Affordable Membership Sailing with SailTime Pwllheli
Affordable Sailing with SailTime Pwllheli
SailTime is a real alternative to traditional yacht ownership. As a SailTime Member, you enjoy the yacht while SailTime takes care of all the costs and troubles associated with outright ownership; worries such as depreciation, insurance, berthing and servicing are removed.
In fact, the only issue that you will face is the glorious dilemma of which yacht to sail and where you want to sail from.
In North Wales, SailTime offers its unique programme from Pwllheli on the south side of the Lleyn Peninsula.
Through SailTime’s Membership programme, people without the time to maintain a yacht or perhaps the experience to make the commitment to purchase one can enjoy sailing.
With SailTime, high specification, quality yachts and powerboats can be enjoyed in the same way that you might lease a car or pay for health or golf club membership. Perhaps you have dreamed of sailing or power cruising, but have not been ready or confident enough to make the large financial undertaking to purchase your own yacht or power cruiser. If this is the case, then SailTime could be for you!
Information & Events
Information
Join SailTime in North Wales & Sail a Beneteau Oceanis 31 from Pwllheli
We (Steve and Alex Davies) launched SailTime in North Wales in 2008 after investigating becoming members of SailTime and finding that there was not a convenient base in the North of England.
By opening the first North Wales base in Pwllheli Marina, the SailTime experience is now available for members living in Wales, the North West and the Midlands and from January 2010 we can also offer RYA accredited sail training (see the training page).
The first boat in the fleet is the Beneteau Oceanis 31 (Quantum of Solace). This new model is contemporary in design with numerous luxury features. It offers 6 berths across two cabins, a spacious saloon and a galley that is probably the best in its class. The yacht provides a perfect blend of comfort, ease of handling and good performance.
With monthly membership on this brand new Beneteau yacht starting at £299 (inc. VAT) there has never been a better way to get on the water. Just turn up and sail and let us do the rest.
If you want to find out more or would like to see or sail the boat please click here or call on 0845 602 6593 or 07501 222 580. We also have regular open days which can be found listed below.
We are looking forward to sailing with you soon.
2010 Events
Open Days 2010
January - Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th
March – Saturday 6th
May - Sunday 2nd
July – Friday 30th, Saturday 31st
September – Saturday 25th
Join us at one of our Open Days to view ‘Quantum of Solace’ and discover more about SailTime in Pwllheli and sailing in North Wales. If you'd like to make an appointment, please send your preferred times in your reservation email so we can try and accommodate your wishes.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Boat Shows
8th – 17th January The Tullett Prebon London International Boat Show
23rd - 28th February Birmingham Boat and Caravan Show, NEC Birmingham
18th – 20th June South Wales Boat Show, Prince of Wales Dock, Swansea
30th July – 1st August North Wales Boat Show, Vaynol Estate, Bangor
10th – 19th September PSP Southampton Boat Show, Southampton
Training
We strongly believe that the RYA Day Skipper qualification is the minimum that will enable you to feel confident in handling the boat and to enjoy your sailing with family and friends.
We can help you reach this standard and beyond through our integrated training programme.
In Pwllheli we are able to offer RYA accredited training courses aboard our own high specification yacht using highly capable and respected instructors.
Our programme gives you the flexibility to have a Yachtmaster instructor onboard for one-to-one tuition, group tuition, or simply as a companion to help build your confidence on a new boat until you feel confident to venture out on your own.
However, your Day Skipper Qualification is just the beginning of your sailing qualification and through SailTime you can build your confidence to allow you, your friends and family to get the most out of yacht cruising. SailTime Members are able to benefit from private tuition, ongoing training workshops, group courses (e.g. Ladies only weekends) and a natural route to competent seamanship, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional training. In addition we run offshore passages (can be part of mile building), night sailing and accompanied short cruises. Whether you join us as a complete novice or Yachtmaster, we can help you achieve your goals.
SailTime in Pwllheli is SailTime’s North Wales’ RYA training centre with its own dedicated resources to meet your training needs, now and into the future.
To reserve a date on one of the courses below, please email, call 0845 602 6593 or reserve on-line at www.sailtime-training.co.uk.
2010 Course Dates
RYA Day Skipper (Tidal) and Competent Crew
- Wednesday 24th March – Sunday 28th March (5 days)
- Wednesday 21st April – Sunday 25th April (5 days)
- Saturday 8th May – Sunday 9th May (2 days) & Friday 14th May – Sunday 16th May (3 days)
- Wednesday 16th June – Sunday 20th June (5 days)
- Saturday 3rd July – Sunday 4th July (2 days) & Friday 9th July – Sunday 11th July (3 days)
With our totally unique approach, with boat access and training at your fingertips, why given the choice would you choose to train any other way?
