Sunsail, the inventor of flotilla sailing
The English brand Sunsail was born in 1974. In the 1970s, it developed the concept of flotilla sailing by opening a first base in Greece. This concept was extremely appreciated and quickly copied by the competition in the following years. Belonging to the Travelopia group like Sunsail, The Moorings is also a specialist in boat rental with a fleet of 400 units for rent in about twenty bases around the world, with or without skipper, but also all inclusive with crew.
An organized and accompanied cruise
Flotilla sailing consists of sailing in a group of boats accompanied by a flagship with skipper, hostess and technician. The latter are at the disposal of the flotilla to help any of the renters throughout the week of sailing. They intervene in case of technical problems and prepare the daily itinerary. The hostess is present to guide and advise the clients on stopovers, restaurants to discover
Every morning, the skipper of the flagship conducts a briefing to present the program of the day. The boats can then sail alone and follow their own route together. The imperative is to meet at the end of the day at the meeting point set in the morning.
"It's a format that is very popular with our international customers, who are very loyal to us."
If the flotilla format is reassuring for many, and also allows novices to sail accompanied by a skipper, there are also experienced clients who prefer this type of sailing for the organization it provides. Even in a flotilla, the possession of a boat license remains mandatory in some countries. It is therefore necessary to send a copy of it at the time of booking.
Sailing in a group and feeling reassured
All flotillas sail in extremely protected and simple basins. Beyond group sailing, it is also reassurance that the client comes looking for. Either because they have not practiced enough, or because they do not feel autonomous. At the slightest difficulty, especially on a euro maneuver, the flagship intervenes. The organization is also defined by the flagship, so customers do not need to look for a place in the marina for example, the latter is already provided, even if the costs remain the responsibility of the customer.
Sailings punctuated by activities
Throughout the week of flotillas, several events are proposed to create a real group cohesion. Thus, tenants can participate in Euro challenges, mini regattas under sail or in Euro dinghies or in themed evenings. Nothing is imposed, the client is free to make his own final choice.
An additional fee depending on the boat chosen
Flotilla sailing includes an additional cost that depends on the size of the boat rented. This supplement includes:
- Flagship assistance
- The first breakfast during which the itinerary of the flotilla is established.
- 2 theme evenings with a cocktail party organized by the flagship. A moment of exchange with the other boats of all nationalities, where sharing and conviviality reign
- Return fuel (except for Italian fleets)
A season in the Mediterranean in 2022
In 2022, customers will be able to discover the joys of sailing in the Mediterranean, with 14 different itineraries spread between Greece, Croatia and Italy. Most of these will be one-week sailings that can last up to 15 days, with departures every 15 days.
Sunsail also offers "Food and Wine" themed flotillas in Croatia and Italy. The principle of sailing is the same, but enriched by the discovery of local dishes and wines. A number of dates are reserved for these theme flotillas.
The flotillas last 7 or 15 days, with embarkation/disembarkation on Saturdays, with the exception of Dubrovnik in Croatia and Lekfada (Leucate) in Greece, which take place on Sundays.
Departure from Croatia
- Marina Agana
- Dubrovnik
- Gastronomy and Wine Flotillas possible
Departure from Greece
- Lefkada (Ionian Sea)
Departure from Italy
- Procida (Bay of Naples)
- Portorosa (Sicily)
- Cannigione (Sardinia)
The Italian calendar is a little less rich for the other destinations and consists mainly of flotillas with a Gastronomy and Wine theme.
Choosing a boat to sail in a flotilla
The client can choose the boat on which he wishes to sail according to its availability. The only constraint is the number of catamarans limited to 2 per fleet. It is therefore a mixture of monohulls and multihulls that sail together, with a fleet of minimum 4 boats and maximum 12.
"Sometimes some dates are very busy and we end up with more than 12 boats. We are then forced to split the group in two for good management of the fleet by the flagship."
