Completed2025 · Last year
20–22 June 2025
Cruise Prep — Solent
A final Solent weekend getting Nimrod ready for the voyage north. Gear came aboard, systems were checked and the boat was prepared for Scotland.
Area: Solent
Your action list
Before you join
A fair few words follow. These are the things you need to do before arriving.
- Send your next-of-kin details
- Tell Paul about relevant medical issues, allergies, injuries or phobias
- Confirm dietary requirements and favourite snacks or drinks
- Pack using the crew kit list. Soft bags only, please
- Bring any seasickness medication you may need
- Check your waterproofs before arrival
- Download Settle Up for iPhone or Android. You’ll pay for trip costs along the way and it keeps everything simple
- Save the PredictWind tracker
- Bring chargers and a power bank if needed
- Label anything expensive that you don’t want mysteriously migrating around the boat
2025–2026 sailing log
Trips aboard Nimrod
The November sailing plans open in the centre. Explore last year’s adventures or browse the log in date order.
Summer voyage complete · November next
Gosport · Back on her mooring
Latest update · 27 September 2026
Nimrod is back on her mooring in Gosport after completing the journey home from Dublin. Two relaxed social sailing weekends are planned for November, with a third date held as a weather reserve. See the tracker for her latest reported position.
Completed2025 · Last year
28 June – 5 July 2025
Westbound — Solent to Pwllheli
Paul, Andy and Martin sailed west via Weymouth and Teignmouth, where JC joined. After Dartmouth, an overnight passage brought two nights in the Scillies. They continued through Milford Haven to Pwllheli, where Martin and JC left.
Route: Solent → Weymouth → Teignmouth → Dartmouth → Isles of Scilly → Milford Haven → Pwllheli
Highlight: The overnight sail to the Scillies and two nights among the islands.
Completed2025 · Last year
5–12 July 2025
Ireland to the Hebrides
Paul and Andy crossed to Dún Laoghaire, worked north through Ireland and the islands, and reached Loch Melfort. Nimrod stayed at Kilmelford Yacht Haven while Paul headed south to race aboard Winston in the Fastnet.
Route: Pwllheli → Dún Laoghaire → Ardglass → Bangor → Browns Bay → Rathlin → Jura → Gigha → Loch Melfort
Highlight: Crossing to Ireland and reaching Scotland’s west coast.
Completed2025 · Last year
11–17 August 2025
12 Islands in Seven Days
Paul, Katie and Rosie explored the Inner Hebrides, collecting Owen on Coll. The week took them through the Small Isles to Loch Scavaig, then back via a Coll ceilidh with Gary and Anne, Tobermory and Oban.
Route: Oban → Kerrera → Loch Buie → Tinkers Hole → Iona → Staffa → Gometra → Coll → Muck → Eigg → Rum → Canna → Loch Scavaig → Coll → Tobermory → Oban
Highlight: 12 islands in seven days.
Completed2025 · Last year
18–24 August 2025
Rum Cuillin Adventure
Ed and Tris joined Paul for a week aimed at Skye’s Cuillin Ridge. Conditions shifted the goal to Rum. After a beach BBQ on Sleat, they walked from the boat to Dibidil Bothy and completed the Rum Cuillin traverse.
Route: Oban → Tobermory → Eigg → Sleat → Rum → Eigg → Sound of Mull → Oban
Highlight: Sailing to Rum and traversing the Rum Cuillin.
Completed2025 · Last year
25–31 August 2025
Hebrides Weather Adventure
Weather ruled out St Kilda and the Outer Hebrides. The crew found an unexpected ceilidh on Canna, sailed into Skye for Talisker Distillery and returned via Rum, Eigg and Loch Drambuie. This closed three adventure weeks based in Oban.
Route: Oban → Tobermory → Canna → Skye / Talisker → Rum → Eigg → Loch Drambuie → Oban
Highlight: The Canna ceilidh and sailing into Skye for Talisker.
Completed2025 · Last year
September 2025
The Journey Home — Oban to Bangor
With no takers for the planned circumnavigation, Rosie joined Paul for the first stage home through the Irish Sea. They sailed via Craobh Haven and Crinan, then made a long passage to Bangor, where Rosie left.
