How to sail with us
Information for parents and guardians
If you are thinking of sending a child or a young adult sailing with us, you will probably have a lot of questions. Hopefully most of them can be answered on this website; but if you don’t find the answer to any specific query, please contact the office and we will do our best to help you.
Crew welfare
If there is anything at all you would like to share with us about a crew member which will help us to make the voyage work better for him or her, please do let us know.
The booking form already requires you to inform us about any medical condition, or any medication they are taking, as well as any food allergies. But it will also help us meet the needs of each individual crew member if we also know about any other physical or learning difficulties, behavioural problems or other special needs.
This might include anything from dyslexia to Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), or dietary needs other than allergies – for example, would you prefer to restrict the amount of sweets or fizzy drinks they might have? (We don’t provide many sweets on board but crew members sometimes want to buy large amounts when we go ashore).
If there is anything that might be worrying a crew member, you are of course not obliged to tell us about it, but you should certainly feel free to do so if you think it might help – for example, have they been bullied; or might they be upset about a problem at home or at school? Any information of this nature will be passed by our office to the skipper, who will inform other watch leaders as appropriate. If there is anything at all you would like to tell us, or ask us, please contact the office.
Before a crew member travels
Personal information – If anything has changed since the booking form was completed, please ensure we have correct telephone numbers for an adult we can contact at any time during the voyage; up-to-date medical information; and a doctor’s phone number for each crew member.
What to bring – There is a suggested kit list in the Crew Handbook and on this website - contact us if you have any questions. Please also ensure that crew members do NOT bring aerosols (deodorant etc.) as they are a serious fire hazard.
Valuable items – A boat is not the best place for items such as mobile phones, personal CD players and electronic games. They might get wet or otherwise damaged, and there will be limited opportunities to use them.
Lost property – Crew members are responsible for their own personal kit. If they leave something on the boat, contact the office. As there is nowhere to store them, items are normally only retained for a week.
Pocket money – The amount is up to you. Don’t forget the fare home if needed. We may sail to France; crew members can bring Euros if they wish, or change money abroad. We sell RYA logbooks during the voyage for £4.99 if required. Crew members will not be charged for anything else on board.
Early voyage termination
If a crew member wishes to leave the vessel before the end of the voyage, or if they are asked to leave due to unacceptable conduct, the skipper will notify the OYT South office. The parent / guardian will be informed of the details and arrangements for getting them home, and is responsible for any costs.
OYT South involvement for adults
OYT South is not just designed for people aged 12-25. Parents and guardians are welcome to get involved too:
- OYT South offers occasional adult voyages
- Adults with sailing experience are encouraged to join our volunteer sea staff
- You can help OYT South as a shorebased volunteer
Child Protection Policy
OYT South's Child Protection Policy is available here as a pdf file.
Crew handbook (pdf)
