Sail Training

Sail training has long been recognised as the best way to educate young sailors, even in an age when steam and diesel have largely replaced sails at sea. It is still exhilarating to harness the power of the wind, and to experience the challenge of sailing a traditional ship under varying weather conditions.

Teenagers benefit the most from sail training. Sail Training International identifies 7 key benefits for young trainees:

 

1. COMMUNICATION SKILLS: INCREASED SOCIAL CONFIDENCE

Studies have found that young people who have taken part in sail training show increased social interaction and an improved ability to communicate with others.

2. FACE YOUR FEARS: ABILITY TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES

Sailing presents challenges that require you to step out of your comfort zone on a daily basis. This could be everything from overcoming vertigo up in the rigging, to keeping your breakfast down in rough seas.

3. NEW SKILLS: TECHNICAL SAILING KNOWLEDGE

Surprisingly, learning about the technical aspects of sailing isn’t the most important thing about sail training. However, you will learn a lot, which you’ll find interesting and it’ll help you improve your knowledge and understanding.

 

4. ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS: UNDERSTANDING OF SUSTAINABILITY AND THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

Every adventure presents different sights, sounds and experiences. You’ll likely get the chance to spot dolphins, whales, flying fish and all sorts of sea birds, though. So, don’t forget to pack your guidebooks and binoculars. You can also learn about clouds, weather, astronomy and sea states whilst on board.

5. BECOME BRAVE: LEARN TO OVERCOME FEARS AND ANXIETIES

During every sail training adventure, you’ll experience lots of situations where you’ll need to step outside your comfort zone. You might even face stressful or difficult situations. But don’t worry, the crew is there to support you. And research has shown that the ability to cope in these circumstances is transferable to everyday life.

 

6. TEAM WORK: UNDERSTAND, AND WORK WELL WITHIN, HIERARCHAL STRUCTURES

There are lots of different hierarchical living environments on board a vessel. These give you the opportunity to understand methods of integration that you’ll find invaluable

 

7. NEW SKILLS: INCREASED LEVELS OF ACADEMIC ABILITY AND ACHIEVEMENT

You’ll learn lots of skills on board, including self-management and overcoming challenges. These important qualities have been proven to help you achieve more in your future academic studies.

8. CULTURAL COMPETENCE: BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Sail training knows no borders. One of the greatest aspects of our Tall Ships Races and Regattas is the number of friends you’ll make from different cultural backgrounds.

 

 

8. CULTURAL COMPETENCE: BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Sail training knows no borders. One of the greatest aspects of our Tall Ships Races and Regattas is the number of friends you’ll make from different cultural backgrounds.

 

9. FUTURE EMPLOYABILITY: IMPROVE THE STRENGTH OF YOUR CV

Most of you will have heard the expression, “You can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t get experience without a job.” Don’t panic – taking part in a sail training adventure can give you valuable experience that makes you as employable as possible, without having a job.

You’ll gain experience and build skills in lots of different areas. This can help you in every aspect of your life, including your career. Of course, employers are looking for traditional qualifications, but they’re also keen to see that you work well with others, have a high level of self-confidence, and can overcome a variety of challenges and difficulties. Participating in an adventure under sail is a great way to show employers what you’re made of… and to make your CV the stuff of legends.

Clipperbrig Morgenster is well suited to a variety of activities, from cruising holidays to corporate events, while remaining a first-class training vessel. Clipperbrig Morgenster features:

-      The good looks of the best vessels from the mid 19^th Century.

-      An extensive square rig suited to training young sailors.

-      The lower yards are relatively low and easily reached when climbing.

-      Small sails that are more manageable for trainees.

-      A strong learning environment and room to explore within safe boundaries.

-      A cheerful and international crew that is fully involved in the trainee learning process

-      Crew experience with remedial education environments.

-      No television, but a lot of music making. Many trainees pick up playing an instrument on board.

 

-      Length under 50 metres that provides exemption from pilot duty in many ports.

-      A fast sailing vessel, with good speed in light breezes and very manageable in heavy weather. For a square rigger she beats well to windward.

-      For sailing in the trade winds during ocean crossings, Morgenster is fitted with stun’sails.

 

Sail training voyages on Morgenster:

Tall Ship Races

In the summer holidays Morgenster participates in the Tall Ship Races. The trainees mainly come from European countries, but sometimes from further afield, for example India and China. In the Start Port (Esbjerg in 2022) the trainees embark and receive instruction and training. They also have time off to have a look at what Esbjerg has to offer.

On the next day the vessels perform a Sail Parade before making their way to the starting position. After the start the vessels sail as fast as they can to a waypoint far out to sea, turn around it and race to the finish port (Harlingen in 2022) During the race, group esteem grows rapidly on all vessels and when they meet in port this energy travels through the whole fleet. The parties can get pretty wild! The host port organises interesting excursions and sport activities. The trainees build up new and valuable networks crossing borders and cultural differences.

Sea training voyages for seafarer schools

Morgenster performs sea training for several seafaring schools. On a typical trip, we sail over the North Sea for a number of days and nights. The aim is to get the trainees used to life on board, isolated from the distractions of everyday life on shore, to let them cope with each other and learn teamwork in a new environment. This experience of a week at sea has been a real turning point and learning experience for many school classes.

Sail training for organizations with social aims

The organisation Sail Training Ireland performs projects to bring youngsters from the Republic and Northern Ireland together. We have also had some successful voyages with this organisation with two visually impaired trainees amongst the crew.

 

Sail Training for your organisation

If your organisation would like to achieve goals through sail training we will tailor your trip to your needs. We maintain  large pool of crew with a range of specialist skills, not least the techniques involved in sailing a square rigger.

After initial instruction and training our crew takes a step back to give the trainees space to discover how things work. There is a lot to discover, individually and as a team, to organise and to communicate and finally to accomplish together. The final result is clear to see, with well-set sails and a satisfied crew.