Sailing is a different thing altogether: no engine noise and another pace. They go out with a skipper and take up to 9 passengers.
| Boat | Seats | Marina |
|---|---|---|
| Sailing boat, 12.2 m | 9 | Puerto Banús |
Hiring a sailing boat is a different thing: you go slower, with no engine noise, and that changes the whole day. It is the option for anyone who wants to actually sail, not just get to a cove.
The sailing boat in the fleet is 12.2 metres and takes up to 9 passengers. It goes out with a skipper, who can sail it himself or teach you to sail it: if you are interested in learning, say so when you book and the trip is set up differently.
Sailing boat hire on the Costa del Sol is concentrated in Puerto Banús, which is where ours is moored. It depends on the wind, so the plan is settled on the day looking at the forecast. In a light westerly you run along towards Marbella; in a strong easterly you go out under engine, or change the date.
A sailing boat runs on the wind, so it goes slower — between 5 and 8 knots against the 20 of a motor boat — and it depends on the day's conditions. In exchange there is no engine noise, no smell of diesel, and the boat leans and moves with the sea.
For anyone whose aim is to reach a cove quickly, a sailing boat is the worse choice. For anyone who wants to spend the day sailing and for the passage itself to be the plan, there is no comparison.
Yes, and it is one of the reasons people book it. The skipper can sail the boat himself or teach as he goes: trimming and easing the sails, reading where the wind is coming from, taking the helm on passage and putting in a tack.
Say so when you book, because the trip is set up differently: more sailing, fewer stops, and moderate wind conditions are chosen, which are the ones that let you learn without having a bad time.
The sailing boat in the fleet is 12.2 metres and takes up to 9 passengers. On a sailing boat the deck is narrower than on a motor boat of the same size, and there are shrouds, winches and lines in the way.
With nine people it is tight for a full day. Six are comfortable and can move about without getting in the way of the working of the boat, which is what matters when it is time to tack.
You still go out and motor. Every sailing boat has an engine, and on the Costa del Sol there are days of flat calm in the middle of August: it is normal at midday in summer.
The thermal breeze usually fills in during the afternoon, from the south-west, and then you are sailing. That is why a full-day trip almost always ends better than a two-hour one: there is time for the wind to appear.
It moves differently. A sailing boat heels — leans over — when it is sailing, and that is startling the first time, but it is a steady, predictable movement that usually sits better than the pitching of a motor boat.
Anyone prone to seasickness has a worse time at anchor than under way. If in doubt, the practical thing is to take the tablet an hour before leaving, stay on deck and look at the horizon, not at your phone.
Below 5 knots there is nothing to be done: you go out under engine. Between 8 and 15 knots is the good range, the boat sails comfortably and you can learn. Above 20 knots the trip stops being pleasant for anyone who does not sail regularly.
On the Costa del Sol the summer pattern is calm in the morning and a south-westerly thermal breeze filling in from two or three in the afternoon. That is why an afternoon trip usually gives better sailing than a morning one — the opposite of almost everything else here.
Shoes with a white or light sole that will not mark the deck, and closed-toe if possible: on a sailing boat there are cleats and fittings underfoot and toes suffer. Flip-flops, as few as possible.
Even in hot weather a windproof top is worth having: sailing at 7 knots with the breeze coming in, it feels a good deal cooler, particularly towards sunset. And sunglasses with a cord, because the glare off the water on a sailing boat is constant and one wave takes a pair away in a second.
If it is not here, call us: two minutes on the phone and it is sorted.
No. The sailing boat goes out with a skipper. If you are interested in learning, say so when you book and the trip is set up differently, with the skipper teaching rather than just sailing.
You go out under engine and still have the day, although it is not the same experience. The plan is settled on the day itself looking at the forecast, and if it does not suit, the date is changed at no charge.
Up to nine passengers. On a sailing boat the deck is narrower than on a motor boat, so nine is tight for a full day.
The sailing boat is moored in Puerto Banús, not in Fuengirola. It is a good half hour by car between the two marinas.
Leave us your number and we will call you. In July and August it is worth booking ahead.
Puerto Deportivo de Fuengirola, local 367. You can drop in and see the boats before you book.
At no charge. Going out to see what happens is never worth it.
Life jackets for everyone on board, included in the price.
