Last year Expat Club spent three days at sea with the beautiful 28 meters two-master sailing boat De Nele (see 2015 pics here). In 2016 we will again privately sail the North Sea a few times with this amazing ship.
However, today we also offer you the opportunity to join a (much) more adventurous sailing trip, namely with the illustrious Tomidi race sailing boat. This ship was 1st Over All in corrected time in D-Class (modern riggings with spinnakers) and was the 1st Over All Fastest Ship in the Tall Ships Race 2015. It participated 2x in the famous Whitbread Round the World race. Indeed, Expat Club is going in top gear! This. Goes. Fast!
This year we kick-off the sailing season with a major sailing event, namely the Oostende voor Anker festival. This classic maritime event boasts over 150 authentic ships, in all shapes, sizes and colours. The harbour and waters of Oostende will offer us a magnificent sight! What a spectacular day to go sailing!
Today we sail from Oostende to the historic city of Nieuwpoort and back. With its many fish shops and restaurants it is the perfect destination to walk around and have lunch. In 2015 we organised this trip 3 times and each time it was quickly fully booked. Don’t wait too long joining us!
Our trip to Oostende
We leave Brussels by train around 8h00Â from Midi Station. Your 2nd class train ticket is included in the price, so don’t worry about standing in line or figuring out how that ticketing machine works. You will receive all information about where we meet and what you need to bring on this trip a few days in advance. After a comfortable ride in a reserved section of the train we arrive in Oostende, the largest coastal city in Belgium.
Our two boats
For this trip you can choose between two different boats. The first boat is De Nele, a beautiful two-master of 28 meters long. Sailing on this lady is very relaxed. Although you’re not required to do anything except enjoying, some participants will be asked to help hoisting the sails. The second boat is the Tomidi, a whole different category boat. This boat guarantees the true sailing experience. It used to sail all around the world in the forerunner of the prestigious Volvo Ocean Race. Indeed, this is a true sailing boat that is not supposed to stay horizontal in the waters. It requires a more active participation. Needless to say that both boats have a professional crew, so we’re in safe hands.
DE NELE
From the train station it is just a few minutes walking to where we board the boat our boats. We first receive safety instructions as well as sailing instructions. Indeed, as a group we must do some work to get this ship going. Of course the friendly and helpful staff will show us what to do, but it’s a big ship and some extra pairs of hands are necessary to hoist the sails. No worries, sailing experience is not necessary! Everybody can join us on this memorable trip and if you don’t feel like helping out, you can just relax while others do the work.Â
We are sailing with a classic yet modern ship that was built only 12 years ago: De Nele. “Past, present and future come together on board this two-master. The “Nele” was built after the design of the historical Oostende two-mast smack and in accordance with the best sailing traditions. However, the ship is brand-new! It boasts exceptional classic line and seaworthiness. In short, nostalgia and craftmanship going hand in hand.”
On board we will find everything that we would need for a comfortable day at sea, including seats, a restroom and a kitchen. Expat Club offers a limited selection of drinks and snacks, but if you would like something else the crew could help you as well with some drinks for affordable (= low) prices.
The Tomidi, a 57.5 footer Whitbread Round the World Racer, is the only Belgian ocean sail racer ever to have participated 2 times in the mentioned prestigious race (1985/86 and 1989/90, which is now called The Volvo Ocean Race.
The Tomidi’s (1986) length over all is 17.54 m, the over all beam is 4.85 m, her maximum draft is 2.95 m and the ship has a deplacement of 18 metric tonnes. The ship sails 16 persons, and is of course equipped with all the necessary safety, communication and navigational devices. On purpose the interior outfit has mainly been conserved as it was during the ship’s last circumnavigation.
Needless that this is true sailing. Sailing experience is not necessary, but everybody needs to actively participate when the skipper needs your help (e.g. going to the other side of the boat). If you join this boat for the day, which you can indicate during checkout, there will be a surcharge of €50 for the day. Please note that you must wear proper shoes for sailing, white soles only (black shoes soles are forbidden!). In case of rain you will be provided with water tight jackets, but make sure to dress up properly.
For both boats
After a few hours sailing we will reach Nieuwpoort. This little town has a long history. Besides, it boast Northern Europe’s largest yacht harbour. We will spend some time here to walk around and have lunch before we board our boat again and sail back towards Oostende.
Depending on the weather, we may also organise a nice lunch on board with freshly baked fish, shrimp, salad and probably some fries (price about €10-12,50). Please note that you will need to be able to climb some vertical stairs to get on the docks because the tides cause significant changes in water level of several meters. For everyone on our previous trips this was not a problem (although one lady suffered from a fear of heights).
The arrival time is about 18h00, but of course this depends to a great extend on the wind conditions. We make a short walk through Oostende and finish the day with a nice drink and maybe a quick snack before we head back to Brussels by train. The estimated arrival time is around 21h00. Note that we must travel as a group. If you would like to depart or return earlier, you are responsible for getting your own ticket (it’s namely included in the fee).
