Eleanor Mary cruises in the British Isles and along the Atlantic coast of Europe, from Cadiz in Spain to Alesund in Norway.

Our  ship  is based at East Cowes Marina, Clarence Road, East Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO32 6HA, telephone 44 (0)1983 293983.

Eleanor Mary has accommodation for seven people to cruise or race in comfort.  Her three cabins are built of white painted Douglas fir, trimmed with natural varnished mahogany.  Light and airy by day, at night the interior takes on a cosy atmosphere under the oil and electric lamps.  Two shower rooms provide the luxury of hot and cold running water, a diesel stove keeps out spring and autumn chills, and a gas cooker and fridge/freezer of the galley in the open plan saloon allow the cook to provide excellent meals.

The ship's itinerary depends on the wishes of all her crew.  David Darbyshire will prepare a passage plan to reflect the crew's desires well in advance of departure, reflecting the experience of the sailors, the time available and the likely tides and weather.  The plan is used for discussion to reach a consensus about what would offer most fun and sun.

A possible five day cruise for up to half a dozen sixteen to eighteen year olds

Aim of the cruise

Give the crew a taste for managing the force of nature through a sea adventure

After five days, the crew should have begun to understand how to:

-        recognise the mutual responsibilities of being part of a team at sea
-        hand and reef the sails on a big, traditional gaff-rigged cutter
-        bring the ship to and from dock and handle mooring lines
-        work the ship along a tidal coast and in and out of harbour
-        protect the safety of life at sea and care for the ship, and
-        share in cooking and other duties needed to ensure a happy ship

Organising the ship's company

The young crew will be mixed, with not less than two girls (or boys).  They will divide into two watches, balancing personalities, experience and physical strength.  They will be expected to do all the work of sailing the ship and the domestic tasks, supervised by the captain and mate.

Planning the cruise

The cruise begins with two days in sheltered waters, while the crew settle down as a team, learn to live on board and master the sails and safety precautions.  Three days of cruising adventure in open sea follow, with a destination chosen depending on the weather.  The plan is to anchor for most nights away from shore based entertainments.  The crew will be encouraged to entertain themselves on board and use Ellie May, the ship's sailing dinghy.  A proper run ashore would be included, at an attractive port.  A possible itinerary might be, starting from Cowes:

Joining        Arrive on board, unpack, motor round and anchor in Osborne Bay
Day one       Sail training in Solent.  Anchor in Newtown River in late afternoon
Day two       Sail and safety training.  In fine weather, anchor in Poole Harbour in the
                    evening.  In poor weather, moor at Buckler's Hard in Beaulieu River
Day three    Depart for France or the Channel Islands
Day four     Half day, training and working on the boat; half day, chilling out
Day five      Depart at night for England and Cowes.  Clean the ship and go home.

The tactic will be to keep the crew as busy as possible, but not to seek to achieve too much.  The key to success is to keep an eye on the crew and see that they enjoy themselves and stay warm, well fed, not too tired and that they build their self-confidence.

Phone: 44 (0)7775 712427
Email: david@eleanormary.co.uk