Cruiser Sailing in Ireland and the UK
Come aboard and enjoy learning afloat! Sail in style on our 37'' cruiser, "The Holy Grounder". She is a Beneteau 36.7 built in 2002. She sails like a thoroughbred and offers all the comfort of any boat of her size. She is a joy to sail - fast yet easily sailed - ideal for beginners and improvers alike. Have a look at video of "Grounder" sailing in West Cork.
The South Coast of Ireland is one of the best cruising grounds in the world with dramatic scenery, excellent sailing conditions and a friendly welcome ashore. Cork Harbour offers the perfect classroom - tides, obstacles, harbours, quays, marinas, shipping traffic, leisure traffic, navigation buoys and a beautiful place to sail in! Have fun learning under the expert eye of Yachtmaster Instructor and race navigator Eddie English and his team of cruising instructors.
Come and try sailing for a day - or come and improve your skills. We will be running Day Sailing (09:30 to 17:30) on certain days from March until mid December - Day sailing is available for groups during weekdays by special arrangement - contact our office for details. (021) 4811237 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Everyone now realises the value of certification - SailCork provides and excellent learning environment and can take you through the hoops from the basic qualification right up to instructor. Enjoy the experience and progress your learning with recognised certification. Scheduled courses follow a set syllabus - click here to find out more.
Have a look at a video of our courses.
Our sailing cruisers only take a rest during Jan and Feb - if you really want to get afloat during these months have a look at our Sunshine Cruises!
We work on a progressive learning programme each day. We will endeavour to see as many new ports as possible thus expanding the crews horizons and heightening the enjoyment of the cruise. The destinations will of course be entirely weather dependant.
The first day will concentrate on looking at each participants all round ability. During the rest of the course we will concentrate on improving individual skills and aim towards a certified qualification.
The Cork coastline is one of the finest for cruising anywhere in the world and combined with traditional Cork hospitality all our cruises are enjoyable learning experiences. Our base at Cork Harbour provides an excellent starting point from the secluded pictureesquemarina at East Ferry near Cobh. Ports of call include: Crosshaven tothe home of the oldest yacht club in the world to the Royal Cork Yacht Club. Kinsale is known as the gourmet capital of Ireland and is an excellent port of call. The fishing villages of Glandore, Union Hall and Castletownsend provide safe anchorages in spectacular settings and Baltimore in far West Cork is a stepping stone to the magical islands of Sherkin and Cape Clear within view of the Fastnet Rock.
Our boat is a modern well equipped 36.7' cruiser/racer and is a joy to sail. Cruises usually have five pupils with a skipper but on certain longer cruises we carry a bigger crew to run a watch system. All boats are equipped with full safety equipment, all nav. aids and powerful engines. The safety equipment includes lifejackets and harnesses for each crew member. Please ensure you have a good set of waterproofs, plenty of warm clothes and seaboots and a sleeping bag.
Weekend courses begin on Fri evening at 1930 and finish on Sun at 1700
Weeklong courses begin on Sun evening at 1930 and finish on Fri at 1700.
Day Sails begin at 09:30 and finish at 17:30.
Evening sailing: 18:00 - 21:00 (Running from April to September mainly - with a couple of special evenings to look at lights and night navigation)
All courses begin at our base at East Ferry Marina Cobh unless otherwise stated.
Besides sailing aboard our "Holy Grounder" you may join us to "Cruise in Company" to the Isles of Scilly at the end of May or to West Cork at the end of July.
SailCork special cruiser sailing dates 2010 - Book these courses well in advance!
Our season opens with our "Paddys Weekend Cruise" - this is scheduled from Fri 12 Mar at 19:30 to Sunday Mar 14. The cruise begins from our base at East Ferry Marina and may take in a jaunt west to Kinsale. In any case we have the vast Cork Harbour to explore even if the weather turns nasty we will always get afloat in comfort. This is a great weekend to work on your journey towards Competent Crew or Day Skipper.
We will of course celebrate "Paddys Day" with a daysail from East Ferry. We will have plenty of Cork Harbour to explore and progress your learning skills in comfort - thank goodness "Holy Grounder" has heating aboard! The day will follow the usual schedule for our Day Sailing (09:30 to 17:30)
SailCork will run a special test day for the ICC (International Cert of Competence) on Sat April 17. A special prep course and exam for the Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore will be held May 10 to 14. Places are strictly limited on this course.
Our first Sail to West Cork and Back from East Ferry in Cork Harbour will take place May 16 to 21.
We depart from these shores for our annual cruise to the Isles of Scilly 20 miles southwest of Lands End in Cornwall in England for 2010 we depart on Sat May 29 and return Fri Jun 4. We are organising a special cruise in company so past pupils and friends with their own boats can experience this voyage with proper course planning and safety briefings from Eddie English.
We have a special "Teenage Competent Crew" course June 20 to 25.
Get afloat and see all the action at "Cork Week" aboard "Holy Grounder" with our expert skipper and see one of the best regattas in the world - with luxury corporate entertainment.
Join us to cruise from Cork to Baltimore in West Cork via Kinsale, Courtmacsherry, Glandore, Castletownsend, Cape Clear etc . July 25-30 (You can also join a cruise in company for this trip in your own boat)
Enjoy the cut and thrust of racing - join us for Calves Week in West Cork - takes place Jul 31- Aug 6 - 2010
Cruise the waters of West Cork joining at Baltimore on Aug 15. Visit the islands - Sherkin and Cape, Barlogue, Union Hall, Courtmac and Kinsale before signing off at East Ferry in Cork Harbour on Fri 20
Sail to West Cork and Back from East Ferry in Cork Harbour - our last cruise to West Cork for 2010. Join Sun 5 Sept till Fri 10.
Learn with Eddie English and his team at SailCork who have been sailing and teaching on these waters since 1974.
Yacht Charter
Our special page will be coming soon. Details of boats below. Please contact our office for details of availability and prices.
Eddie English Blog
Underwater cable Aghada to Cuskinny
One Thursday evening at the very start of February a group of seafarers decended on my local, “The Roaring Donkey”, in Cobh and lashed into copious quantities of gin and tonic. As the conversations began to flow it transpired that they were the crew of the Norwegian vessel, “Elektron”, docked at Cork Dockyard in Rushbrooke. Not just any ordinary ship but a specialist vessel for cable laying – she was here to lay the cable from Aghada Power Station to Cuskinny on the Great Island in Cork Harbour.
