Leg 6/2025
20 June – 4 July: Brest/France – Crossing the Bay of Biscay – Lisbon/Portugal, 600+ nm
RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Prep Course
This is a very sought-after RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Qualifying Leg with practical hands-on celestial navigation. Get prepared for your Yachtmaster Ocean Exam!
Other participants welcome to apply, but participants of the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course have a first choice to join in order to get “the full package”. If you are interested in this unique ocean sail training leg, do not hesitate to apply for the theory course in Malta!
Crossing the bay of Biscay is in the dreams of many sailors. But this leg takes us further to get a true ocean feeling, sailing at least for 4 days and nights covering 600nm or more, staying offshore for over 200nm further than 50nm from land! Not many coded sail training boats or charter vessels may offer this, since it means that the boat in question needs to comply to stringent rules to do this. Regina Laska is commercially coded by the MCA for offshore sailing, see the safety philosophy on Regina Laska page.
Starting in the tidal area of Bretagne, this leg does more than just offer you an ocean passage. It’s tidal sailing just as well! While waiting for a perfect weather window to cross the Bay of Biscay all the way to Lisdon, we will use the time to not only prepare ourselves for the ocean leg, but also enjoy some coastal sailing in one of the most advanced tidal areas of Europe!
So, this leg is a bit of both: practical Ocean and Offshore sailing and is a good preparation for both the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore as well as RYA Yachtmaster Ocean.
It goes without saying that we will enjoy the best of food in the French restaurants while still being in Bretagne!
So many sides of the Bay of Biscay. I have crossed the Bay many times by now and each time is individual and a fantastic experience!
A wonderful calm night on the Bay of Biscay.
The breath of the Atlantic with a never ending swell, even when totally becalmed.
It’s difficult to capture the rising and falling swell of the Atlantic, which more look like hills than water. It needs to be experienced in real!
Windy upwind sailing on the Bay of Biscay, which is yet another face of the Bay of Biscay. Not my favourite, I admit.
Celestial navigation with a cup of coffee in the morning!
Often, the Bay of Biscay is calm enough that we can do the celestial calculations together in the cockpit.
A typical day on the Bay of Biscay.
Not until you have crossed an open sea, you appreciate the cozy and safe berth on a Hallberg-Rassy. Also the toilet makes sense, and so does the Hardtop, and all the grab rails on a Hallberg-Rassy after you have crossed the Bay of Biscay. In a marina you might consider these features as “narrow”, “restricted” or even “cramped”, even on a large yacht as Regina Laska. Once you have experienced real ocean sailing, however, you understand why everything is planed into detail to suit comfortable ocean sailing. And that safety and comfort results from the design of an ocean-going sailing vessel.
Advanced weather routing, both from ashore as well as onboard weather interpretation of synoptic charts, routing software and satellite communication will be used to allow for a safe and quick crossing.
Weather-Fax, TimeZero as well as Predict Wind (see above) is being used for weather routing.
Waiting for noon-site.
Feels like crossing the Atlantic!
We will start in the beautiful Bretagne and depending when a weather window opens up, we will enjoy some of this most wonderful coastline of Europe!
Preparing rounding Rez de Sein, also called the “Cap Horn of Europe” being the most western point of Bretagne.
Tidal sailing in Bretagne…
Camaret-sur-Mer will certainly be a port of call on our way out of Brest.
Camaret-sur-Mer
Price: EUR 4,995 per person including all food consumed onboard, harbour fees, diesel etc. Restaurants are not included. Here, we share the cost.