Setting Sail  I guess that I have always loved sailing, at least I don’t remember a time when I didn’t. This is probably because I grew up with sailors. As an infant, I would be taken out in the picturesque Chichester Harbour aboard my parents 16ft Norwegian Rana. Though it was obviously much later that I took up an active interest of my own. I remember being sent off to trial my primary schools “sailing club”. This involved being pushed off from a windy Lee-on-Solent shoreline, solo aboard a Topper in a force 4 (felt more like a 9 to me). I hadn’t a clue what to do and I think the idea was that I would quickly learn through trial and error. It wasn’t a smooth start, but from those many failed attempts, I was determined to understand how the other boys made the boat go where they wanted and how to do that the right way up!

Each year, we are preparing a special event for our owners to enable them to meet and share a nice and unforgettable experience : the Owners Flotilla!  This is a unique moment to enjoy sailing and exchange with other owners within our yacht management program as well as with their Owner Care Team. The concept is simple : each owner books a yacht for one week, for a destination and dates chosen in advance by our Owner Care Team, up to a maximum of 12 boats. The sailing itinerary has been specially set up for our owners - and thus different from a standard flotilla - by our skilled base team. The owners will have the company of a lead boat, on which will be their Owner care Team as well as an experienced skipper, a technician and a hostess, all dedicated to them for the whole week ! Each morning, the boat captains receive a briefing of the day, indicating the meeting place for the end of day but everyone is free to sail  at their own rythm. In the evenings, all the boats are moored together in the same place and owners are free to  join the group meal if they wish. During this week of charter, special activities are proposed (visit to particular local places, punch party, cocktail and poem competition, dinghy race, farewell party with gifts, etc.) The aim is to have everyone meet together, enjoy sailing, discover particular sailing areas, experience boat group meetings, find unexpected friendships and hopefully wish to join the next Owners Flotilla !

I do, that’s who! My name is Nancy and I work in the Yacht Ownership team in the UK office for Sunsail and The Moorings. How I got to this point in life as a yacht master, water sports enthusiast and international globe trotter is all down to Sunsail flotilla holidays and this is why…

If you are exploring your charter yacht ownership options, then without a doubt you will have heard the term "professional maintenance" thrown around a few times by now. I will assume therefore, that you have also asked yourself, "What does this really include?"