What’s it like to sail on Amelie Rose?

The first time we sailed aboard a Pilot Cutter we were amazed by the difference in feel. We had shipped aboard a ton of different charter and training yachts as we learned the ropes, and we’d owned our own “plastic fantastic” for years. However, nothing had ever come close to sensation of 24 tons of Amelie Rose forcing her way through the sea at speeds of over 10 knots. The feeling of power is breathtaking and yet the boat’s motion, even in choppy seas, is calm and sedate. That our ancestors were building and sailing vessels almost identical to this over 200 years ago makes it, to us, one of the most inspiring experiences available in modern times. You can discover more about sailing aboard the Amelie Rose by looking at our photos and watching the videos in our gallery.

Who comes?

Amongst our crews to date we have had an amazing range of ages, occupations, nationalities and levels of sailing experience. Ages from 6 to 86, teachers, firemen, solicitors, bankers, retirees, Norwegian, Canadian, French, Dutch, Australian, and of course English, and from complete beginners to ex-Instructors.

Crews come on their own, in couples and in larger groups – sometimes even booking the whole boat for a celebration or just to share the experience with their friends. You can find out more about what our guests think of their experiences aboard by reading their testimonials.

What sort of trips do we go on?

Our “Traditional Taster” day and weekend trips are a chance to try out the Amelie Rose experience, either sailing around the Solent or out West to the Jurassic Coast and bustling ports of Weymouth & Poole.

Longer trips allow you to really get into the swing of crewing Amelie Rose, as we head across the Channel to Brittany and the Channel Islands, West to Devon and Cornwall, or out to the stunning Isles of Scilly.

We also take part in a number of Traditional Boat Festivals, which offer a fantastic opportunity to participate in these vibrant and interesting events and to experience them “from the inside”.

What does a typical day involve?

Obviously every day at sea varies, depending on the weather, the destination for that day and the crews’ allergies to early mornings, however the life of a working boat at sea does fall into a general pattern and this is what we’ve found to work…

The previous night we often have a chat about options for the forthcoming day and outline maybe a couple of choices based on the tides and the weather forecast. Assuming that no particularly early start is required, we’ll be up at about 0730 and after breakfast we’ll look to get underway within the hour. Some days a later start might be an option and on these we might push the boat out with a sit down breakfast. On others we could be underway already as the sun rises, but there’s always something available from ships stores to keep us going!

If we’ve anchored for the night (as we often do) then the first job is to get the mainsail up and the foresails ready to hoist. After this a brisk workout on our barrel windlass for the liveliest crew will win our anchor and then we’ll be away to our destination. Tea and snacks help break up the morning as we head towards our lunchtime venue where we’ll either drop the hook again or maybe just heave-to while we enjoy whatever the cook has rustled up. After this it’s off again to our ultimate objective.

Once ensconced, there will often be time for exploring, either on the water in our dinghy, or ashore. There’s often wildlife to watch, places to see, or walks to be followed. When we visit port there’s normally showers ashore to wash away any salty spray and to soothe tired muscles, and of course shore-leave would never be complete without a visit to the local stores and hostelry. Then it’s back to the boat for a hearty evening meal, a chat about the next day, and another restful night in the comforting warmth of Amelie Rose’s saloon.

Featured Adventures