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Trip type: Coastal
Instructors: 2
Crew size: Max 9
Ages: 18-75
Region: Europe & the Baltic
Adventure rating
Experience Required
Join the crew for this wonderful sailing holiday along Portugal’s world famous Algarve coast. There are beautiful towns to explore including Portimao, Faro, Lagos, Tavira and some beautiful offshore islands. The calm seas and short distances between ports and anchorages allow for relaxed sailing. The coast is lined with hidden coves, golden beaches and interesting towns.
This is a sample itinerary for Portugal’s Algarve coast. The wind and weather will determine exactly what happens, so this is a general description of some of our options, and of places we hope to visit. We discuss the options with you at the time and make it up as a group each day. There are so many options along the coast though and we will pick the best of these as we go. These are some of the highlights we can choose from. This trip can run in both directions so please check the ‘Dates & Prices’ tab for specific details and reverse this itinerary if necessary! This itinerary shows a sample trip from Huelva to Lagos.
We will join the boat in Cadiz, Spain. This beautiful cathedral town is a place many visitors fall in love with. It is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe, being first settled by the Phoenicians in 1100 BC. The enchanting ancient centre, surrounded almost entirely by water, is a wonderful, intoxicating mix of winding streets, with waves from the ocean crashing into the sea walls. We will get to know each other over a cup of tea, then issue all the necessary personal equipment and have some rigorous safety briefings.
Then we’ll head out into the bay of Cadiz and start our initial training. Some of you will have sailed before while for others it will be the first time. No matter, as everyone gets all the training they need in tacking, gybing and helming the yacht. Soon you will be feeling comfortable with all the basic manoeuvres and we will be off and underway with our sailing adventure.
We may well stop the first night in the lovely Vila Real de Santo António. Destroyed by an earthquake in the 18th century, the town was completely rebuilt and is a wonderful place to wander along the promenade, eat tapas in the town square while local children and families play nearby and generally soak up the warm, relaxed culture.
It’s a lovely sail west to Tavira, so we can really enjoy letting the boat rip through the waves as we take in the sun, fresh air and the simple joy of being out on the ocean. Tavira is just a wonderful place. Set on either side of the Rio Gilão river, many people believe it is the most gorgeous town on the Algarve. The ruins of a hilltop castle, an old Roman bridge and a smattering of Gothic and Renaissance churches are among its historic attractions. You will find a unique mix of traditional architecture with Moorish influences. It is sometimes also called the Venice of the Algarve. This historic town with picturesque plazas and cobbled streets has everything.
This lovely town, just around Cape St Vincent was founded by the Phoenicians. The Moors made it an important trading town before being recaptured by Christian armies in 1241. It was then used by Henry the Navigator as a base for African trade and remnants of the first slave market in Europe can be found alongside the old customs house. We will also try and spend a day anchoring off the amazing network of Benagil sea caves with their grottos and tunnels which extend from the town to the Ponta de Piedade.
A delightful anchorage near the old fishing village with white washed houses, narrow streets and lovely views over the estuary. The swimming at the entrance is excellent with the water being warmed as it comes over the sands of the shallow lagoon. On the north side of the river is a nature reserve and over twenty-two species of wading bird have been counted enjoying the salt marches and sandy banks.
As well as the traditional harbours, there are several natural salt water lagoons such as Ria Formosa, Ria de Alvor and great rivers in Portimão and Ferragudo – the Rio Arade and of course the fantastic Guadiana. We can explore these to our heart’s content.
Surrounded by fertile fields of trees bearing fruit, olives and the almonds for which the Algarve is famous, Faro is the capital of the Algarve. Its picturesque Cidade Velha (old town) is ringed by medieval walls and has winding, cobbled pedestrian streets and beautiful gardens. The islands are famous for their incredible beaches, crystal clear water and deserted island feeling. A must visit if we have the time.
Our final sail takes us to Lagos, on Portugal’s south western coast. The town has an idyllic seaside setting, with rugged limestone cliffs, where red earth meets golden beaches and fertile hills prove ideal for producing excellent wine. Whitewashed buildings are contrasted by ornately detailed azulejos around every cobbled lane and ancient fortifications capture an air of living in another time.
