skipper. If you are not confident there are three day skipper courses with up to 3 other people, or you can hire a compotent member of staff for the day for £50 (I think). Have to say for dinghy sailing Turkey is better with more wind, but for cruising in a yacht Galini is the best. |
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Harry44981!
Really should get out more Joined: 26 Aug 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 736 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 04 at 4:32pm |
I think I went to galini. You should be fine- its not geared up to be as good a saiing centre as minorca, but apparently sunsail is better for non sailors. There are loads of kids clubs.
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Coolhand
Newbie Joined: 30 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 34 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 04 at 7:07pm |
malawirich, Thanks for the insight. It's Dingy saling that I want to get into (I live to far from the coast in the UK for yachts to be family freindly) - will there be enough wind in Galini for me to learn the basics and give the varoius options a try? i.e. Cat, Trapeze Asym, Singlehander e.t.c.
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