Discover the Timeless Beauty of Rhodes

Sailing in Rhodes offers stunning coastlines, beautiful beaches, and excellent sailing conditions,

 making it a perfect destination for both novice and experienced sailors.

Day 1

Rhodes → Symi

~20‑25 nautical miles (≈3‑4h)

Depart from Mandraki Marina/Rhodes harbour. Sail to Symi. On arrival: explore the harbour of Gialos (colorful neoclassical houses), visit Panormitis Monastery (if time/interest), dine by the waterfront. Swim/snorkel in bays around the island (e.g. Agios Georgios). Relax and unwind. Day 2 Symi → Tilos ~20 NM-ish, moderate sail In Tilos: hike to Agios Panteleimon Monastery; walk through the castle, enjoy the sunset. Spend time on Livadia Beach. Perhaps a visit to Megalo Chorio (traditional villages). Night in Livadia port. Day 3 Tilos → Nisyros ~15‑20 NM   Nisyros is volcanic: visit the crater at Stefanos, explore Nikia (village perched on crater’s rim), thermal springs around Pale (if time), stroll Mandraki village. Optional dinner of local specialities.

 

Day 4

Nisyros → Kos

Short sail (~14‑20 NM)

  Kos is larger / more bustling: visit Asklepion (ancient healing centre), the ancient Agora, maybe Casa Romana or Roman Odeon. If inclined, rent bikes or scooters to explore more of the island; enjoy the town’s waterfront and evening atmosphere.



  

Day 5

Kos → Chalki via Tilos (or direct)

Depending on splits, could have 3‑5h sailing plus stops

  On Chalki: very quiet, slower pace. Explore the port Nimporio, hike to Chorio (abandoned village), relax on secluded beaches (Ftenagia, Pontamos). Eat fresh fish, enjoy sunset peace.  

Day 6

Chalki → Rhodes (with possible stop at Alimia or another islet)

Moderate sail (~30‑40 NM)

  On return to Rhodes, stop at a quiet anchorage/islet to swim/snorkel. Once in Rhodes, explore the Old Town: Palace of the Grand Master, walk city walls, visit museums. Enjoy Rhodes’ local food &  nightlife. 

Day 7

Rhodes (either relaxing day or local adventures)

Minimal sailing

  Depending on your flight/ferry time: relax on Rhodes beaches (e.g. Elli, Kallithea), do a wine tasting or cooking class, kayak or go sea cave swimming, or a jeep safari into the interior. Finish up in     Mandraki, farewell dinner in Old Town.


  

Onshore / Other Activity Ideas

To sprinkle through the week (especially on non‑sailing or semi‑sailing days):

• Archaeology & history: Lindos & its acropolis; Rhodes Old Town; Ancient Kamiros; possibly an archaeological site on Kos; Mandraki on Rhodes. 

• Hiking / nature walks: On Tilos; around crater on Nisyros; trails on Chalki; inland Rhodes villages; coastal hikes.

• Swimming & snorkelling: Bays near Symi, Alimia, beaches on Chalki & Rhodes; volcanic shores of Nisyros; maybe around islets.

• Watersports: Windsurfing / kitesurfing especially at Prasonisi (south of Rhodes), at Theologos, Ialyssos etc. 

• Culinary experiences: Local tavernas; seafood, local wine; perhaps a cooking class in Symi or Rhodes. 

• Cultural immersion: Visit monasteries, local markets, traditional villages; learn about local crafts.

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Tips & Logistics

• Best months are May‑June or September, milder winds, fewer crowds. July‑August hot and busy.

• Be mindful of Meltemi winds (stronger winds in summer) which can affect sailing times and anchorages.

• Mooring vs anchorage: plan for both; some nights docking in harbours, others anchoring in bays depending on facilities.

• Provisioning: stock up in larger islands (Rhodes, Kos) for fuel, food etc before heading to quiet islands.

• Flexibility: allow extra time in case you want to linger somewhere beautiful, or weather forces a change.

Would you like help planning your next trip?

Please let us know about your sailing experience and where you're planning to go by using our Contact Form on this Blog, with your requirements to receive immediate help and assistance and using our Vast Knowledge and Experience to Help and Guide You.

