FAQs in English

• What is a Tall Ship?
  
• What is a Sail Training Ship?
• What is Sail Training?
• How can I benefit from a Sail Training Voyage?
• How do I get on board?
• How much will it cost me?
• What about financial aid?
• How much will it cost me to travel to the ship and back?
• Do I need previous sailing Experience?
• What will be requested of me?
• Is it safe to climb up the mast?
• Should I know how to swim?
• Will everybody else on the voyage know each other?
• Will language be a problem?
• How young / old should I be?
• How fit should I be?
• What if I am disabled?
• Will mainstream youngsters and those in social difficulties travel on the same ship?
• Where will I Sleep?
• What will I eat?
• Will I get seasick from the movement of the ship?
• What documents shall I bring along?
• Can I bring any electronics with me?
• What should I bring with me?
• How can I contribute to the development of Sail Training?

Most of us use the term “Tall Ship” to mean a large traditionally rigged sailing vessel.
However, Sail Training International (STI) has extended the definition of Tall Ship for the purpose of its races to include any sailing vessel with more than 30 ft. (9.14 m) waterline length (LWL)and on which at least half the people on board are aged 15 to 25.
Tall ships can thereby be classified as follows:

• CLASS A: All square-rigged vessels and all other vessels over 40m (131 feet) length overall (LOA, excluding the Bowsprit)
• CLASS B: Traditional-rigged vessels with a LOA of less than 40m (131 feet) and with a LWL of at least 9.14m (30 feet).
• CLASS C & D: Modern-rigged vessels with a LOA of less than 40m (131 feet) and with a LWL of at least 9.14m (30 feet), carrying (C) or not (D) Spinnaker-like sails

A Sail Training Ship is a live on-board Sailing Boat, with a waterline length (LWL) of at least 9.14m (30 feet). It therefore includes the following:

• Tall Ships (Classes A and B)
• Sail Training Ships (Classes A to D) and Multi-hulls

Sail Training is an adventure sailing activity, not a cruising holiday.
It involves living, during a week or more, on board  Sail Training Ship with other “sailtrainees” of all origins, ages, abilities, social and cultural backgrounds, while participating actively to the running of the ship, under guidance of her licensed crew (The typical ratio is 2.5 to 4 trainees per licensed crew member).
For many, it can be a life-changing experience.

Through the shared challenge and adventure of life at sea, Sail Training aims to empower, particularly the younger trainees, to discover their true potential, strength and talent, by:

• Learning about themselves
• Building their Self Confidence
• Experiencing the need for Teamwork and mutual trust
• Developing Problem solving and Leadership Skills
• Developing a sense of equality and fairness
• Taking Responsibility for their own actions and decisions
• Understanding the needs and backgrounds of others
• Developing a sense of community and active citizenship
• Developing Social and Life Skills
• Promoting an Awareness and respect for the Environment
• Learning a range of sailing and navigation skills

First of all, check the voyages or tall ship events planned during your possible dates and pre-select the ships scheduling to take part. Then, the easiest way is for you to contact your local Sail Training organization and the specialized agencies, or even directly, the Tall Ship operators, to check the availability of berths on your pre-selected ships and within your budget.
Booking early will allow you not only to secure a berth on the voyage and the dates you have selected. It will also help you book the cheapest tickets to and from the ship, especially with budget airlines.

A Sail Training voyage is a rather expensive vacation for a trainee or his paying parents, although the long-lasting, positive effects on the trainee’s behaviour and overall life often justifies the investment.
Indeed, the cost of a Sail Training voyage is typically around USD 100 per day, including food, but excluding the cost of travelling to and from the ship, and pocket-money.
Actually, the actual Sail Training costs vary widely, depending on the ship, its operator, the season, the voyage and you should take the time to check with various Tall Ship operators and specialized agencies.

A Sail Training voyage is not free and you may need to start planning immediately to make it a reality for yourself.
If you need financial, you should start checking right away with your local Sail Training organizations and the specialized agencies, who are often in the best position to counsel you on the possible financial aid available for a trainee of your nationality, age and profile on a given voyage, tall ship and period.
Furthermore, it is a part of the philosophy of the program that each trainee be required to pay at least 25% of the voyage cost from his or her own pocket. Trainees have accomplished this by getting a job, asking for donations from friends and family and/or applying for scholarships. The effort of raising these funds is a personal investment for each trainee into the program. Such an investment makes the trainee place a higher value on the voyage than if it is paid for by someone else.

The trainees are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the ship.
Ask the organization through whom you are booking the voyage or the ship operator to help co-ordinate shared drives/car rentals, bus and/or railway and/or discounted air fares.
The trainees are usually welcome to stay aboard if the ship arrives early. When leaving they are requested to leave no later than the (early) morning of the day of departure for the next sailing.

No experience is necessary. Everyone contributes to the level of his or her ability and will receive basic training along the way.
For those who “know the ropes”, there is an opportunity to fine tune and advance their sailing and navigation skills.

