Who we are?
Offshore is registered charity, a member of the Association of Sail Training Organisations (ASTO) and a District of the Scouting movement. We have been safely taking young people sailing since 1964 and now operate two 15 metre ketches out of Ipswich which are crewed and maintained entirely by volunteers.
Our Sail Training Programme is open to everyone, from those who have never been on the water before to experienced sailors wanting to try something new. Ocean Scout and Offshore Scout, our purpose-built Oyster yachts, have 14 berths each and are fully equipped for long passages and ocean sailing. A voyage with us offers the opportunity to learn new skills, meet new people and have a real adventure. Our programme helps to develop confidence, character and team spirit as well as helping individuals fulfil their personal potential
What we do?
We offer a range of cruises, from day or evening tasters and weekends to week-long trips to or around the continent. We can tailor a trip to suit your needs and your budget, whether you are a group or an individual. We make use of bursaries, donations and sponsorship to make sure nobody misses out. Check our website for availability and prices or call or email our office for more information and advice.
A typical weekend cruise involves spending two nights on board and offers a great opportunity to give sailing a try and to learn the basics while exploring the east coast. With a choice of havens for the night as well as rivers and backwaters to explore there is plenty to experience whatever the conditions. A fully qualified skipper and mate will show you the ropes and keep you safe at all times. You’ll be involved in all aspects of the voyage including navigation, helming and sail handling as well the domestic side of things. A weekend like this would enable you to gain a RYA Start Yachting qualification, while two weekends could lead to a YHA Competent Crew certificate.
To see for yourself what a weekend is like, watch our film at www.adventuresoffshore.co.uk
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
We are now fully accredited not only for DofE Gold Residentials, but also very excitingly, we have been given full accreditation for running expeditions. It is very rare for expeditions to be allowed anywhere other than in hillwalking country, so we have been awarded a very rare honour.
What it costs?
At Offshore we endeavour to keep our administration costs and overheads to an absolute minimum, by making use of our volunteers, supporters and fundraising. The outcome of this careful management is that we are able to offer our cruises at remarkably inexpensive rates. Give us a ring to talk about the money!
We are sure that many groups and individuals are missing out on potential sources of financial assistance to help them make a sailing-training voyage more affordable. By giving the office a ring on 01206 385071 or 07927 911 981 we can try to help with funding your sailing.