WITH 12,000 RENTAL YACHTS ACROSS 60 COUNTRIES WHICH ONE WILL YOU CHOOSE ?

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Incredible stories from one remarkable community the RYA 150 Podcast

Streaker East Anglian Series and South East Series at Up River Yacht Club

 

Whilst there was a distinct lack of wind when 25 sailors started rigging their Streakers at Up River YC, a breeze soon filled in for the inaugural Streaker open meeting. After a briefing on the eccentricities of sailing on the River Crouch, the fleet launched ahead of three exciting races.

Race 1 saw a clean start, with the fleet heading downriver on a fetch/beat. Those who could best negotiate the numerous shifts whilst managing the incoming tide led the fleet towards Brandy Hole.

Race 2 saw a similar course but with increased gusts - a blustery beat greeted the fleet following a general recall on the start line. 

Race 3 and the tide had turned by now, and it took the fleet three attempts before we were able to get away. Challenging conditions continued, most especially on the downwind leg as the fleet negotiated the tree-lined section of the bank.

After three races, it was Ben Harris who took third, with Class Chairman Neil Firth taking second. Ian Gore was first overall, concluding a successful inaugural Streaker open meeting at URYC. We hope you enjoyed it and all come back next year!

Thank you to all the volunteers at Up River Yacht Club for a very well run event, on and off the water.

This event qualifies for both the Streaker East Anglian and South East Series. The East Anglian Series concludes at Ouse Amateur on 21 September and the South East Series concludes at Burghfield on 4 October.

Tall Ship Offers Sea Trips for Disabled Young People

 

A tall ship is opening its deck to young people with disabilities. Sail Training Ireland is taking sign-ups for two “Sea Change for All” voyages this autumn.

The week-long trips run on the Pelican of London. Crews will sail from Dún Laoghaire in September and October.

Places are for anyone over 14 with a disability. A buddy or carer can also come along.

Organisers call it “challenging but fun”.

Unfortunately, wheelchair users cannot join due to the ship’s design.

Stops in the UK or the Isle of Man are planned, depending on the weather.

The project is backed by the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund, Rethink Ireland and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

“Inclusion has always been a key pillar of what we do,” Sail Training Ireland said.

The under-18 trip runs from 28 September to 5 October. The over-18 voyage is 7 to 13 October.

Both cost €150 and begin and end in Dún Laoghaire.

Apply online: Under-18s Voyage and Over-18s Voyage

Nacra 15 West Country Championship at Windsport, Mylor

 

On Saturday morning, after recovering from Friday's RYA British Youth Sailing Team bleep test, the sailors were greeted with windy and rainy weather. However, this didn't put them off as they were keen to get out and racing before the wind picked up later that afternoon. Once launched they were faced with some challenging conditions in the form of tide, wind and rain!

After three exhilarating races the results at the end of the first day were as follows:

1st Will and Eliza

2nd Marcus and Maddie

3rd Patrick and Jess

4th Thomas and Ffion

It was all still to play for going into the second day as only one point separated the top two boats.

On Sunday the conditions were very much similar with the plan being the same as yesterday, to launch early as get as many races in as possible.

The first race of the day was largely dominated by Maddie and Marcus who pieced together a near perfect race. 2nd and 3rd was very close between Patrick and Jess of GBR 070 and Will and Eliza, with close racing right up until the end.

The next race was also won by GBR 378 closely followed by GBR 334 and GBR 162 after GBR 070 had to retire due to boat breakages.

Therefore with only 3 boat on the course for the next race the line was a lot more open giving boats the chance to push harder. In the end the order was the same as the previous race.

On the final race GBR 070 now back on the race course and rocking a new spinnaker pole saw all 4 boats back on the start line. With the wind now really starting to fill in, it allowed the sailors to push boat speed to the maximum. GBR 334 lead round the first windward mark and managed to remain calm despite the challenging conditions around them, and hold off the other boats taking the final race win. Not far behind was GBR 378 and GBR 070 who had a great battle for 2nd and 3rd.

However, even after winning the final race of the day it wasn't quite enough to hold on to the lead, with the event win going to Marcus and Maddie on GBR 378 by only one point!