Route: Oban → Craobh Haven → Crinan → Bangor
Highlight: The long passage from Crinan to Bangor.
Completed2025 · Last year
September 2025
Solo to Dublin
Paul continued alone from Bangor to Ardglass, then crossed to Dublin for a short solo section of the voyage home.
Route: Bangor → Ardglass → Dublin
Highlight: Solo sailing down the Northern Irish coast and across to Dublin.
Completed2025 · Last year
September–October 2025
Dublin to Gosport — The Homecoming
Simon, Will and George joined Paul in Dublin. After sheltering in Wicklow, they crossed to Dale, visited Lundy and sailed overnight to St Ives for ice cream and a jam-first cream tea. They rounded Land’s End for Newlyn, where George and Will left.
Deborah joined in Penzance. After the Lizard and Plymouth, Simon left and Rosie joined. A bumpy Start Point passage led to Dartmouth as a storm came through. After Brixham and Torquay, Rosie left. Debs and Paul sailed one final long day past Portland, through the Needles Channel and home to Gosport.
Route: Dublin → Wicklow → Dale → Lundy → St Ives → Newlyn / Penzance → Lizard → Plymouth → Dartmouth → Brixham → Torquay → Gosport
Highlight: Lundy, the night sail to St Ives, Land’s End and the homecoming to Gosport.
10–19 April 2026
🇫🇷 France Birthday Trip
Route: Solent → Cherbourg → Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue → Priory Bay → Solent
A birthday trip for Rosie, mixing relaxed Channel sailing with time ashore. We stayed around two nights in Cherbourg and a few nights in Saint-Vaast, explored by bike, visited the D-Day beaches, ate oysters and celebrated Rosie’s birthday. We anchored overnight in Priory Bay on the way home.
Highlights: Cherbourg · Saint-Vaast · Cycling · D-Day beaches · Oysters · Rosie’s birthday · Priory Bay
21–26 May 2026
🏝️ Channel Islands
Route: Solent → Alderney → Guernsey → Sark → Solent
A cracking trip in hot, settled weather. After Alderney we spent time in Guernsey, including parkrun and a night out in St Peter Port. On Sark we used two anchorages, swam, paddleboarded and had a beach BBQ, before sailing home directly.
Highlights: Alderney · Guernsey parkrun · St Peter Port · Sark · Swimming · SUP · Beach BBQ
5–13 June 2026
⚓ Solent to Isles of Scilly
Route: Solent → Island Harbour → Brixham → Dartmouth → River Yealm → Fowey → Lizard → Newlyn → St Agnes → St Mary’s
A hard-earned passage west, much of it beating upwind. Two nights at Island Harbour were followed by stops along the south coast, an anchorage off the Lizard and Newlyn, where Andy joined. St Agnes and St Mary’s finally gave us time to slow down.
Highlights: Island Harbour · Dartmouth · River Yealm · Fowey · Lizard · Newlyn · St Agnes · St Mary’s
14–21 June 2026
🧗 Scillies to Lundy to Dublin
Route: Cornwall / Scillies → St Mary’s → Lundy → Dublin
A proper adventure of climbing, islands and offshore sailing. We climbed Commando Ridge, walked on the Scillies, then sailed directly from St Mary’s to Lundy. During two nights on a mooring, some snorkelled while Andy and I climbed, before the direct passage to Dublin.
Highlights: Commando Ridge · Isles of Scilly · Lundy · Climbing · Snorkelling · Offshore passage
26 June – mid July 2026
🌄 Dublin to Oban
Route: Dublin → Derby Haven → Douglas → Bangor → Belfast → Ardglass → Port Ellen → Gigha → Jura / Sound of Islay → Colonsay → Easdale → Kerrera
One of Nimrod’s bigger summer journeys, sailed two-handed. After Dublin we anchored at Derby Haven, visited Douglas, Bangor and Belfast, then continued from Ardglass to Islay and through the Hebrides. We dealt with some fairly big sea conditions before leaving Nimrod at Kerrera.