Find all the information you need about our trips here, from the various trip categories to what to pack, connecting travel and more. The information here is generic across all our trips. For really specific travel details about your trip, click on the Dates & Prices tab.
All of our sailing trips are given one of three categories: ‘Coastal‘ – ‘Offshore‘ – ‘Coastal Passage Making Course’. Whichever category trip you join, and whatever your previous experience (or rustiness!), you will be encouraged to be fully involved from the very start and receive high-quality Rubicon 3 training.
These are wonderful holidays that stay relatively close to shore and have no significant open-water passages. They are day sailing only and usually in quite sheltered water. We sail to somewhere new just about every day and there is time built in to the planning to enable you to head ashore and explore everywhere we get to.
Self explanatory and if you’ve ever wanted to leave the coast behind and sail hundreds (or even thousands) of miles offshore out on one of the great oceans, these are for you. Each trip begins with a few days of coastal sailing, training and exploring while individuals and the crew as a whole get up to speed. Timings are very weather dependant. On our two weeks offshore trips, you can expect to have one main offshore passage of between 4-6 days, with the remainder of the time being coastal cruising at either end.
These are intensive training courses, where we really focus on the skills and techniques needed to be strong crew or skipper on a prolonged passage through potentially technical areas. You will mix theory and practical tuition every day. Days are longer and there is less focus on exploring ashore and more on train, train, train. If you wish to supercharge your seamanship and sailing skills, these are for you
All of our trips are open to crew aged 18-70. Age in itself means nothing and we absolutely do allow crew older than this, but to ensure everyone stays safe, we ask you to contact us before booking just to confirm suitability.
Anyone can join these trips. Wonderful for sailors of any experience level, if you are a beginner these are definitely the place to start. If you are at Yachtmaster or similar, there is still a huge amount you can learn and practise on these trips
As this is a Coastal Passage Making Course, no beginners are permitted to join. You must have RYA Day Skipper, ASA 104 or equivalent skills and experience. It doesn’t matter if they are rusty – that is what this course is here to address. This course is invaluable to all levels up to and including Yachtmaster.
We believe that as many people as possible should be able to head out to sea and have a great adventure. However, it is essential for everyone’s safety that you are in a fit enough state to be on board.
Ability to complete the five exercises below is a pre-requisite for joining as a crew member. They are not designed to be physically taxing and almost everyone should be able to complete them. Rather they are in place to check that you have the stability and basic physical condition to be on board.
If when you join the vessel the skipper believes you are not capable of completing these exercises, you will probably not be allowed to embark. If you have any doubts at all about your ability to complete these exercises safely, you must contact your doctor before attempting them.
Unless stated otherwise on the ‘Dates & Prices’ tab, you must join the boat at 0900 hrs on the start day. It is important you are not late as the pre-trip briefing will start shortly after that time. You will disembark at 1200hrs on the end day. Exact start and end locations may vary depending on your trip date. please see the ‘Dates & Prices’ tab. Due to scheduled crew rest and maintenance periods it is not possible to stay on the boat outside of the proscribed times.
We plan our routes very carefully and build in lots of spare time to ensure that we arrive at our end destination on time. However, particularly on offshore and ocean trips, we cannot guarantee that we will arrive by the end date. It is incredibly are (maybe three times in ten years?) but bad weather or mechanical issues mean it can happen.
On offshore and ocean trips, build some leeway into your trip home if you can. Maybe book the flight for the day after the end day, and / or use a flexible ticket where you can change the date if needed.
For long haul flights, especially those where we start and end in different places, we can sometimes find very good deals. If you cannot find a good flight, please do ask us to help by emailing us at info@rubicon3adventure.com. Unfortunately, we cannot offer help with short-haul flights.
If you intend to travel on a one way ticket to meet up with one of our trips, without possessing an onward flight ticket – we recommend that you have a copy of your Rubicon 3 invoice with you and available at immigration to assist easy entry.