Congratulations to all boat who took part! The final results are as follows:

1st Marcus and Maddie GBR 378

2nd Will and Eliza GBR 334

3rd Patrick and Jess GBR 070

4th Thomas and Ffion GBR 162

To join in on the action please visit www.nacra15.co.uk or email us nacra15uk@gmail.com

Our training dates for the 2025/26 winter are now available on our website and online, don’t hesitate to get in touch to learn more about the fastest and most exciting youth class.

Southport's WLYC launches the 54th 24 Hour Race this weekend

 

West Lancashire Yacht Club's (WLYC) famous 24-Hour Race is back this weekend, 13th-14th September 2024. The 54th edition of the race once again brings Southport's Marine Lake to life, powered by the energy of sailors, volunteers and supporters who keep this unique tradition thriving.

This year, the race is even bigger, with a 25% jump in entries. A big reason is the inclusion of the Firefly class, which has sparked fresh interest from universities and student teams eager to be part of the action. The result is a fleet that mixes seasoned dinghy racers with younger crews taking on the challenge for the first time.

Of course, none of this would be possible without a huge volunteer effort. With 60+ entries, 800+ participants, 200+ volunteers from across the sailing community putting in 300+ shifts, the event today is a model of the collaborative spirit which imbues our sport. From laying the course and crewing the safety boats, to timekeeping, marshalling and keeping everything running through the night, it's a massive team effort that shows off the very best of Southport and the wider sailing community.

The race is also supported by an impressive line-up of backers: the RYA, the Firefly, GP14 and Enterprise Associations, Sefton Council, headline sponsor International, and event sponsors Marine Supplies Direct, Rooster, Harken, Allen, Sailpics, TEU and Ocean Plaza Leisure. Together with WLYC, they've helped make sure this year's event will be safe, exciting and memorable.

WLYC Commodore Richard Westlake summed it up:

"This event has always been more than a race—it's a tradition that brings sailors, families, and the community together. Without our volunteers and supporters, it simply wouldn't be possible. The WLYC 24 Hour Race showcases the very best of what sailing and Southport have to offer: teamwork, resilience, and community spirit."

The race begins at 12 noon on Saturday, 13th September and runs non-stop until 12 noon on Sunday, 14th September. With boats sailing right through the night, spectators all around the lake are guaranteed 24 hours of atmosphere, drama and plenty of action on the water.

Everyone is welcome to come along—whether you're a sailor yourself, a local looking for a great day out, or just curious to see what a 24 hour dinghy race looks like. There'll be chances to volunteer, cheer from the lakeside, or simply soak up the buzz. And with raffle proceeds going straight into youth sailing, the weekend is also helping to fund the future of the sport.

Back to School at Ripon Sailing Club

 

The training team at Ripon Sailing Club have been very busy over the summer running RYA courses for both adult and junior members. As a result there was a bumper turn out of 28 sailors for the Back to School sessions on Saturday 6th September, with almost all of the club's junior training boats booked out for the day.

Fortunately several of the club's youth sailors had volunteered to come down and coach, which is always popular with the juniors as "parents are too boring". The Racing (red) group were therefore very happy to head off down the narrows to the North lake with two of the young coaches to spend the morning working on improving their roll tacks and working on start drills.

The Intermediate (white) group has grown so much that it had to be split in two, with Oppies in one group and Toppers and Teras in the other. Both groups were working on improving their upwind sailing during the first part of the morning session, and followed that up with taking turns practising how to come alongside the jetties.

After a quick snack break several of the Beginner and Intermediate Oppy sailors decided it was time for some capsize practice, while the Tera and Topper sailors preferred to keep sailing for as long as possible. After eventually persuading even the keenest sailors (and swimmers) that it was time to stop and pack up the pizza order was taken and the sailors headed to the club house to finish off the day with an evening of pizza and board games.

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RS Vareo Rooster National Tour and Inland Championship 2025 at the Bala Sailing Club Regatta

 

Bala Sailing Club welcomed the RS Vareo fleet over the August Bank Holiday weekend to enjoy the vast expanse of water at Llyn Tegid to compete for the Inland Championship, as part of the Rooster National Tour 2025.

A competitive fleet of seven RS Vareos, comprising five visitors and two local boats, descended on Bala Sailing Club to enjoy the scenic location, spacious racecourse area and the family-friendly atmosphere of the Club.

