March 20th to April 20 2027 - Pelagic Adventure Sailing’s RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Course followed by Southern Ocean Delivery Passage from Port Stanley in the Falklands to Cape Town (total circa 31 days) on board the Pelagic 77 Vinson of Antarctica.

An opportunity for accelerated learning to build sea time and miles and to practice ocean navigation and seamanship for the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean qualification. A visit to the island of Tristan da Cunha is a possibility enroute weather permitting. The passage is roughly 3,500nm.

View video of the 2023 delivery passage on board Vinson of Antarctica from Puerto Williams to Cape Town covering the Theory Syllabus for RYA Yachtmaster Ocean qualification and the taking of sights offshore en-route to Cape Town

THE PACKAGE

In this package Pelagic Expeditions, on board the Pelagic 77, Vinson of Antarctica, is offering two components:

1. The RYA Yacht Master Ocean Theoretical Syllabus. A six day shore based instruction course in Stanley, Falkland Islands, plus one day's assessment covering celestial navigation, meteorology and passage planning. Click here for details of the RYA Ocean Theory syllabus

Pelagic Adventure Sailing is a recognized and licensed RYA training facility. Pelagic Adventure Sailing will provide a qualified RYA Instructor to conduct the instruction of the course theory syllabus. On passing the shorebased assessment, candidates will receive the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased Course Completion Certificate, meeting the Written Exam component of the RYA requirements. Note, this does not include sitting the Exam for the Yachtmaster Ocean License.

Shorebased navigation theory and practice

2. 21 to 23 day transatlantic from Port Stanley to Cape Town. This will include hands on experience for:

• Routine celestial navigation
• Sail handling and trim, rigging for heavy weather
• Passage planning and routing, Weather forecasting
• Radar, setup and use of
• Use of paper charts, pilot guides, chart plotters and apps
• Familiarisation with the vessel and its systems before setting out on the ocean crossing
• Management of vessel systems enroute

This is a unique opportunity to acquire sea miles with ocean and storm sailing experience and skills at pace in a tough High Latitudes environment.

QUALIFYING PASSAGE OPTION FOR THE YACHTMASTER OCEAN QUALIFICATION

Later, after completion of the voyage, a candidate has the option of independently sitting for the Oral Exam component of the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean qualification with an Examiner. Candidates will be asked about all aspects of the passage and their involvement, with particular attention to the Celestial Navigation and scrutinisation of sights. If the examiner is happy, they pass their RYA Yachtmaster Ocean qualification. It is the responsibility of the student to book this Oral Exam which is not included in the Pelagic Adventure Sailing programme herein. This can be done in Cape Town at various RYA schools immediately following the voyage, or later at any RYA Training Center. We can advise on schools.

Please note that to take the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Oral Exam, the candidate must hold a valid RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence. In addition, candidates must have completed a Qualifying Passage of at least 600 nautical miles, in which they held responsibility as Skipper or Watch Leader in sole charge of decision making.

For candidates intent to use Stanley to Cape Town as their Qualifying Passage, Pelagic Expeditions requires that candidates already hold their RYA Yachtmaster Offshore license in order to serve as Watch Leaders for a portion of the passage, at the discretion of the Skipper.

However, the sights and passage record are valid to sit the Ocean Oral Exam for 10 years after the voyage takes place, therefore there is a 10 year window to acquire an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Practical license if a student is not already so qualified. Note that the Qualifying Passage used by the candidate can be different from the passage where sights and celestial navigation are conducted.

Please Take Note: This is a hands-on situation and is not a leisure cruise. Crew members will be required to stand a watch throughout, take turns at cooking, cleaning and maintaining the vessel. A reasonable degree of fitness and vitality is necessary for making this an enjoyable experience. In order to take part in this shorebased training and subsequent voyage it is essential that the student is fluent in spoken and written English.

Navigation briefing for the 3,500 mile journey

Experience Required: This is not a voyage for beginners. Every crew member is expected to have a reasonable degree of offshore experience to fully benefit from the course. An RYA Day or Coastal Skipper qualification as a minimum or other equivalent experience is the level we are looking for. If in doubt contact Skip direct to discuss. Every prospective crew must submit any qualifications they have, plus a sailing CV in order for Pelagic Expeditions to judge whether he or she is suitable for this specialized voyage. Sadly, due to a previous accident, the age limit for this programme is 70 and under. We stress again that in order to benefit from this passage and the course, a reasonable degree of fitness and a high level of self-motivation is required.

ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION POLICY ONBOARD

Vinson of Antarctica and Amundsen are run as "dry ships" when at sea and possibly at some anchorages when there is a real possibility of having to 'up anchor' and move off. This is at the Skipper's discretion. In port reasonable amounts of alcohol can be consumed but excessive alcohol consumption that leads to situations which put people at risk, or where the harmony of life on board is disturbed to an extent that other guests are made uncomfortable will not be tolerated. If this situation arises, the Skipper reserves the right to return to port and to disembark any Charterer at an intermediary port, or disembark the entire group in a group charter if necessary.

Amundsen's sistership Vinson of Antarctica under sail

INCOMING FLIGHT AND ARRIVAL LOGISTICS

There is only one flight per week on Saturdays into and out of the Falklands from Santiago, Chile. Because it is critical that the early morning Saturday flight is not missed, we recommend that all incoming joining crew arrive on Thursday into Santiago. This will provide a buffer for missed connections and late baggage arrival. We also recommend you stay Thursday and Friday nights at the Holiday Inn Airport Hotel, which is a five minute walk to the domestic terminal (don’t go to the international terminal!).

Another top tip is to purchase separate tickets for arriving into Santiago and the Santiago to Mount Pleasant Airport (Falklands) portion. This makes it easier to recover all your bags on the Thursday so they are not checked through for Saturday as that is a risk of bags being left behind at the airport on Saturday morning.

Students will arrive into Mount Pleasant Airport (MPA) on March 20th via the early LATAM flight from Santiago stopping at Punta Arenas to change to an international departure (same plane) and on into MPA in the Falkland Islands. A 40 minute minibus ride follows and then joining crew can immediately go straight on board.

Having moved on board on March 20th, the next day the students begin the six day RYA Ocean Theory course in a classroom onshore in Port Stanley. On or about March 27th Vinson will depart Port Stanley for Cape Town.

On a good day, Table Mountain can be seen from 50 miles offshore and our ETA is expected there about 20 April. Cape Town Tavern of the Seas!

VISAS AND PASSPORTS

Crew must make sure they have visas, if required, for Chile and the Falklands and South Africa. Photocopies of these visas and proof of a return ticket out of South Africa will be required by Pelagic Expeditions. It is essential that you have at least two clear pages in your passport BEFORE entering South Africa.

COST

GBP 17,000. This cost includes:

• Provisions while on board
• Use of all navigation and sailing equipment on board
• Use of safety equipment including life harness, PFD and Musto foul weather gear
• Use of Starlink communication system on board as per the Communications Agreement
  
• All port fees and local taxes for the vessel
• Fuel for the vessel
• All RYA course materials and navigation tools.
• Airport transfer from MPA to the vessel

Not included:

• Travel costs to point of departure and arrival
• Meals or entertainments ashore
• Cost of Inmarsat communications

EQUIPMENT

Equipment List 2 - For the Atlantic Deliveries.

Please  e-mail Skip Novak to reserve a place