For more information please call us or drop us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.
Places to Go
Hafan Pwllheli
Hafan Pwllheli is situated on the south side of the Lleyn Peninsula and provides access to some of the best sailing waters in the UK including Cardigan Bay, Anglesey and the attractive harbours along Ireland's east coast. Abersoch, Aberdovey, Aberystwyth, Barmouth, Porthmadog, and Porth Dinllaen are all within easy reach for the weekend or day sailor.
Cruising in the waters off the Lleyn Peninsula, which combine moderate tidal and sea conditions with a varied pattern of winds, offers the spectacular scenery of the Snowdonian mountains as a backdrop. The rugged coastline has been designated an 'Area of Outstanding National Beauty'.
Ashore, the busy market town of Pwllheli has a full range of services and shops for yachtsmen along with comprehensive boatyard facilities and chandlery. A variety of pubs and restaurants can be found in the town and surrounding villages. A little further along the coast are some beautiful villages, beaches and tourist destinations, including the popular village of Abersoch, Portmerion, Harlech, Blaenau Festiniog and the Snowdonia National Park.
The safe sandy beaches along the peninsula, make it a great venue for all kinds of water sports - recreational and competitive sailing, windsurfing, water skiing and wakeboarding are all catered for. Off the water there are some challenging 18-hole golf courses, pony trekking, shooting and archery, mountain biking and walking.
Cruising in the waters off the Lleyn Peninsula, which combine moderate tidal and sea conditions with a varied pattern of winds, offers the spectacular scenery of the Snowdonian mountains as a backdrop. The rugged coastline has been designated an 'Area of Outstanding National Beauty'.
Day Sail Destinations
Abersoch
Abersoch is situated on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales and has become a very popular village seaside resort. Great beaches, internationally recognised sailing waters, pleasant climate and beautiful scenery, all set in the heartland of the Welsh language, provide a special combination.
Summer 2009 saw the return of the popular Abersoch Jazz Festival in June and the annual Wakestock wakeboarding and music festival in July. There was a packed calendar of sailing events at SCYC during 2009, including the Abersoch Regatta . The annual West Coast Surf Open Surfing Contest took place in October. For news of Abersoch events click here.
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth's £9 million Marina named Y Lanfa opened for business in 1995. Aberystwyth's picturesque harbour has been dramatically remodelled to provide permanent berths for over 160 vessels.
Porthmadog
Situated on the Glaslyn Estuary at the edge of the Snowdonia National Park and the Llyn Peninsula, Porthmadog is the gateway to this most incredible and beautiful part of the British Isles. The town’s stunning setting and proud heritage make it the ideal place from which to discover the 840 miles of spectacular surrounding wilderness with its famous purple-capped mountains and acres of breathtaking forest.
Overlooked by famous Moel y Gest and nestling on the banks of the wonderful Glaslyn Estuary, Porthmadog is a favourite with visitors looking for adventure, its rich maritime history adding an extra touch of magic to this truly historic landmark.
As you would expect of such a famous port the marina is central to the town and has remained a bustling lively hub of activity. A genuinely attractive harbour, Porthmadog attracts yachtsmen and pleasure boaters from all corners of Europe keen to enjoy the wonderful coastline and explore the surrounding countryside. With plentiful berths, marine services and a lively atmosphere it is amongst the most popular mooring areas in Wales.
The town itself has an excellent choice of good restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs as well as superb shopping and accommodation to suit all comers. Along with the obvious natural attractions of Snowdonia and the National Park visitors can enjoy great days out to nearby Portmeirion or enjoy a rail journey along the legendary Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways. Then there is the family favorite, Black rock Sands in Morfa Bychan, with its lovely sand dunes, multi-coloured-rock pools and caverns.
Porthmadog is especially renowned for it’s strong sense of national pride and the Welsh language is spoken widely. But don’t let that be a worry. The biggest part of Welsh national pride is that they are cultured, friendly and very hospitable towards visitors. Above all else your welcome is guaranteed to be very warm indeed.
St Tudwal’s Islands
Saint Tudwal's Islands (Welsh: Ynysoedd Tudwal) are a small archipelago lying south of Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales, at the western end of Tremadog Bay. There are two main islands:
- St Tudwal’s Island West (52o 47’56”N - 4o 28’18”W / 52.7988oN- 4.4718oW)
- St Tudwal’s Island East (52o 48’19”N - 4o 27’43”W / 52.8o053oN- 4.4620oW)
plus the Carreg y Trai rocks
The islands are known for their seal population. The western island has a lighthouse, and the eastern has the remains of a priory.