Highlights: Isle of Man · Belfast · Islay · Gigha · Jura · Colonsay · Easdale · Two-handed sailing · Big seas
18–26 July 2026
🎶 Mull Games & Inner Hebrides
Route: Oban → Loch Aline → Glenmore → Eigg → Tobermory → Loch Melfort → Inverie → Mallaig
We watched the Clipper Race start, sailed through the Inner Hebrides and climbed An Sgùrr on Eigg. Rosie and Yen joined in Tobermory for the Mull Highland Games and ceilidh. The remaining crew continued through Loch Melfort and Inverie to Mallaig.
Highlights: Clipper Race · Eigg · An Sgùrr · Mull Highland Games · Ceilidh · Inverie pub · Mallaig
27 July – 2 August 2026
🌊 Rum & the Small Isles
Route: Mallaig → Rum → Muck → Oban
We spent three nights on a visitor mooring at Rum. Between nights aboard, we walked out to a bothy, stayed overnight and returned the next day through a memorable river crossing and plenty of midges. A brief stop on Muck followed before Oban.
Highlights: Rum · Bothy adventure · Two good walks · River crossing · Midges · Muck
8–16 August 2026
💃 Ceilidhs & Games Week
Route: Oban → Loch Buie → Tinkers Hole → Iona → Ulva → Staffa → Tiree → Coll → Oban
A proper island-hopping week through the Inner Hebrides. We visited Loch Buie, Tinkers Hole, Iona, Ulva and Staffa before overnighting on Tiree. Two nights on Coll included Tris and Maisie running the Coll Half Marathon.
Highlights: Tinkers Hole · Iona · Ulva · Staffa · Tiree · Coll Half Marathon · Island hopping
22–31 August 2026
🏔️⛵ Mountains & Boats Week
Route: Oban area → Loch Drambuie → Ardnamurchan → Muck → Eigg
A west-coast adventure using Nimrod to reach interesting places and explore ashore. We anchored in Loch Drambuie, toured Ardnamurchan Distillery, sailed to Muck and spent time on Eigg, where we climbed An Sgùrr and went snorkelling.
Highlights: Loch Drambuie · Ardnamurchan Distillery · Muck · Eigg · An Sgùrr · Snorkelling
CompletedBangor
6–11 September 2026
Oban to Bangor
The planned Belfast passage ended in Bangor after a fuel-line fault near Jura. The repair was completed on 16 September, and Nimrod continued south on the next leg.
CompletedDun Laoghaire
16–17 September 2026
Bangor to Dublin
Following the completed fuel-line repair, Nimrod sailed from Bangor to Ardglass and then Dun Laoghaire. Geoff and Yen left after this leg.
Completed
Completed · 27 September 2026
Dublin to Solent: The Journey Home
An overnight passage from Dublin reached Lundy, followed by St Ives, Falmouth, the River Yealm, Dartmouth and Weymouth before the final passage home to Gosport.
Route: Dublin → Lundy → St Ives → Falmouth → River Yealm → Dartmouth → Weymouth → Gosport
UpcomingTwo weekends planned
November 2026
November Social Sailing Weekends
Nimrod is back in Gosport, with two relaxed social sailing weekends planned for November and a third date held as a weather reserve.
- 6–8 November 2026
- 20–22 November 2026
- 27–29 November 2026
Joining and return: Gosport, from around Friday lunchtime to around Sunday lunchtime.
The plan is to sail to a suitable Friday-night destination, include a local parkrun on Saturday where practical, then continue sailing with food and drinks. The route and destination will depend on the weather.
The final November weekend will include mince pies and mulled wine to bring some festive cheer to winter sailing.
Important: Dates and ports are an outline, not a promise. Sailing itineraries change with weather, tides and crew wellbeing.
Found the website and looking for some sailing? Send Paul a message and he’ll get back to you.
Existing crew will receive final arrangements privately within the Nimrod WhatsApp Community.
Before you travel
Joining instructions
Paul will send the exact berth, meeting time and last-minute passage update in the crew group within the Nimrod WhatsApp Community.
01 · Confirm
Reply to the final messageConfirm your arrival time and travel plan. Tell Paul promptly about delays.
02 · Arrive ready
Eat before joiningCome rested and fed where possible. Bring any personal medication and seasickness treatment.
03 · Stow small
Use soft bags onlyNo rigid suitcases. Space is limited and everything must be secured for sea.
