Do you want to experience the tidal waters of the English Channel, night watches on North Sea, and the Kiel Canal? Do you want to know how is it to sail on a sailing ship? Or do you just want get a head start on the sailing season?
Join the Teekkaripurjehtijat’s adventure sail from Cherbourg to Copenhagen on Sail Training Association Finland’s schooner Helena on 17.–24.4.2022! Teekkaripurjehtijat organizes the adventure sailing in cooperation with Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö (Sail Training Association Finland, STAF) so that almost all the ship’s crew spots are reserved only for Teekkaripurjehtijat. Onboard, there is a professional crew of four members, and STAF is in charge of all arrangements onboard. No prior sailing experience is needed. The participants arrange their own travelling to the departure harbour and from the arrival harbour by themselves.
The participation fee is between 500–600 €, the final cost will be determined by the actual number of participants. The price includes all food and all necessary sailing equipment onboard. The participants are themselves responsible for organising and the cost of travel to Cherbourg and back from Copenhagen. According to STAF’s general instructions, you can arrive to the ship on the first day of the leg at 3pm, and the leg ends on the last day at 12 noon. The travelling to and/or from, as well as any possible accommodation arrangements at the destinations should therefore be planned to fit this schedule. When signing up for the sailing, a booking fee of 300 € must be paid at the time of signing up for the sail. The remaining part of the participation fee will be paid later, before the start of the sail, when the actual number of participants is known and the final cost confirmed.
The sail will happen as a Teekkaripurjehtijat member event, if at least 12 members sign up and pay the booking fee by Sunday 13.2.2022. If the minimum number of participants is not reached by 13.2.2022, Teekkaripurjehtijat will cancel the sail booking and will return all the booking fees paid to it back to those who signed up for the adventure sail. Total number of places on the sail is 23.
(NB! Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF will sail the leg even if Teekkaripurjehtijat would cancel the group booking. If the sailing doesn’t happen as Teekkaripurjehtijat member event, the crew spots on the leg would most probably be opened to public sale though Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö, and through that the ones that had signed up, would still be able to participate the leg on Helena. Prices for this sailing opportunity will likely be different.)
The participant will carry all the risks regarding the coronavirus situation and possible travel restrictions. If a participants decides or must for any reason (e.g. getting a coronavirus infection) cancel their participation to the sailing event, Teekkaripurjehtijat will not return the paid booking fee or the final participation fee to the participant. As a participant, you can find another member to buy your place from you. If Teekkaripurjehtijat or Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF decides (e.g. because of the epidemic situation) to cancel the whole sail, Teekkaripurjehtijat will return all the payments (booking fees and participation fees) to participants, but is not responsible for any additional costs, such as cancellations of flights, accommodation costs etc.
Because of the epidemic situation, Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF requires special caution in health security. Purjelaivasäätiö requires a negative coronavirus test result for all participants before the sailing. The testing can be carried out with two antigen home tests. More specific information about the requirements can be read in the terms and conditions below (opens by clicking). Please also read the terms and conditions carefully.
Coronavirus tests and vaccinations
During the season 2021-2022, Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF requires all participants of all sailings of over 8 hours, regardless of age or sailing area, to present a less than 72 hours old negative COVID-19 test (PCR/Antigen) result AND that the person has no symptoms. If the test is made in a laboratory, one test is enough. If made with home test kits, 2 negative test results are required.
Negative test result are required even if the participant has been vaccinated. Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF strongly recommends all participants to have a 5-day voluntary quarantine before the start of the sailing.
In addition to the terms above, participating any sails abroad may require other test results or COVID-19 (vaccination) certificate, depending on departure and arrival countries. Some countries may require negative test result, antibody test or vaccination certificate when entering the country.
The Participant is personally responsible for getting all the needed and relevant corona vaccinations and tests, as well as all the certificates and documents related to them. Up-to-date information about requirements are provided by authorities of the destination country. It is noteworthy, that the situations in destination countries may change rapidly.
When signing up for the sail, the participant commits to obey, without exceptions, all instructions listed here, as well as all the instructions given by the captain of the ship to ensure the health and safety of all crew members regarding the coronavirus. Safety onboard is based on all crew-members being healthy. In practice, when offshore, the ship forms a quarantine-like space, where the crew members are not in contact with people outside the ship.