There were close battles across the fleet with place changes both upwind and downwind as the fleet enjoyed the extended windward-leeward courses that Lake Tegid provides. Luke Fisher, Emberton Park Sailing Club, achieved a clean sweep of race wins to secure the Inland Championships; however, he did not have it all his own way, with both Chris Abbott and Nick Crickmore pushing him hard and leading the racing at times, just not at the end when it counted.

Overall Results: (top three)

1st - Luke Fisher (Emberton Park Sailing Club)

2nd - Chris Abbott (Nottingham Sailing Club)

3rd - Nick Crickmore (Waveney & Oulton Broad Sailing Club)

The wind over the three days was variable both in strength and direction; however, Principal Race Officer Mike Baldwin and his cast of many volunteers did an amazing job in getting six windward-leeward races in across three days. The Race Committee also attempted to fit a third race in on Monday; however, whilst waiting to go into the sequence, the wind increased with gusts of 30 mph recorded, and the decision was made to abandon racing for the day.

This sudden increase in wind strength and direction provided an opportunity for the RS Vareo fleet to stretch their legs and enjoy a kite blast back to the Sailing Club, and on the sail back, the highest recorded speed of 12.5 knots was achieved. A great end to three great days at Bala Sailing Club, enjoying the friendly family vibe of the Club and the excellent facilities both on and off the water.

The Rooster RS Vareo National Tour continues, and next up is the Illuminis Milton Keynes Open on 27 - 28 September, followed by the last event of the National Tour at Northampton Sailing Club, the Pitsford Finale on 1 - 2 November 2025.

Finally, a huge thanks to Bala Sailing Club for inviting the RS Vareo fleet to participate in the August Regatta and thanks also to the Race Committee and all the volunteers who helped make this event so enjoyable for all the visitors.

Sandhopper National Championship 2025 at Thorpe Bay Yacht Club

 

And the winner is Steve Hopper's 'Sand Swan', expertly helmed by Alex Farrell. Congratulations Alex and Steve, once again! Runner up is Mark Jewell's 'The Dogs... 5', Paul Farrell crewing. Congratulations Mark and Paul!

'Wild Gull' and 'Blue Jacket' won the pairings competition; well done Kevin Whittle, Mat Liss, David Johnson and Penny Allard.

The Barry Duce 'golden anchor' award was resurrected, and won by 'Fanta Sea's' Johnno Gillies & Jojo Gillies, for pulling up their own mooring!

First class racing was provided by Race Officers Allen Burrell and Paul Beasley, previous Sandhopper owners and National champions.

A super turnout of 21 boats, with 5 visiting boats from Maylandsea Bay Sailing Club and Harlow & Blackwater Sailing Club providing plenty of action to be enjoyed by our supporters on the balcony and a great spectacle for our seafront. What a great weekend, with superb breakfasts, and an excellent Saturday evening meal, enjoying the camaraderie of old Sandhopper friends and new. Superb service provided by Kerry, Chef Jack and team in the club house.

Thank you to Beverly Warrington and Howard Warrington for their assistance to the race officers, and to the support teams Scott Weller (providing personal RIB), Mike Floyd, Martin Swindon, Adrian Bunting, Sue Bunting and David Maynard (photographer).

We are most grateful to our class chairman Kevin Whittle, and committee members Mark Robinson and Harrison Floyd for coordinating the event and organising sponsorship for the class this year.

Many thanks to our very generous sponsors; Tempus, Woodbridge & Waldringfield Boatyard and Hunter's Solicitors.

Overall Results: -

Pos Sail No Boat Name Helm Crew R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 Pts