Aberdaron
Aberdaron, situated on the very tip of the Llŷn Peninsula in Northwest Wales, is a compact and stunningly beautiful seaside village sometimes suitably referred to as “The Land’s End of Wales”.
Virtually unchanged by the passage of time and nestling in the River Daron estuary, Aberdaron is quintessentially Welsh, where one of Europe's oldest Celtic languages is an integral part of community life. A 17th Century stone bridge acts as a river crossing, and the whitewashed fishermen's cottages along the strand are a reminder of the village's historical dependence on the sea. The beaches in and around Aberdaron are unspoilt, clean and numerous. Aberdaron beach regularly receives a Clean Beach award. Everything from long stretches of golden sands to secluded coves is all within a few miles of Aberdaron.
Bardsey Island
Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli) lies across the Sound about two miles (about 3km) off the tip of the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales.
It is 1.5 miles (2.5km) in length and, at its widest point, it is just over half a mile (1km) across. The mountain, Mynydd Enlli, rises to a height of 167m. It covers an area of 180 hectares, most of which is farmed.
The island was bought by the Bardsey Island Trust in 1979. It is managed by the Trust in conjunction with the Countryside Council for Wales and CADW. Bardsey is a National Nature Reserve, Site of Special Scientific Interest and part of the Llyn Environmentally Sensitive Area.
Further Afield
Dun Laoghaire, Ireland
Dún Laoghaire Marina, situated right in the lively east coast seaport of Dún Laoghaire, could not be better suited to visitors looking for safe moorings, pleasant walks, entertainment, good food and friendly service.
For many visitors, their first contact with Ireland is the beautiful coastline as they enter Dún Laoghaire, with its spectacular man-made harbour. A trip on the DART (commuter rail) takes you from the Booterstown Marsh Bird Sanctuary, close to Dublin, through Blackrock, Monkstown, Dún Laoghaire, Dalkey and the breath-taking vista of Killiney Bay, to Shankill in the south, hugging the shoreline all the way.
Close by one can play golf, go hill-walking on the ‘Wicklow Way’ which starts from the magnificent Marlay Park in Rathfarnham, go horse-riding, or enjoy a host of other outdoor activities, all set in spectacular countryside.
The area around Dún Laoghaire, Dalkey and Killiney is steeped in literary and cultural heritage, both past and present. James Joyce, that great Irishman of letters, saw fit to base the opening chapter of Ulysses in the striking Martello Tower at Sandycove, just south of the harbour which was his home for a short while, and now houses a museum in his honour. The poet Oliver St. John Gogarty lived here. Nobel Prize Winner George Bernard Shaw of Pygmalion fame lived nearby in Dalkey
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a town of contrasts: a busy market town, a major tourist centre, the county town for Gwynedd and a major local commercial and administrative centre. There can be few towns more thoroughly Welsh. Caernarfon welcomes all visitors to the town, and hope that they will appreciate the town as much as those who reside there. The town has a rich past and a fascinating.
The Faenol Festival has proved to be one of the main events of the year in North Wales. The brainchild of Welsh Opera star Bryn Terfel "BrynFest" has attracted a wealth of stars to the area and runs over four days in late August. Last years concerts included Boyzone, John Barrowman, and the cream of the Welsh pop scene
Many visitors come to Caernarfon to see the castle, but in fact Caernarfon's history can be traced back to Roman times and the remains of Segontium are still visible today with a museum to boot.
Holyhead
Holyhead Marina, gateway to North Wales sailing, lies in the south west corner of Holyhead harbour. One of the UK's harbour's of refuge, access is possible in all weathers and at all states of the tide. The marina will have 450 fully serviced berths when completed.
Porth Dinllaen
Porth Dinllaen is a picturesque harbour village with golden sands, rock pools and views to die for. It nestles on a narrow strip of seashore between the cliff side and the clean blue seas close to Nefyn on the Lleyn peninsula.
On the beach is the Ty Coch Inn, claimed to be the best pub in Wales!
The Porthdinllaen lifeboat station is situated in a small cove located to the north of the village and owes its existence to the results of a severe storm in December 1863. Some 18 ships that had been sheltering in Porth Dinllaen bay were driven ashore and wrecked. A local man Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn, tied a rope around his waist and, with the help of 4 other men, succeeded in saving a total of 28 lives from the various vessels. A few days later a request was sent to R.N.L.I. headquarters in London for a lifeboat station to be established at Porth Dinllaen and the request was formally approved in March 1864.
Today Porth Dinllaen has been taken over by the National Trust and the natural harbour is populated with fishing boats and pleasure boats.