Last year Expat Club spent three days at sea with the beautiful 28 meters two-master sailing boat De Nele (see 2015 pics here). In 2016 we will again privately sail the North Sea a few times with this amazing ship.
However, today we also offer you the opportunity to join a (much) more adventurous sailing trip, namely with the illustrious Tomidi race sailing boat. This ship was 1st Over All in corrected time in D-Class (modern riggings with spinnakers) and was the 1st Over All Fastest Ship in the Tall Ships Race 2015. It participated 2x in the famous Whitbread Round the World race. Indeed, Expat Club is going in top gear! This. Goes. Fast!
This year we kick-off the sailing season with a major sailing event, namely the Oostende voor Anker festival. This classic maritime event boasts over 150 authentic ships, in all shapes, sizes and colours. The harbour and waters of Oostende will offer us a magnificent sight! What a spectacular day to go sailing!
Today we sail from Oostende to the historic city of Nieuwpoort and back. With its many fish shops and restaurants it is the perfect destination to walk around and have lunch. In 2015 we organised this trip 3 times and each time it was quickly fully booked. Don’t wait too long joining us!
Our trip to Oostende
We leave Brussels by train around 8h00Â from Midi Station. Your 2nd class train ticket is included in the price, so don’t worry about standing in line or figuring out how that ticketing machine works. You will receive all information about where we meet and what you need to bring on this trip a few days in advance. After a comfortable ride in a reserved section of the train we arrive in Oostende, the largest coastal city in Belgium.
Our two boats
For this trip you can choose between two different boats. The first boat is De Nele, a beautiful two-master of 28 meters long. Sailing on this lady is very relaxed. Although you’re not required to do anything except enjoying, some participants will be asked to help hoisting the sails. The second boat is the Tomidi, a whole different category boat. This boat guarantees the true sailing experience. It used to sail all around the world in the forerunner of the prestigious Volvo Ocean Race. Indeed, this is a true sailing boat that is not supposed to stay horizontal in the waters. It requires a more active participation. Needless to say that both boats have a professional crew, so we’re in safe hands.
DE NELE
From the train station it is just a few minutes walking to where we board the boat our boats. We first receive safety instructions as well as sailing instructions. Indeed, as a group we must do some work to get this ship going. Of course the friendly and helpful staff will show us what to do, but it’s a big ship and some extra pairs of hands are necessary to hoist the sails. No worries, sailing experience is not necessary! Everybody can join us on this memorable trip and if you don’t feel like helping out, you can just relax while others do the work.Â
We are sailing with a classic yet modern ship that was built only 12 years ago: De Nele. “Past, present and future come together on board this two-master. The “Nele” was built after the design of the historical Oostende two-mast smack and in accordance with the best sailing traditions. However, the ship is brand-new! It boasts exceptional classic line and seaworthiness. In short, nostalgia and craftmanship going hand in hand.”
On board we will find everything that we would need for a comfortable day at sea, including seats, a restroom and a kitchen. Expat Club offers a limited selection of drinks and snacks, but if you would like something else the crew could help you as well with some drinks for affordable (= low) prices.
The Tomidi, a 57.5 footer Whitbread Round the World Racer, is the only Belgian ocean sail racer ever to have participated 2 times in the mentioned prestigious race (1985/86 and 1989/90, which is now called The Volvo Ocean Race.
The Tomidi’s (1986) length over all is 17.54 m, the over all beam is 4.85 m, her maximum draft is 2.95 m and the ship has a deplacement of 18 metric tonnes. The ship sails 16 persons, and is of course equipped with all the necessary safety, communication and navigational devices. On purpose the interior outfit has mainly been conserved as it was during the ship’s last circumnavigation.
Needless that this is true sailing. Sailing experience is not necessary, but everybody needs to actively participate when the skipper needs your help (e.g. going to the other side of the boat). If you join this boat for the day, which you can indicate during checkout, there will be a surcharge of €50 for the day. Please note that you must wear proper shoes for sailing, white soles only (black shoes soles are forbidden!). In case of rain you will be provided with water tight jackets, but make sure to dress up properly.
For both boats
After a few hours sailing we will reach Nieuwpoort. This little town has a long history. Besides, it boast Northern Europe’s largest yacht harbour. We will spend some time here to walk around and have lunch before we board our boat again and sail back towards Oostende.
Depending on the weather, we may also organise a nice lunch on board with freshly baked fish, shrimp, salad and probably some fries (price about €10-12,50). Please note that you will need to be able to climb some vertical stairs to get on the docks because the tides cause significant changes in water level of several meters. For everyone on our previous trips this was not a problem (although one lady suffered from a fear of heights).
The arrival time is about 18h00, but of course this depends to a great extend on the wind conditions. We make a short walk through Oostende and finish the day with a nice drink and maybe a quick snack before we head back to Brussels by train. The estimated arrival time is around 21h00. Note that we must travel as a group. If you would like to depart or return earlier, you are responsible for getting your own ticket (it’s namely included in the fee).
