Brittany Tidal Sailing Week (Placeholder)

Tidal Seamanship & Passage-Making in South Brittany: Quiberon & Belle-Île

If this event interests you, please contact us in advance. To confirm the passage, we require a solid expression of interest from at least two crew members before charter fleet schedules and hull rates for 2027 are finalised. Feel free to contact us to discuss the passage.

Ready to move beyond non-tidal cruising and experience real Atlantic navigation? Join us for an intensive 7-day tidal seamanship and passage-making expedition along the rugged coast of South Brittany.

• Dates: June 26 – July 3, 2027
• Location: South Brittany (Base: Quiberon / La Trinité-sur-Mer / Lorient area)
• Format: Small-crew mentored expedition (Strictly capped at 3 guest cabins / Max 4 crew)
• Minimum Crew: 2

What You Will Navigate & Practice:

• Primary and secondary port calculations, rule-of-twelfths, and clearing sills/transits.
• Pilotage through narrow tidal channels, rock-strewn passages, and strong tidal streams.
• Passage planning dictated by tidal gates, wind-over-tide conditions, and safe havens.
• Active watchkeeping, blind pilotage techniques, and Atlantic coastal navigation.

Logistics: Fly into Nantes or Rennes, or take the direct TGV train from Paris/Switzerland to Auray or Lorient (with straightforward local transfers to the marina). Full rendezvous logistics provided upon registration.

A Different Way to Experience Cruising

Most commercial sailing operations offer two extremes: a passive passenger holiday where you touch nothing, or a crowded, high-stress “Meilentörn” grind where crew are stacked like cordwood. We run neither.

True maritime confidence comes from disciplined, calm seamanship in an uncrowded environment. We limit this expedition to 3 guest cabins. No hot-bunking, no cramming, and zero shouting. The passage adapts to the crew and conditions.

Expedition Leadership: Calm Independence

The passage is skippered and mentored by Dave, an RYA/MCA commercially endorsed Yachtmaster with an honours degree in Sports Science, bringing more than 35 years of high-performance wind sports coaching and skippering experience.

Dave learned to read water teaching in single-handed dinghies—craft that punish loss of focus the moment you make a mistake. When you command a boat on the ocean, real safety lies in calm, methodical decision-making from day one.

We bring that exact operational philosophy to our passages. Onboard, mistakes are treated as analytical data, not personal failures. We analyse the situation, adapt the plan, and move forward safely.

Focus Areas: The Complete Seaman

We focus on the full operational reality of skippering a cruiser in tidal waters:

• Crew Leadership: Organising watches, executing clear crew briefings, and maintaining calm command under dynamic conditions.
• Tidal Pilotage: Calculating stream rates, navigating tidal gates along headlands, and evaluating Atlantic coastal weather systems.
• Boat Handling Under Power & Sail: Ferry-gliding across currents, managing prop walk in strong flows, and balanced sail trimming.
• Proactive Seamanship: Identifying hazards early, establishing escape routes, and executing decisions before conditions escalate.

Cabin Guarantee & Crew Density

Rest and personal space are fundamental to alertness and safety. We will never assign you to a cabin with a stranger.

• Solo Crew: You receive a dedicated, private double cabin to rest and recharge.
• Couples or Sailing Partners: If you choose to share a cabin with a friend or partner, we offer an adjusted rate for the second person.

Every crew member participates equally in watchkeeping, passage planning, and handling the yacht.

Prerequisites & Crew Screening

Brittany presents high tidal ranges, rock obstacles, and fast currents. To ensure safety, operational flow, and a shared baseline of competence, this expedition is not open to complete novices.

• Pre-Vetting Requirement: Participants must have sailed with Dave previously (on Lake Zug or on an All Winds Adventures sea event), or complete a preliminary screening call detailing their prior experience.
• Target Audience: Holders of recreational qualifications (Swiss Hochseeausweis, RYA Day/Coastal Skipper, German SKS/SSS) or active sailors seeking hands-on Atlantic tidal miles and tidal days for logbook advancement.
• Mindset: Physical mobility, readiness for dynamic Atlantic conditions, and an active team-first attitude.

Life Onboard: Practical Yacht Operations

A sailing yacht operates as a self-sufficient ecosystem:

• Active Team Effort: All crew members take part in daily watch routines, helming, deck work, galley tasks, and boat cleanliness.
• Resource Discipline: When anchored away from marinas, fresh water and battery reserves are finite. We manage our tanks carefully and run efficient shipboard power routines.
• Ship’s Head Protocol: Marine plumbing requires strict operational respect. Nothing enters the marine head unless it has passed through your body first; sanitary paper and wipes go strictly into bins.
• Stowage: Collapsible soft duffel bags only. Rigid hard-case luggage cannot be accommodated on a sailboat.

Expedition Contribution

CHF 1,950 – Single Occupancy Private Cabin (TBC)

CHF 1,250 per person – Shared Cabin (Couples / Pre-agreed partners) (TBC)

Includes:

• 7 nights onboard accommodation on a modern cruising yacht
• Yacht charter fees, end cleaning, fuel, gas, and Breton marina/harbour dues
• Safety equipment, dinghy, and outboard
• Onboard provisioning (breakfasts, sea lunches, and selected onboard dinners)
• Mentored passage planning, tidal pilotage guidance, and navigation analysis
• Official skipper sign-off for qualifying tidal miles, night hours, and tidal sea days

Excludes:

• Travel to and from the departure port in Brittany
• Meals and drinks enjoyed ashore
• Alcoholic beverages
• Personal travel, health, search-and-rescue (SAR), and trip cancellation insurance

Galley & Provisioning

Basic provisions are stocked before departure based on local market availability.

Dietary Considerations: We comfortably accommodate vegetarian dietary preferences onboard. Due to galley constraints and regional Breton market sourcing, we cannot accommodate strict vegan diets or complex, multi-layered food intolerances. If you have severe allergies, please disclose them during our preliminary call so we can confirm feasibility.

Operational Role, Terms & Marine Safety

Active Crew Participation: This voyage is conducted as a sailing expedition organised by Swiss Alpine Adventure GmbH (trading as All Winds Adventures). All participants join the yacht not as commercial passengers, but as active co-navigators and crew members. Crew members participate directly in watchkeeping, sail management, deck operations, and passage planning under the authority and direction of the designated vessel master.

Safety & Skipper’s Authority: The sea presents inherent natural risks. By participating, crew members agree to observe standard marine safety procedures, wear personal flotation devices when instructed, and adhere strictly to the safety instructions of the Skipper. The Skipper retains authority regarding route planning, weather delays, and harbour selections based on prevailing meteorological conditions.

Insurance Requirements: Swiss Alpine Adventure GmbH maintains professional commercial liability protection for its skippering operations. Participants are strictly required to hold their own valid international medical, accident, search-and-rescue, and travel cancellation coverage appropriate for leisure sailing.