Staying in harbours can cause a risk from coronavirus. The procedures listed below are planned to ensure the safety of the sail. These as well as other instructions possibly given by the captain must be obeyed without exception. Infection risk will be reduced with following safety precautions:
- Crowds are to be avoided, unnecessary staying indoors is to be avoided (including bars and restaurants)
- Public transport is to be avoided
- Face masks are always used in indoor spaces
- Before returning to the ship, hand are sanitised on the dock
- No outside visitors are allowed on the ship
If the official recommendations of the destination country is stricter than the list above, the official recommendations are obeyed without exception. If a participant does not obey the official recommendations and the captain’s instructions regarding health safety and security, the captain has the right to remove the whole group (Teekkaripurjehtijat) or the participant in question from the ship, to guarantee the safety of other crew members on board. In case of infection, the captain and Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF will assist with arrangements (e.g. healthcare, transportation, accommodations) if needed to organise a on-land quarantine for the participant. The participant is responsible for all costs of quarantine arrangements in this situation.
Travel insurance and travel notifications
Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF or Teekkaripurjehtijat are not responsible for the participant’s non-mandatory insurances during the trip. Participant is responsible for necessary personal insurances and their coverage, including property damages and injuries, liability insurances, and insurances covering any cancellation costs. It is noteworthy, that during the corona pandemic, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) does not guarantee healthcare for foreigners because of the high load on public healthcare systems. Therefore a separate travel insurance is recommended. Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF recommends all its customers to submit a travel notification to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before departure.
Travelling to and from harbours
The participant is responsible for organising their own travel to the departure harbour and back from the arrival harbour. The participant is responsible for getting to the ship in time.
Payments and cancellations
The participant reserves their place on the sail by paying a booking fee (300,00€) at the time of signing up for the event. The participant is considered as signed up for the event only after the booking fee has been paid to the Teekkaripurjehtijat bank account as per the payment instructions. The other part of the participation fee (200-300€) will be paid on a later date before the beginning of the sail.
If at least 12 members of Teekkaripurjehtijat has not signed up for the sail by Sunday 13.12.2022 and as well as paid their booking fees to Teekkaripurjehtijat, Teekkaripurjehtijat will cancel the adventure sail booking and return all booking fees in full to those who signed up for the sail.
The participant has a right to cancel their participation to the sail any time before the adventure sail, however Teekkaripurjehtijat is not reliable to return any payments made back to the participant. The participant can sell their right to attend the sail to another member of Teekkaripurjehtijat.
If the participation on the sail is not cancelled, if the participant fails to arrive to the departure harbour on time or if the participant is not able to attend the sail due to failing to follow the official rules and regulations in place due to coronavirus and/or otherwise required documents for international travel (for example, but not limited to valid passport, visas, ID or vaccination certificates), the participant is not entitled to any refunds.
Exceptional situations (force majeure) and cancellation of the sailing
Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF and Teekkaripurjehtijat have right to change the schedule or route of the sailing or to cancel the event, if certain reasons occur that are not dependent on the organisers. Such reasons include but are not limited to: damage of the ship, actions of the authorities, epidemics, weather forecasts or conditions considered dangerous, war, uprising or similar state of emergency, and a medical issue on board that needs hospital care. Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF or Teekkaripurjehtijat do not cover any participant’s accommodation, travel or flights related costs or damage resulting from changes of the schedule or departure or arrival harbours, if the changes are result of a reason not dependent of the organisers. If the sail is cut short because of reasons not dependent on the organisers, Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF refunds a part of the cost comparable to the remaining voyage to Teekkaripurjehtijat, and Teekkaripurjehtijat further refunds the corresponding amounts to the participants.
Participants condition of health and ability to participate
The participant is responsible and reliable to be in a suitable condition of health and abilities to participate the sail safely. In any case of worries or concerns, the participant is reliable to contact Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF and/or Teekkaripurjehtijat prior to the sail. It must be noted that that the captain has a right to cancel the participants right to attend the sail at any time, if the captain has a reason to believe the participant is not in a condition that allows them to safely participate to the sail. In this kind of event, Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF or Teekkaripurjehtijat are not reliable to make any refunds to the participant, or to pay any of the extra costs that might incur due to such an event.
What is included in the price
The participation fee will cover:
- Meals onboard the ship for the duration of the travel (breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper and snacks)
- Foul weather gear and safety equipment (sailing salopettes and sailing jacket, lifevest and lifeline)
- Teaching and education during the sail
- Accommodation onboard
- Harbour fees, saunas and shower facilities at harbours
The participation fee does not include:
- Participant’s travel cost to and from harbours
- Any fees or expenses that officials might require
- Cost of food outside the ship, any tours or events at different harbours
- Any cost of corona testing or certificates required before, during or after the sail (such as when arriving the harbour, any test made due to suspected coronavirus cases)
- Any travel insurances
- Face masks that are required at harbours and/or when leaving the ship
Handling of personal data
The participant accepts their personal information to be handed over to Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö/STAF and agrees with Suomen Purjelaivasäätiö’/STAF’s register and privacy policies.
Resolving disputes
Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this contract, or the breach, termination or validity thereof, shall be finally settled according to the law on Finland and at a Finnish lower court.
Sign up is now open, click this link!