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months AFTER your trip finishes. You should have at least 4-5 spare pages for visa, entry and exit stamps. If you have dual nationality you can only use one passport for the entire trip.
The situation regarding visas and passports can change rapidly and without warning. The information given here is accurate to the best of our knowledge but ultimately you are responsible for ensuring you have the correct visas. Please allow time for unexpected delays in obtaining any visas you require.
Around four weeks before your trip start date, you will be sent final joining instructions. At this time you will be asked to complete our medical declaration. At the time of booking, it is your responsibility to be sure that you will be able to pass all the criteria at the start date of your trip. If you cannot pass the criteria you will probably be refused permission to board.
It is compulsory that you have adequate travel insurance before you board the yacht. We strongly recommend that you take this insurance out as soon as possible after booking your trip with us in case you suffer any medical issues or such like that prevent you from being able to join the trip.
You will be asked to provide the following details to Rubicon 3 if you have not already done so: travel insurance provider, insurance policy number, insurance emergency telephone number. You will also be required to give a copy of your policy with this information to the skipper on arrival with confirmation that the policy duration is sufficient to cover you for the entire duration of your trip.
It is essential that your travel insurance covers you for yacht sailing. For Coastal trips, it is very unlikely that you will be more than 12nm offshore.
If you already have an annual travel or credit card travel insurance policy, please check carefully that it covers you for the criteria listed above.
We provide three meals a day on the boat, so if you do not wish to spend another penny, that is absolutely fine. Realistically, however, most crew like to have a few beers ashore and the occasional meal. Also please note that alcohol is not provided by Rubicon 3 so if you like a beer or wine in the evening please budget for this. You are very welcome to bring some duty free with you to the boat. Past crew estimate that £200 is ample to enjoy all there is offer ashore during the trip.
These are available in most major cities along our route and allow you to withdraw local currency only. We discourage you from relying on your ATM card as a primary source of funds in case it is lost/stolen/swallowed, or the machine isn’t working. Besides memorising your PIN, it is also important to be aware of your daily withdrawal limit and bank withdrawal costs.
You will be able to use credit and debit card just about everywhere
These cards are similar to normal Credit and Debit cards but they can be pre loaded with cash before you travel with a set amount allowing you to withdraw this cash using the card at normal ATMs. It is a more secure way to access cash on your trip and easier to use than travellers cheques, but again do not rely on these as your sole means of funds on a trip. Several banks and companies now offer these cards, but be sure to look into the rates for withdrawing cash when making your decision.
What equipment and clothing to bring for sailing – and how much to bring – are always the big questions for the crew and we totally understand that. The best generic guidance we can give is to imagine that you are going for a week in the hills or the mountains. If you think of that type of clothing and equipment, you won’t go far wrong.
Beyond that, we say don’t spend money unless you want to. The chances are that you already have most of what you need and a lot of fancy branded sailing equipment is both expensive and not very good. Especially when you’re fairly new to the sport, keep your money in your pocket.
The next question is always how much to bring. Within reason, you can bring what you like as we have quite a lot of storage space onboard the yachts. The usual airport allowance of 20kg / 44lbs of luggage is not a bad guide. Any more than that and you’ve probably overpacked!
What you pack your clothing and equipment in is vital. It needs to be in a soft bag that can be rolled away. Yes, that means no metal frames or hard backs. It needs to be in a duffel style bag. If you do bring a hard backed case or bag that cannot be rolled away, there is a good chance you will not be able to bring it on board. Something like this Sports Direct sack for just £12 is ideal.
Yes, absolutely. For this reason, we’ve given two different lists: cooler weather and warmer weather. We’ve also given a ‘sailor’s pack’ of equipment that keener sailors, or those coming on more advanced trips, should think about bringing with them.
Don’t worry too much and if in doubt bring more. So long as you have hats, gloves and warm clothes, plus your usual toiletries and such like, you will be fine. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask us. We’re here to help!
You will be issued with a foul weather jacket and salopettes. These are modern oilskins that will keep you completely dry and which we rate highly, but they are not Goretex or similar. If you have your own foulies and would like to wear them or have very high spec ones, then do feel free to bring them.
