Expeditions

OUTDOOR GIRL & WILD BOY

17ft Outdoor Girl

Our 2 spritsail yawls are replicas of actual 19th Century fishing boats that worked the inshore waters of Cornwall. The original 1880 Gorran Haven crabbers were originally designed to sail off the beach and drop lobster pots along rocky shores under sail and oar.

Outdoor Girl was the first boat to pioneer Debbie's wild camping expeditions during the pandemic. Her removable middle seat means you can sleep under a boom tent or find a wooded glade or beach ashore to camp with tents.

16ft Wild Boy

The sail and camp expeditions really struck a chord with a new generation of outdoor enthusiast and sailors on a budget. Outdoor Girl proved you don't need yacht to go adventuring. The concept was so popular that that Debbie built a second Gorran Haven Crabber at the Boat Building Academy in 2021. Wild Boy is a bit smaller but has all the same attributes that make a great dinghy cruising boat - space to sleep without a centreboard, galley box, lots of anchors. Beach legs so the boat can stand upright on the sand.

Beachcraft & Navigation Skills

We use 44ft Tallulah as a floating expedition base and classroom for our longer 6 day courses. We day sail the small boats from alongside Tallulah or from St Mawes Harbour, learning a multitude of skills without an engine.

The offshore boat, and our electric outboard for the small boats, means we can re locate the mini fleet to Helford, the River Fal or other local creeks - but always have a comfy base to return to for meals and overnight. Your instructor Debbie is a Yachtmaster Instructor who has taught RYA sailing and navigation courses on a 38ft pilot cutter, run Duke of Edinburgh expeditions on boats for young people, run coasteering courses and spent a lot of time rowing to pubs in the moonlight.

Wild Camping Under Sail

In Cornwall the big spring tides twice a month offer high water times in the evening and morning. Most our 3 day expeditions utilise this to sail and row the crabbers far inland. Oak woodland overhangs small beaches and forgotten stone quays, salt marshes hide ancient waterways where Romans once traded and curlews and owls call. In the middle of the day, when the tides are low you can show off your new found skills. Sail, row or scull into harbour with grace and seamanship. Drop a stern anchor and sail up to the beach.

Let us be your adventure buddy

What You Get

Quality time outdoors, close to nature and the companionship of skipper who loves to share her passion for sailing, rowing, wildlife, wild swimming and everything to do with the coast, ocean and Cornwall’s rich maritime heritage.