CHARTERING
NEWS and NOTES on SAILING-VACATION OPPORTUNITIES
SAIL PATAGONIAN FJORDS
Cumberland Face Patagonia offers new-model sailboats for ecotourism charters through the fjords and channels of Chilean Patagonia. The company’s trips make it possible for vacation sailors to learn about the heritage and biodiversity of Patagonia while actively participating in conservation efforts. Provisions come from food grown by the local communities, and water comes from the Andes mountains. Recycling and recording of wildlife sightings are also part of the adventure.
Boats include an Elan GT5 and a Beneteau First 47.7. Itineraries wind through the fjords of Comau, Quintupeu, Cahuelmo and the island of Chiloé. Charters also include visits to natural thermal hot springs and geysers, organized hikes, fly-fishing, and plant and wildlife identification. The trips, captain-only, are offered from September until April. Contact the company for details (cumberland.cl).
OFFSHORE MARKS 55TH WITH SPECIALS, DISCOUNTS
Offshore Sailing School is celebrating its 55th year in business with course specials and new events and programs throughout 2019.
Among incentives during the yearlong celebration is a 15 percent savings on Learn to Sail, Fast Track to Cruising, and Live Aboard Cruising courses at three Offshore locations in Florida — Fort Myers Beach, Captiva Island and St. Petersburg.
That discount comes alongside a full calendar of sailing instruction, cruising and racing events.
Women’s learn-to-sail weeks, racing clinics, flotilla vacations and the 19th annual performance race week in conjunction with North Sails’ Northu are all part of the mix. For a complete calendar of events and anniversary discounts, contact Offshore (offshoresailing.com).
NAVIGARE EXPANSION
Navigare Yachting continues its growth in North America with a new base in southeastern New England, while adding to its network of partner-dealers in Canada. Narragansett Sailing Charters in Barrington, Rhode Island, has become the first Navigare base in the United States, and the 53rd destination in the company’s worldwide network. The partnership adds two monohulls of more than 50 feet and six catamarans to the southeastern New England fleet. Navy Point Yacht Sales is the new Navigare partner-dealer for Ontario, Canada.
Navigare Yachting, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Malmo, Sweden, offers brands including Jeanneau, Beneteau, Bavaria, Hanse, Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot, Nautitech and Sunreef Yachts. For details, log on to the company’s website (navigare-yachting.com).
LE BOAT ADDS SECOND CANADIAN BASE
Le Boat, which specializes in bareboat river and canal cruise holidays in Europe, has added a second base in Ontario. The Seeley’s Bay base makes it possible for Le Boat charter clients to experience one-way cruising on the Rideau Canal, a registered UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Smith Falls base to the north was opened in May 2018.
For the 2019 season, Le Boat will add an additional four boats to the Canadian fleet, including the state-of-the-art Horizon 5. At nearly 50 feet, the boat can accommodate up to 12 people.
Reservations are now being taken for the 2019 cruising season, which runs from May 17 to October 14. Visit the website for details (leboat.ca).