The Cruising Group
This Group is currently suspended due to lack of participating boats
The Cruising Group provide sailing opportunities on five privately owned boats based in four different marinas, Cartagena, Cristal Mar, San Pedro (two boats) and Thomas Maestre. A sixth boat may be joining the group in the future. People of all levels of experience are welcome, from complete novices to the fully experienced and qualified.
The co-ordination of these sailing opportunities is managed for the boat owners by Terry Chapman so, to avoid double bookings, interested parties should contact him and not the boat owners direct.
All boats offer, through Terry, a number of dates on which they are able to offer sailing opportunities to the SAMM membership and thier families who may be visiting on holiday.
No formal sailing tuition is given but most owners encourage crew to helm, help with sail trimming and boat handling in general and all are very willing to answer any questions you may have about sailing in general, nautical terms, rules etc.
All but one of the boats are fully insured for private use and the owners offer thier crewing opportunities at no charge.
All crew booking on these boats are asked to liase with each other and the owner so that the crew provide the catering for the day, including sufficient for the owners. This is normally only finger food, piazza, empanadillas, pasties or sandwiches plus some fruit or yoghurts and soft drinks and water as it is often neccessary to eat whilst sailing rather than moor up for lunch.
In the past most crew have also felt the need to make a small financial offer to help contribute towards the fuel used and say `thank you´ to the boat owner after the trip is over, which may or may not be accepted.
One of the boats, based at San Pedro, is fully registered, equipped and insured for skippered charter in Spain. The owner offers a heavily discounted price to SAMM members of only 50 euro per person, minimum 4 persons, for day sails inclusive of coffee and tea throughout the day. He is able to sail any day given 3 or 4 days notice, subject to prior commitments
The group hope to develop the sailing opportunities to 2, 3 or 7 day cruises along the coast and possibly longer trips to the Balearics. The finances for these will probably be covered by a `Boat Kitty´ to cover all expenses, food on board and dinners ashore, marina fees, fuel etc. See our separate information on this site for trips currently being organised.
Please note that all sailing is subject to the weather conditions on the day and is at the absolute discretion of the boat owners. However if a sail is cancelled, the owner will, on the day, endevour to arrange another mutually convenient date in the near future with the crew members.