2027-18 | FALKEN | SAIL TRAINING: Madeira-Las Palmas
Join FALKEN in magical Madeira for an intense week of proper sail training as we make our way over to the Canaries. These passages are a bit different than our normal A-to-B passages in that we have ample opportunity for more formal teaching than normal. We'll spend more time going over boat systems & watch systems, for example, and have a chance to hit every point of sail from upwind to spinnaker sailing downwind. As it's only 250-miles over to Las Palmas, we'll also have the chance to anchor in one or two of the other islands in the Canaries for a break from the sea and a chance to see some more places en route! Due to the orca situation in and around Portugal we've opted to skip the mainland altogether and stop off in Madeira instead, a rugged, magical island that we've only ever actually been to once in the history of 59º North. You'll meet the boat in Madeira, and if you have time, we highly recommend coming a few days early to explore. Once across Biscay it's much smoother sailing in cool fall conditions en route to the Canary Islands. Las Palmas will be our port of call in 2027, a place we've gotten to know quite well over the years, and a beautiful coastal city with easy access to Gran Canaria's rugged & mountainous interior. The marina in Las Palmas is one of the biggest in Europe, with thousands of boats from across the globe preparing for parts unknown.
The Passage
Rough itinerary
All 59º North passages are very much subject to weather. We pick our routes based on the "correct" time of year to be sailing in the different regions we visit, and we always build-in enough time to give us some margin for weather windows. The skipper has final say on departure dates and weather windows, but generally speaking, the intinerary for this passage will look like this:
November 4, 2027
Crew arrive to FALKEN at 1300 in Funchal, Portugal. FALKEN orientation followed by crew dinner. All crew stay onboard FALKEN.
Prep Days
Between the joining and departure dates, all pre-passage preparation, provisioning, and safety briefings will be completed. The specific pre-departure schedule will be outlined and posted onboard FALKEN by the skipper.
November 6, 2027
Scheduled departure, weather dependent.
November 10, 2027
Latest date (12:00 noon) for crew to depart FALKEN from Las Palmas, Canary Islands.
PASSAGE DETAILS
Crew often say that they learn more with 59º North in a week then they've ever learned at a 'formal' sailing school, and that's just on our 'normal' passages! With our dedicated Sail Training weeks, we have more time to dive deep on a whole host of topics. The list below represents a typical week of Sail Training onboard FALKEN:
- Fire, flooding and abandoning ship at sea
- Lifejackets & all safety gear
- Medical emergencies & kit onboard
- MOB and different techniques for recovery on different boats (including short-handed)
- What to look for when buying a boat and what makes it safe
- Rig checks: what to look for
- Pilotage, weather, paper charts, COLREGS...
- Sail trimming and sail inventory for cruising
- Downwind sailing including preventers, gybing, settin up the pole, spinnaker training, wing-on-wing
- Loss of steering cables and rudder, including setting up the drogue and the emergency tiller as an emergency steering system
- Reefing, tacking & blind steering
- Storm tactics theory
- Mission critical spares and how to look after your boat
- Winch maintenance, engine service, battery management & all systems onboard
Sail Training weeks are skippered by our dedicated full-time staff. They not only skipper our trips, but also maintain the boat, so they know the boat inside and out and they have hundreds of thousands of offshore miles between them!
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
Funchal
Las Palmas
Weather conditions
In-depth analysis, by WRI
WHY 59º NORTH?
ambitious sailing schedule
The best boats
WOMEN BUNKS GUARANTEED
Professional, well-paid staff
knowledge & community
Why it costs what it costs...
"Cruelling and unforgettable! I knew I would be inspired by Nikki and Alex—true professionals—but it was the inspiration I took from my crewmates that will stay with me for a lifetime. As a blue water cruiser, this experience definitely made me a better ocean sailor!"
"I really didn’t know what to expect on my trip. I knew it was going to be about 800 miles, the Bay of Biscay is notoriously challenging, and there was a remote possibility of orca attacks. Thankfully, we were safe, but the Bay of Biscay did not disappoint, and we logged more than 1,000 miles. Our skipper and mate, Nikki Henderson and Emma Garschagen, far exceeded any expectation I had, and at no time did I ever feel unsafe, which allowed me to fully take in every experience. I learned a ton, had a great time, and left with a new sense of confidence that I never expected."
"I highly recommend the experience of doing a passage on ISBJØRN. I gained valuable offshore experience on a fine boat, learned how Andy and Mia competently manage their boat, learned about celestial navigation, and had a great time doing it. Completing ISBJØRN's first back-to-back 200 mile day passage was a smokin' fast bonus!"
"There are so few opportunities in our lives, unless we seek them out, for adventure, exploration, and personal challenge. Doing hard things results in personal satisfaction and makes life meaningful. If people don't understand that and want more creature comforts than 59º North trips offer, then they're not the right people for you. Keep doing what you're doing and there will be plenty of crew who share your values wishing to join you."
"I'm still processing everything I saw, felt, learned, and experienced over those 17 days, but there are a few things I wanted to express before the land sickness wears off and I return to my landlubber life. Your Skippers and Mates created an environment of calm, comfort, and confidence that washed away any apprehension I had about joining seven strangers on a 1600-mile round trip. I am blown away by their depth of knowledge, not only of sailing but also in teaching a crew of widely different experience levels without a hint of condescension. I would not hesitate to sail with them again, and we're already scoping out future dates on the cal."
"Andy & Paul were amazing from the practice sails to the race itself; I never thought I'd be able to participate in such an exciting event. I'd also like to thank Liz & Lee, your first mates, who were always on hand to encourage us, teach us, and swap stories. I came away with tremendous respect for ISBJØRN, her captain, and the excellent crew she attracts. I'm definitely coming back."
"I had an unbelievable sailing experience aboard ISBJØRN with Naxo as skipper and David as apprentice. They took special care to accommodate everyone's wants and needs, and we sailed every point of sail, practiced MOB drills, docking, navigating, trip planning, and weather forecasting. The food was hot, plentiful, and varied, even during our cold offshore passage. I plan on doing this trip again and recommend that you do too. Thanks to 59º North, Naxo, and David."
THE BOAT
Farr 65
'
FALKEN
'
🇬🇧
FALKEN is ideally set up for long-distance offshore sailing. We fully rebuilt the boat in 2022 to our exacting specifications and with the help of legendary yacht designer Bob Perry. She's comfortable belowdecks and each crew has their own dedicated sea berth & gear locker. On deck she has a huge cockpit which easily seats 10 people for our daily meals offshore, and allows for plenty of room to move about when handling lines and trimming sails. She's also easy to maintain, fast and fun to sail! FALKEN sails with 8 crew plus a Skipper & Mate and the occasional apprentice.
packing lists & notes
Packing Notes
Start here when planning your packing for sailing with 59º North. This list includes the general basics for all of our passages. The passage-specific packing lists offer more details.
Cold | Warm Packing List
This will be a "transitional" passage, either starting in warmer climes and increasing in latitude until it's significantly cooler, or vice versa. Another one of those trips where you'll need to pack one of everything for changing conditions. See the packing list for specifics.