As a trainee, you will be a working member of the crew. You will be assigned to one of three watches, and will be responsible for standing watch 8 hours a day. The licensed crew will teach you everything you need to know.
Learning to be an effective working crew member is both challenging and fun. The more the trainees participate, the more it will enhance enjoyment of the voyage. It is important to understand that this is not a cruise ship and that you are not on a cruise.

Working aloft is part of the each crew member's duties. You are taught and supervised by the ship's officers until you are comfortable and safe working aloft, where you will always be wearing a safety harness.
However, you will not be forced to climb up the mast, if you really cannot or do not wish to do so.

For safety reasons, it is preferable that all trainees are able to swim 100 metres and immediately tread water for 5 minutes without undue fatigue.

No! At the time of booking, individuals are usually preferred to groups. This means that a majority of the trainees will not have met each other before, unless they happen to have travelled to the ship together.

No! Unless you are unlucky enough to join a ship, on which none of the licensed crew or the trainees speaks a language you know. Otherwise, you will always find a kind soul willing to communicate with you, especially if you can speak some English, the traditional language for Sail Training, Sailing and Navigation... and you’ll make progress in your mastering of that universal language.

You must be at least 16 (15 or even less on some boats) and up to 70 (or even older on some ships), as long as you are in good health and want a participatory type holiday.
However, the maximum age can be restricted to 25 or less, on some ships and on some occasions (such as the Tall ships’ races). Younger children may come on occasions, but they have to be accompanied by an adult, preferably a parent. Minors must have parental consent.

At the time of booking you will be asked to confirm that you are reasonably agile: Living aboard a Tall Ship requires the ability to climb a few steps of a steep ladder and move around the deck safely. However, this does not mean you have to be particularly fit or totally able-bodied.

If you are severely disabled, i.e. confined to a wheelchair, you might be able to board one of the too few Sail Training Ships especially designed and built to handle trainees on wheelchairs.

No. If only because Sail Training programs for youngsters in social difficulties are specific in their duration of several months, the smaller number preferably embarked on each boat and the attendance of specialized educators.
Sail Training has proven very useful to try and bring back to the right track youngsters who have gone the wrong course, and found themselves with social difficulties, not to speak of drug addiction.

Accommodation will consist of small cabins or bunks in shared crews areas, possibly in hammocks.

Three appetizing meals a day will be prepared by the ship’s permanent galley crew. The crew or trainees on watch are not permitted alcoholic beverages. Sobriety is mandatory at all times. The ship's cook is able to cater for vegetarians, and/or any other special dietary needs as long as the ship is informed at time of booking.

Maybe. People react in different ways to the movement of the ship. Even experienced sailors have their limits.
Anxiety makes it worse and one of the things Sail Training does is lower people's anxiety level and restores their confidence. Often that is the whole solution.
If you have any doubt, take preventive measures before boarding. Speak with your Doctor. There are very good over-the-counter and even prescription medicines, particularly patches, against seasickness.

Depending on the ship and the voyage: Health & repatriation insurance policies, passport or identity card, requested visas, vaccination certificates, swim certificate, Doctor’s letter/prescription for medication (if required).
Small lockers are provided. Your passport and small valuables may be kept in the ship's safe.

MP3 players are OK - but only in your bunk when you are not on watch!
Mobile phones are usually tolerated, specially when shut down, or in case of urgent communication need and then, and only on deck.

The bare minimum is recommended, packed in a single, strong soft bag. Typically, for a voyage of one week, you shall count on the following:

• Sleeping bag and pillow case (unless otherwise advised by the boat)
• Nightwear
• 1 or 2 towels
• Toiletries
• 2 Pairs of working trousers/Jeans
• 2 Working shirts
• 2 Sweaters/jumpers
• Several T-shirts
• Several pairs warm socks
• Underwear
• Warm jacket, scarf, gloves and woolly hat
• Swimwear
• Non-slip running/deck shoes,
• Foul weather/Wind braking gear (Kway,…),
• Any medication you are taking (sufficient to last the voyage), sun screen, motion/sea sickness medication,
• Camera, flashlight, pen and notebook,
• Padlock with key (for your locker),

And, remember, you will not be allowed to bring on board any alcoholic drinks or illegal drugs

We shall welcome your support to our action in favour of Sail Training, particularly in your own country or region, through any of the following voluntary actions:

• By helping us increase the number of Sail Training boats in your country or area, thereby allowing more Sailtrainees (specially those within the 15 to 25 years age bracket) to take part in that healthy, mind building activity!
• By helping us translate in your language the text of this and other pages of our site, including the FAQs and the category names.
  
• By feeding us with news about Sail Training activities and Ships in your country of region.
  
• By helping finance, directly and/or by securing a subsidy or sponsorship from local institutions, Sail Training voyages, especially for young people, in (and from) your country or region.
• By helping us to finance and by participating to our Tall Ship projects and by initiating new ones

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested to contribute to the rapidly expanding future of  Sail Training! Your participation can bring so much, particularly to the young people of your country or region! We are also open to discuss with you the possibility for you to become STW's correspondent or representative in your country or region.