The Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta is our first epic Transatlantic race since 2009. It celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and we can’t wait for the festivities to begin in April.
There are trainee places still available on each of the five thrilling race legs – but they are filling up. Don’t let this fantastic opportunity pass you by – tick Tall Ships off your 2017 bucket list and book your place today!
Life On Board
There’s no other feeling like crashing through the waves, steering at the helm, setting a course, learning how to tie knots and pull ropes, and becoming an essential part of the crew. But you don’t have to take our word for it!
We caught up with the trainees who took part in our 2016 events and asked them about their experiences before and after setting sail. Here’s a taster of what you can expect.
Arne Van Den Keikkove, Rupel (Belgium)
Before
Have you sailed before? “No, I have never been on a ship before.”
Why did you apply? What attracted you to take part? “I got to know the Tall Ships Races because my friends told me about it and they had already been sailing on board Rupel. Their stories appealed to me greatly.”
How do you feel about the challenge of sailing to Lisbon? “I think that I’ll have to work hard on board, but that it’ll be worth it.”
What are you most looking forward to? “On the open sea, you can sometimes see the entire starry sky. I want to see that.”
What are you least looking forward to? “With a bit of good luck, hopefully I’ll not be seasick.”
After
How was the journey? “Very fun and interesting! I made contacts, learned a lot, and it was a very pleasant experience.”
What was your favourite part? “If I had to pick one moment, it was the time that I steered the ship and was responsible for the whole crew.”
Least favourite part? “The first time I was seasick and had to hang over the side of the ship.”
What did you learn? “It’s good to work together with different kinds of people from different cultures.”
What advice do you have for other trainees? “Just do it!”
- Rupel (Belgium) is taking part in the Tall Ships Races 2017. Visit Rupel‘s vessel page to book your place on board.
Delphine LéOnARd, Black Diamond of Durham (U.K.)
Before
Have you sailed before? “Yes, my parents own a sailing boat and I have already participated twice in the Tall Ships Races – 2014 and 2015 – on the Antwerp Flyer and Black Diamond of Durham. I am also a member of crew on the Antwerp Flyer.”
Why did you apply? What attracted you to take part? “Mainly because it’s in Antwerp, and it was so much fun before.”
How do you feel about the challenge of sailing to Lisbon? “I have never sailed on an ocean before – the last two times were in the North – so the waves will be a lot different. Also, the journey is much longer and so much more intensive.”
What are you most looking forward to? “The friendships that I’ll make and I hope to see a lot of animals.”
What are you least looking forward to? “I hope I don’t get seasick again. Also the going home part!”
After
How was the journey? “Fantastic, it was one of the most beautiful sails ever. I’ve seen dolphins, whales, the milky way, a blood moon, and a lot of shooting stars.”
What was your favourite part? “My favourite part was when we sailed from Antwerp to Lisbon. At a certain moment, everyone was really tired and we had no wind. Then the captain came up and said, ‘Let’s make tin foil hats!’ Then we dressed up as Smurfs and painted ourselves blue. We took our pictures on the bowsprit, and it was really hard to get the blue off our faces. Everyone was happy again!”
What did you learn? “Young people these days really live in a hurry. They finish school, go to university then get a job. What I’ve learned is that living in stress and a hurry doesn’t give you the time to figure out what you want to do in life.”
What advice do you have for other trainees? “Don’t start the Tall Ships Races with too high expectations, just go and you will have an amazing time.”
- Black Diamond of Durham (U.K.) is taking part in the Tall Ships Races 2017. Visit Black Diamond of Durham‘s vessel page to book your place on board.
Olivia Nilsson, 19, Vega Gamleby (Sweden)
Before
Have you sailed before? “Yes, I have, but on our school ship the Gunilla. It’s a very large ship at 45m. The trips on this boat spanned four and a half months and I did two trips on board.”
Why did you apply? “I heard about the Tall Ships through word of mouth talking to friends. None of my friends got through on this ship but one of them is sailing on the Thalassa.”
How do you feel about the challenge of sailing? “Very excited! Vega Gamleby has been a great experience as we sailed here from Gothenburg to start the race, so we got to know the crew before the race starts. There was lots of fog on the way here, but it was wonderful to see whales and dolphins. I felt like I was in a movie set from Pirates of the Caribbean.”
What are you most looking forward to? “Winning the race! Spending more time with lovely people. We all get along great! The food has been great, mostly vegetarian, but lovely.”
What are you least looking forward to? “There was no proper shower on board. So far I have spent five days unclean. There are 25 trainees, so there are lots of smelly people on board!”
After
So, how was the journey? “It was really good. I wish it was longer.”
What was your favourite part of the adventure? “The sailing and the trimming. Also, the companions and friends that were on board.”
What was your least favourite part of the adventure? “The lack of sleep and that it was too short.”
What was the most valuable lesson you learned on board the vessel? “Getting along with people you never thought you would get along with. And, of course, learning more about sailing.”
What would you say to someone thinking of taking part in sail training? “Do it! You will learn a lot about yourself and will take part in a great adventure.”
- Vega Gamleby (Sweden) is taking part in the Tall Ships Races 2017. Visit Vega Gamleby‘s vessel page to book your place on board.
Wayne Daniel Robson, 18, Christian Radich (Norway)
Before
Have you sailed before? “No, I have never been on water and I have never been abroad before… ever!”
Why did you apply? “I am interested in joining the Navy and I thought this would give me some experience and confidence for my application. I am starting a mechanical course at college when I get back.”
How do you feel about the challenge of sailing? “I feel both privileged and honoured to be able to take part. I am very excited at the minute! I gained sponsorship for the trip, so I feel very lucky to be sailing on a foreign ship.”
What are you most looking forward to? “I am looking forward to getting stuck in with all of the jobs on the ship. I feel I have good communication skills and teamwork and I want to be able to demonstrate my skills on board.”
What are you least looking forward to? “Bad weather or storms! I’m not sure what it will be like as I have never been on a boat!”
After
So, how was the journey? “Brilliant. It was a good experience.”
What was your favourite part of the adventure? “Meeting everyone else and climbing the mast.”
What was your least favourite part of the adventure? “Having salad for breakfast.”
What was the most valuable lesson you learned on board the vessel? “Getting to know the knots. It was really difficult.”
What would you say to someone thinking of taking part in sail training? “Absolutely. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. If you get this opportunity, you should definitely take it.”
- Christian Radich (Norway) is taking part in the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta. Visit Christian Radich‘s vessel page to book your place on board.
What’s Next?
You can find out more about the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta on our event page. We’ve included information about the event, the ports, the participating vessels, the individual race legs, the exciting Guest Port Programme, and how to book your place. What are you waiting for?