Having vigorously tested all the leading lifejackets in the seas off Iceland, this Crewsaver jacket was the best. You will be issued one for the duration of your time onboard.
Fantastically warm, these all in one suits are incredible for when it gets cold up on deck. You will feel toasty warm all day long or through a long night watch. Essential gear for high latitude trips and RIB transfers.
Bring a fresh set for every day or second day you’re on board.
Bring a mix of thinner socks and some thicker, woolly socks If not a Caribbean style trip. A fresh pair every second day is a good guide.
For upper and lower body. Merino wool is excellent but expensive. There are lots of options out there.
Bring a selection of T-shirts, polo shirts or long-sleeved shirts. You might be wearing a couple of these at any one time, so bring a few
A pair of thick hiking trousers, fleece-lined snowboarding trousers or our new favourite – softshell trousers. These will be what you wear just about every day, so bring a couple of pairs. Don’t go crazy – we buy ones costing between £50-70 and no more. if you are on a Caribbean style trip then you will probably only need light trousers
You need to bring at least two good, thick fleeces or jumpers. These are going to be critical to keep you warm, so choose carefully. We usually pack two mid-weight fleeces and one really thick woolly jumper.
You will wear this pretty much every day, only changing up to your foul weather jacket when it rains. Any jacket will do that is showerproof, windproof and reasonably warm.
Waterproof boots
These don’t have to be sailing boots – even normal wellies will do fine. You can spend a fortune on Goretex lined sailing boots. They are great, but make sure you are going to be a regular sailor before investing. In the meantime, we’d stick to rubber sailing boots costing around £60.
There’s no dressing up on these expeditions, but bring a selection of shore clothes for the odd evening out. No restaurant owner likes people coming in wearing dirty sailing clothes!
We suggest bringing 2 sets of hats and gloves. if one set gets lost or wet, you need to be able to keep warm. We don’t really rate the thick sailing gloves. They are not good when wet, hard to get on and pretty expensive. Instead, go for a pair of thinner working gloves and a thick woolly pair.
The classic neck warmer is a godsend when it gets windy and cold.
Wherever you are, bring one. You may want to jump in even when it’s icy, but also sometimes the best showers are in the local pool.
Great for exploring ashore, trainer style is fine. Just something comfortable to do an hour’s hike with.
Great for keeping cool onshore and essential for shower floors in marinas and ports.
It’s unlikely that you will be able to do laundry along the way, so bring enough sets of clothes to last you for the two weeks. You can handwash some essentials if necessary but water is at a premium onboard so we don’t encourage this except on the longer trips of over 2 weeks duration. The start and end ports will nearly always have laundry facilities.
The boats are warm inside, so a medium weight sleeping bag is absolutely fine. If it has a long zip it’s better as it gives you more temperature flexibility but don’t worry and don’t spend money that you don’t need to! If you are on a Caribbean style trip you can probably do without a sleeping bag and just use a silk liner or similar. The Caribbean is usually around 75°F at night, but just occasionally it can be colder: the choice is yours.
Toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, razor, deodorant and whatever else you need. We would bring a normal towel for comfort, but a travel towel is also good.
Sunglasses are essential at sea for every trip as the UV is reflected off the sea and can damage your eyes. They must be polarised or the damage can be even worse. Good strong sun cream is recommended for the same reason.
Life is pretty miserable if you forget these. Get a strap for the glasses in case they fall off.
We pretty much insist you bring some sea sickness medication, even if you don’t think you’ll be affected. This is a holiday for you and feeling queasy is horrible. In the UK, the brands that seem to work well are Stugeron and Kwells. If you have any other medications such as anti-histamine, blood pressure tablets, insulin, epi-pens etc, please don’t forget these.
Boats have lots of unfamiliar noises and yes, even the occasional snorer. Bring what you need to block out the noise and have a good night’s sleep.
If you’re sailing with us in the high latitudes in summer, the chances are the Sun will never set and it’s hard to get these boats dark. If that bothers you, bring a mask to make the world go dark again!
