Voyages available NOW
Tall Ships Race series 2010
We are now fully-booked for Tall Ships 2010 (though we can still put you on a reserve list in case anyone drops out).
If you can't sail with us on Tall Ships voyages in 2010, don't forget we have plenty of other voyages which might still provide you with a real adventure. See here for latest 2010 availability, or look for Tall Ships or other voyages on our 2011 voyage programme.
ADVANCE NOTICE: Tall Ships 2011 will take us from Waterford, Ireland to Greenock, Scotland; Lerwick, Shetland Islands; Stavanger, Norway and Halmstad, Sweden, in three race legs and a cruise, all between 30 June and 8 August 2011. If you might be interested in sailing on one of these voyages, register your interest NOW with an email to webmaster1@oytsouth.org and you will get priority information as soon as we start taking bookings.
Tall Ships 2010:
Antwerp (Belgium) - Aalborg (Denmark) - Kristiansand (Norway) - Hartlepool UK).
The Tall Ships series brings together sail training vessels crewed by young people aged 15-25 from all over the world., ranging from the largest square-rigged vessels, through a wide range of traditional boats, to the Class C vessels, like John Laing, which are yachts with a more modern rig.
The host ports of a Tall Ships series traditionally lay on superb hospitality for visiting crews, with festivals, entertainments, a wide range of activities and a chance to see other vessels and visit the town itself.
These are some of the most adventurous voyages of John Laing's season, and taking part is always an unforgettable experience.
For official Tall Ships voyages or other voyages starting and finishing at Tall Ships festivals, John Laing is able to take up to four fifteen-year olds on these voyages; all other crew members must be aged 16-25.
We take both male and female crew, and no previous sailing experience is required - all we ask is that you bring enthusiasm, a willingness to join in, learn new skills and work together with the rest of the crew.
Voyage details
As well as the two races and the official Tall Ships cruise in company, John Laing is offering a special adventure voyage to reach the start of Tall Ships and share in the first festival.
Antwerp Adventure:6-12 July, Ipswich to Antwerp (Belgium), 6 nights, age range 15-25. £435 plus travel. Provisionally fully-booked.
Race 1: 12-23 July, Antwerp (Belgium) to Aalborg (Denmark), 11 nights, age range 15-25. £780 plus travel.Provisionally fully-booked.
Cruise in company: 23-31 July, Aalborg (Denmark) to Kristiansand (Norway), 8 nights, age range 15-25. £600 plus travel. Provisionally fully-booked.
Race 2: 31 July - 9 August, Kristiansand (Norway) to Hartlepool (UK), 9 nights, age range 15-25. £675 plus travel. Provisionally fully-booked.
Antwerp Adventure: 6-12 July, Ipswich to Antwerp (Belgium), 6 nights, age range 15-25. £435 plus travel.
This is a voyage which starts in Ipswich and will take you to Antwerp in plenty of time to enjoy the first of the Tall Ships festivals and see the fleet before they set off for the races.
But before the festival there will be some good sailing and a chance to visit some other ports along the way.
Please contact the office to make a provisional reservation, or to ask any questions.
Race 1: 12-23 July, Antwerp (Belgium) to Aalborg (Denmark), 11 nights, age range 15-25. £780 plus travel.Please ask about latest availability.
The Antwerp Tall Ships festival will be an amazing experience for John Laing's crew members, joining hundreds of other young people from all over the world for a fantastic programme of events and activities.
On leaving Antwerp, all the vessels take part in a parade of sail. On board John Laing, new crew members will be learning the basic skills needed for the voyage: everyone on board will become an important member of the team during the race.
Once the vessels cross the start line, the fleet heads up the North Sea, before turning east round the top of Denmark. The vessels will spread out over a wide area, as everyone searches for the best weather and sailing conditions. Twice-daily radio schedules tell us where we are in relation not just to the rest of the fleet, but perhaps more importantly, in relation to other Class C vessels, against whom we are directly competing.
The race ends in time to enjoy another spectacular festival in Aalborg. More information about the Aalborg festival here.
Please contact the office to make a provisional reservation, or to ask any questions.
Cruise in company: 23-31 July, Aalborg (Denmark) to Kristiansand (Norway), 8 nights, age range 15-25. £600 plus travel. Provisionally fully-booked.
The crew for this voyage will arrive in time to enjoy the festival in Aalborg (more information about the Aalborg festival here ) before setting off for a cruise up to Norway. We will have a chance to explore the coastline and visit ports along the way.
The voyage will finish with another festival in Kristiansand. More information about the Kristiansand festival here.
Please contact the office to make a provisional reservation, or to ask any questions.
Race 2: 31 July - 9 August, Kristiansand (Norway) to Hartlepool (UK), 9 nights, age range 15-25. £675 plus travel.Provisionally fully-booked.
This voyage will start with a chance for the crew to enjoy the Kristiansand festival in Norway, visit the other vessels and take part in activities with other crew members. More information about the Kristiansand festival here.
There will be a spectacular parade of sail on leaving Kristiansand, after which the fleet will race south and west, back across the North Sea to the UK. Again, no sailing experience is necessary for John Laing's crew, as full training will be given on board.
The race ends in Hartlepool, a city with a rich maritime tradition. More information about the Hartlepool festival here.
Please contact the office to make a provisional reservation, or to ask any questions.
How to book a voyage
Booking form (pdf) - print out, complete and return
Other types of voyages:
ASTO Small Ships races
UK-based voyages
Duke of Edinburgh's Award Residential Projects
Want to sail but can't afford it? - Help with funding
2010 voyage programme
2011 voyage programme