1 35 Sand Swan Alex Farrall Steve Hopper 1 1 1 2 1 ‑3 6

2 156 The Dogs 5 Mark Jewell Paul Farrall 3 3 ‑6 1 2 1 10

3 33 Sea Phantom Peter Thompson Clara Hunter ‑4 2 2 4 3 2 13

4 162 Disco Inferno Paul Graves Rob Graves ‑9 4 4 5 4 4 21

5 28 Wightstand Paul Gray Julia Batchelor 2 5 5 ‑6 5 5 22

6 154 Bluejacket David Johnson Penny Allard 8 6 (OCS) 3 6 6 29

7 150 Little Wing Dominic Speller Pippa Mintern 10 ‑11 8 8 9 9 44

8 27 Remedy Chas Gibson Sean Harman 12 8 (RET) 10 7 8 45

9 29 Wild Gull Kevin Whittle Matt Lis ‑17 9 7 9 8 13 46

10 152 Sand Spirit Ron Suffield Neil Clark 7 12 13 (RET) 10 7 49

11 26 Cracker Mark Robinson Janet Wilsmer 5 ‑13 10 13 11 11 50

12 40 Whisper Paul Wilkinson Craig Beech ‑15 14 12 7 13 10 56

13 14 Zeus Harrison Floyd Gary Levy ‑13 10 11 11 12 12 56

14 12 Sandstorm Howard Warrington Mark Mawditt / Alex Warrington 6 7 3 (RET) DNC DNC 60

15 11 Scruffy Andrew Hannah Simon Robinson 14 15 14 16 14 (DNC) 73

16 43 Range Life Steve Taylor Pete Brenchley & Martin Cutmore 18 ‑20 18 15 15 14 80

17 23 Fanta Sea Johnno Gillies JoJo Gillies 11 19 9 (RET) DNC DNC 83

18 57 Primo Mark Harman Team Primo 16 17 16 12 (RET) DNC 83

19 41 Squiffy James Reid Kai Zhao 19 18 17 14 (RET) DNC 90

20 157 Obsession Neil Hurrell Jeremy Sandford 20 16 15 (DNC) DNC DNC 95

21 10 True Blue Phil Carr Daisy Floyd 21 21 19 17 (DNC) DNC 100

Largs Regatta Festival Scottish Two Handed Race 2025

 

Records were broken on this year's Scottish Two Handed Race Round Arran by a spectacular performance by the multihull, Excalibur (Brian Young and Nick Bell) completing the 80 mile course in just over 8.5 hours, knocking almost 3 hours off the previous record.

In a race which has in previous years been dominated by light winds and frustration, the fresh SE breeze got everyone away to a fast start which continued throughout the day and evening bringing the Round Arran fleet home by midnight.

In class 1 (monohulls) Clockwork (Faulds/Gillespie) led the way and roared home followed closely by Sunrise (Scott and Max Chalmers). However it was the Moody 336 Shearwater (Garth Wilson/Craig Hebblewhite), winners of last weekend's Yacht of the Weekend, which claimed the Viking Sword for fastest corrected time on the Round Arran course. For the first time this year Class 1 yachts were fitted with Yellow Brick trackers allowing those at home as well as the race officer to keep track on performances, all yachts finished by midnight to the relief of the race officer, Pete Wright.

On the shorter 40 mile Round Holy Island course conditions were ideal for almost straight line sailing with a fast reach back from Holy Island, through the channel separating the Cumbrae Islands, to the finish off Largs Sailing Club. Fastest boat home and first on corrected time in Class 3 was Infinite Improbability (Sam Dryden and Callum Calder) well ahead of Ian MacDonald and Jeremy Glen's Sunfast 37, Artemis.

In the popular class 4 long standing Fairlie Yacht Club competitor, Craig Anderson with crew Roger Lewis, stole first place on Cool Bandit by a minute from Gambling (Peter Judd and Dom Todd). Despite being the smallest and slowest boat in Class 5 Wavelength (Carolyn Elder and Bob Byers) took the prize from the much larger Moody 46, Moorea, (Dom and Gerry Mackay) who, as brothers, were also awarded the family prize. Best performance by the youngest pair went to Fankle (Fiona and Michael Hughes) with a special award being made to long standing Two Handed competitor, Ian Nicolson, who at 97, took third place in Class 5. All yachts on the Holy Island were finished by 5pm, another record!

The Scottish Two Handed Race is a unique event in the sailing calendar pitting all sizes and speeds of yachts against each other, equalised by having only two people on board. The apres race chat always reveals adventures and errors and brings together unique camaraderie. Many thanks are due to the generous sponsorship from Arran Distillers and Arran Sense of Scotland for their fabulous product prizes and to Coastworks for their support boat throughout.

For full details and results see :-  largsregattafestival.com