Don’t forget these, but put them in protective casings so they don’t get damaged or broken. Every bunk has two USB charging points, The boat has the UK 3-pin 240v AC power outlets, which can be used when are connected to shore power or when the generator is on. If your equipment has different plugs, bring an adaptor.
If your trip has an overnight passage in it, we would really recommend you bring one of these (unless it’s summer in the Arctic with midnight Sun).
These are really useful to carry with you.
This is a very good app. The chart pack for your area will cost you about £25 and then you can always see exactly where we are.
The fancy way of keeping your kit divided up, organised and dry (but plastic shopping bags work very well too!)
The boats have a UK (3 pin) 220 AC power outlet on board, that is available to use when connected to shore power or at sea when the generator is running.
Each bunk also has a USB charging point and a cigarette lighter style power point.
Cameras (incl. Digital & Video Cameras) – An easy to use ‘point and press’ will get you some good photos. For memorable shots, it may be worthwhile investing in an SLR camera, but be sure to get some practice in before the trip! Most towns and cities have internet cafes where you can download onto CD/internet sites – but don’t rely on it.
Drones – As the use of drones becomes more common, countries throughout the world are gradually updating their laws and restrictions on usage. The specific regulations will vary from one country to another, so do check the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice for the latest information. As with cameras, use your common sense if you do use a drone and avoid operation in sensitive areas. If you plan to bring a drone on your trip with us please contact us first to ensure there will be a suitable place to store it while on your trip.
The internet and WiFi are available in many areas that we visit. Do bear in mind that the connections can be unreliable and will not always be as fast as you are used to at home. Once we have set sail, internet and phone signal will usually stop very quickly.
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) offer country-specific advice, regarding not only security but also entry regulations, local laws and customs and health. We strongly recommend all travellers visit the FCO website, or the equivalent in their home country, to familiarise themselves with local conditions and issues in the countries they plan to visit before committing to a trip with us. You can view their website here.
If you have any questions at all about the safety or security of your trip, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to discuss your trip in more detail.
In cities – All major cities have their share of petty crime (just like our cities) and sensible precautions need to be taken. Wearing expensive looking jewellery or watches and carrying cameras will draw unnecessary attention to you. Leave valuables such as passports and excess money in your hotel safe (we recommend carrying a copy of your passport details page at all times). You may find a simple money belt is more discreet than a bag. Always be aware of your surroundings and when approached by people you do not know, use your common sense. At night in cities it’s best to use a taxi, rather than walking around the streets, single women in particular need to be careful and we would suggest that it is safer to be in a group.
Rubicon3 does not take responsibility for clients’ personal items and we advise you to not take items of value that are not essential for the journey.
It is essential that you have read, understood and accept our Booking Terms and Conditions, including our Guest Behaviour, Safety & Security Policy before you book. We take great care to ensure that these comply fully with the Package Travel Regulations. They also contain important information about possible financial liabilities you may have if you subsequently decide to cancel in the period before your trip start date. If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions please do not hesitate to ask us.
We know you’ll have 101 questions about what life’s like onboard and just generally what to expect. Have a look at the video here of one of our customers telling you all about it. Below, we’ve answered lots of other common questions. Remember, if you have any other questions, just phone or email.
Ask one of our regular crew members what distinguishes the Rubicon 3 experience from other sailing they have done, and they will invariably reference our three golden rules. They are the foundation on which the whole experience is built and they are the one area that never changes and is non-negotiable.
Unfortunately many sailors have experienced shouting on board, and they know the unnecessary tension and anxiety that it causes. You will never find one of our skippers or mates shouting and no one else is allowed to either. Shouting is a clear sign of an inexperienced sailor who is not in full control.
We never step prematurely in to take a task off someone, thereby allowing them the space to think and (safely) make mistakes to best support their growth. There is nothing more frustrating than a keen fellow crew member telling you what to do, how to do it, or taking the job off you. You will always have the time and space to stop, think and come up with a plan.