Pack light
Crew kit list
Layers work better than one heavy item. Even in summer, the west coast can be cold and wet.
Essential
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Warm mid-layer and spare base layers
- Non-marking deck shoes or clean trainers
- Warm hat, sun hat and gloves
- Sleeping bag and pillowcase
- Head torch with red-light mode
- Personal medication and seasickness tablets
- Small wash kit and quick-dry towel
- Reusable water bottle
- Soft holdall or dry bag
Useful extras
- Sunglasses with retaining strap
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Phone charging cable and power bank
- Ear plugs and eye mask
- One compact set of clothes for ashore
- Waterproof phone case
- Book or cards for quiet periods
Please leave ashore
- Hard suitcases
- Excess clothing or bulky bedding
- Anything you would be heartbroken to get wet
Crew notes
Life on board
Nimrod is comfortable for her size, but this is shared living in a moving space. Tidiness and consideration make a big difference.
A full briefing covers lifejackets, harnesses, MOB procedure, fire, gas and abandoning ship. Clip on whenever the skipper directs.
Everyone helps with helming, lookout, lines, cooking and washing up according to experience and conditions.
Both are finite. Charge devices when asked, keep showers brief ashore and use fresh water thoughtfully.
Tell Paul well in advance about allergies or dietary needs. Snacks you particularly like are always worth bringing.
Only human waste and the supplied toilet paper go into the marine toilet. Ask if you are unsure.
Speak up early if you are cold, tired, hungry, worried or feeling sick. Small problems are easiest to fix early.
From the logbook
Nimrod in pictures
Big scenery, good sailing and the moments in between.
🔍 Click to enlarge
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Nimrod the yacht
What sort of yacht is Nimrod?
Nimrod is a 2004 Jeanneau Sun Fast 35. She is a 10.4-metre cruiser-racer: quick and enjoyable to sail, while still providing the accommodation and facilities needed for longer trips. Her draught is 2.15 metres.
What accommodation is there?
Below deck, Nimrod has two separate cabins, a main saloon, a galley and a marine toilet, known as the heads. The saloon is the shared space for eating, relaxing, passage planning and extra sleeping berths.
Where will I sleep?
Sleeping is a mix of the two cabins and the main saloon. Berths are shared out according to the crew and the trip. On longer passages, people may use whichever safe berth is free while off watch. Bring a sleeping bag and pillowcase.
What is the galley like?
The galley is compact but suitable for preparing shared meals and hot drinks. Cooking plans stay simple at sea, especially when the boat is moving. Everyone helps with food preparation and washing up.
How much space is there for kit?
Storage is limited, so bring only what you need in a soft holdall or dry bag. Hard suitcases do not stow safely and should be left ashore. Keeping personal kit tidy makes life much easier for everyone.
Does Nimrod have an engine?
Yes. Nimrod has a Yanmar 3YM30 diesel engine for harbour manoeuvres and when sailing is not practical. The aim is still to sail whenever conditions allow.
Is this a charter yacht?
No. Nimrod is privately owned and used for informal, non-commercial sailing with friends and invited crew. Direct trip costs are shared between those aboard.
Joining and sailing
Do I need sailing experience?
No. A willing attitude matters most. Tasks will be explained and matched to your confidence and ability.
Are lifejackets provided?
Yes. Nimrod carries lifejackets and normal safety equipment. Bring your own only if Paul has agreed it is suitable.
Can I rely on the published arrival time?
No. Do not book tight onward connections. Weather, tides and mechanical issues can delay a yacht.
What if I get seasick?
Tell Paul. Take your preferred remedy before sailing according to its instructions, keep warm, look at the horizon and stay involved if you can.
Will we sail at night?
Longer passages may continue through the night. Crew work a watch system, taking turns on deck and resting below. Paul will explain the routine, safety equipment and how to move around the boat before darkness falls. Warm layers and a head torch with a red-light setting are useful.
What happens in heavy weather?
The passage plan is always weather dependent and may be changed, delayed or shortened. If conditions become rough, the crew will reef early, wear lifejackets and clip on when instructed. Paul will brief everyone clearly, allocate suitable jobs and put safety before reaching the planned destination.