Sailing is both blissfully simple and a sport that benefits from a great deal of experience. Especially on these larger, expedition yachts there are lots of ropes, winches, clutches and bits of equipment that can quickly become overwhelming. In a new environment, it can be hard even to remember one’s own name at times! No matter how straight forward the question, our skippers and mates are always there to help and will never look down on your for asking. It is what they are there for.
Training lies at the heart of the Rubicon 3 vision. We want you to learn the skills to be a central part of each adventure and to be able to go away and use the skills on other boats. The teaching syllabus changes quite a bit depending on the trip type. Full details of the syllabuses and qualifications below.
Qualifications
On Coastal trips, you can earn the RYA Competent Crew certificate. The price is included in the trip price.
General knowledge
Identify and describe the following cruising sailboat parts, areas, or systems and their functions:
Safety Equipment & Procedures
Navigation & Weather
Sail Plan
Seamanship
Emergencies
Preliminaries
Navigation
Under Power
Under Sail
Return to Dock/Slip
Knots
Basic sailing skills
Meteorology
Seamanship
Crew injuries
Maintenance
Skills
Qualifications
For those wishing to learn how to be a watch leader or skipper of an ocean-going vessel, the Rubicon 3 Ocean Watch Leader Course is a must.
This course takes you through:
Please contact us for further details
Eligibility
Initial test
A Watch Leader’s role & responsibilities
On-going assessment
Total marks available: 105 Pass mark: 70
Free Ocean Watch Leader Course
When signing up as a Watch Leader, there is an additional fee of £150. This covers the additional training we give you. It also gives you free access to the Rubicon 3 Ocean Watch Leader Course, which we strongly recommend you take before starting your passage with us.
The RYA Ocean Qualifying passage
Are Rubicon 3 Ocean Passages suitable for Ocean qualifying passages?
What tasks do I need to complete onboard prior the exam?
Sailing Holiday: Portugal’s Algarve Coast
Start date: December 5, 2022
End date: December 16, 2022
Start location: Huevla, Spain
End location: Faro, Portugal
Price : £1799
Deposit: £450
Sailing Holiday: Portugal’s Algarve Coast
Start date: December 23, 2022
End date: January 3, 2023
Start location: Faro, Portugal
End location: Huelva, Spain
Price : £1899
Deposit: £475
Sailing Holiday: Portugal’s Algarve Coast
Start date: December 4, 2023
End date: December 15, 2023
Start location: Huevla, Spain
End location: Faro, Portugal
Price : £1799
Deposit: £450
Sailing Holiday: Portugal’s Algarve Coast
Start date: December 23, 2023
End date: January 3, 2024
Start location: Faro, Portugal
End location: Huelva, Spain
Price : £1899
Deposit: £475
Our team are always here and can probably answer your question straight away. Whether it’s to check whether a trip is right for you ro to ask a question about flights, get in touch. We’rre here to help.
All customer money is held in the Protected Trust Service until your trip has run. This means it is 100% protected and should your trip not run for any reason, you receive a full and immediate refund. This is the gold standard of customer protection.
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Unless stated otheriwse, you should join the boat at 0900 on the start day. Each trip starts with an introductory briefing at this time, so it is important you are not late. You may need to arrive the day before and book a B&B or hotel (It is not possible to stay onboard before or after the trip).
We arrive at the end port on the penultimate evening, giving us time to head ashore and have a fun last evening together as a crew. Unless otherwise stated, the trip ends at 1200 on the end day. On the final morning we sign logbooks, give feedback and tips re next steps and clean the boat. We know sometimes the only practical flight leaves in the morning though so you may leave the boat anytime from 0500hrs on this day.
You can book your flights home for the afternoon or evening of the end day. We design our trips very carefully to be as certain as we can be that we will not arrive late and it is very rare indeed that we do.
This is distance sailing at sea, usually from one country to another, however, and delays can happen. Most people travel home on the end day. If you can boo your travel home for the next day, it both gives you a little time to enjoy the end destination and some extra security re making flights
You must ensure you have insurance that covers you specificallty for yacht sailing. Click on the ‘specific info’ to see what requirements your particular trip has.
Let us help you pick the perfect sailing holiday, course or just chat through your options.
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