What can I expect on a Saltyboys Gay Sailing Cruise?

This type of holiday would rather fit into the adventurous hands-on gay sailing trip than a massive gay cruise on one of the big cruise-liners.

All Saltyboys group sailing trips are about having a fun, relaxed and enjoyable time together. Your Saltyboys skipper always makes sure to sail you between the best bays and beaches and cute harbour villages in the area. During the day there will be plenty of time for swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, reading a book or getting to know each other.

Depending on where we drop anchor we'll enjoy an on-board BBQ or dinner in the restaurants on the shore after some nice sundowners. Here the Saltyboys sample and spice up the local gay scene or build a campfire on the beach.

Do I need to have sailing experience?

You don't need any sailing experience to join our trips. The skipper can maneuvre the boat single handed. There are a few moments on every sailing day that a few hands are welcome. For example when arriving/leaving port and when hoisting the sails. Before taking off, the skipper will assign the A-team (2 guys on the anchor) and a few guys to catch/throw the stern-lines.

Our aim is of course that by the end of the week every Saltyboy will have become more, or at least looks like, a bit of a sailor ;-)

Do I need to do anything else on board?

Just enjoy teaming up with your fellow Saltyboys crew members every now and then. As said, you can assist the skipper with adjusting the sails, steering the boat or helping out with the anchoring maneuvers. Others enjoy preparing a nice coffee in the yacht's galley, organizing breakfast or lunch. Teaming up for grocery shopping in the harbor villages or marketplaces with fresh fruit, fish and vegetables can make a fun outing as well. By turning in shifts of 2 guys, it will come down to preparing a meal and doing the dishes one time for the whole week.

If this doesn't match your holiday ideas, the Saltyboys Luxury Sailing might be more your cup of tea.

Will I have enough space on board?

Probably the biggest concern people have before booking a sailing trip is having enough space or freedom on board. Sailing yachts always provide a nice spot for you to be comfortable and enjoy the amazing scenery or work on your suntan. You will be surprised how group dynamics during a sailing day can provide you with some good conversation or give you total piece of mind to read a nice book or listen to your favourite tunes on your iPod.

With how many guys will we be?

We are usually sailing with 8 to 10 guys per boat. On some trips we will sail in flotilla with 2 or 3 Saltyboys boats. This offers a more relaxing vibe during the day and some more amusement during lunch and in the evenings when we team back up in a bay or in port, with at times 30 or 40 Saltyboys :-)

If I come alone, do I share a cabin on board?

Almost all guys joining our trips are single. After getting to meet eachother during the first shopping and some sundowners, a cabin division will be made. If there is (mutual) preference or if you come with a friend or your partner, you can of course share a cabin with that person. Every yacht is equipped with several double bed cabins and a bunk bed cabin.

Can I have my own private cabin?

Guys that like to have their own cabin can mention their preference on the booking form. The surcharge is 95% of the trip fee, as one person less can book the trip.

What type of boats are used for the group trips?

For most Saltyboys Gay and Au Naturel sailings we use Beneteau 50 footers with beds for 10 persons. On some trips we use catamarans Lagoon 400 or 450 (Seychelles for example).

On the Saltyboys Luxury Cruises we sail on a Hanse 630.

When is best to book?

If you want to be sure to have a place on board on a certain trip, we recommend to book well in advance. This means booking ahead a year or at least 8 months in advance. Usually we get fully booked around 6 to 4 months prior to departure. It can never hurt to inform as sometimes a place opens up or with enough bookings coming in we might be able adding another boat.

What if I get seasick?

No worries. This can happen to anyone when seas get more rough. From experience we know this never lasts longer than a few hours max, only the first day if at all. It is a matter of getting used to the motion of the boat. Your skipper is regardful and happy to help you out. A good breakfast and lunch (even if you don't think so) do miracles against motion sickness. If still needed there are very effective pills or drops against motion sickness (e.g. Stugeron drops). Once used to the waves you'll love them ;-)

Is a sailing cruise expensive?

Of course it's not cheap to have a holiday on a sailing yacht. However if you compare the price per night to that of a hotel and think of the travel costs you save arriving every day right in the centre of a new place without packing your bags all the time, it's rather good! The price of a sailing holiday can be compared with the price of a skiing holiday.

What is included?

Your cruise includes shared accommodation on a sailingyacht with the professional guidance of a Saltyboys gay or gay naturist skipper. Included are all yacht related costs such as yacht insurance, dinghy with outboard, bed linen, towels, yacht safety deposit, end-cleaning and diesel. The luxury gay sailing cruises also include the services of a gay host/cook who will take care of on-board meals, the grocery shopping and the dish washing.

What is not included/what are the extra costs?

Apart from your flights/transfers, extra costs are for food/drinks (grocery shoppings for on-board breakfast/lunch and on shore dinners), the occasional national park entrance or harbor fee. All these costs will be shared by the crew members using a common wallet (a so called kitty). According to custom the skipper is exempt from contributing to the kitty and it will be managed by one of the crew members. Estimated costs per person for the common wallet are around € 250 for the whole week.

What age do the guys have?

Most guys that book a Saltyboys Sailing Cruise are anywhere between 25 and 50 y/o. These are not set boundaries; if you are fun, easy going and flexible, you are more than welcome to join us. It usually is the best mix of all ages, types and sizes and this is what makes our trips interesting and special.

The Saltyboys management always monitors the average age group per cruise though. If it happens that there is a big predominant age-group on a cruise, we might decide to keep those together.

Is it one big orgy on board?

The general atmosphere on board is sociable and friendly. All Saltyboys Sailing Cruises have a non-sexual intent. Of course this doesn't mean that nothing ever will or can happen.

Usually guys do find eachother for new life lasting friendships, and yes, sometimes more ;-)

What language is spoken on board?

The guys joining our trips come from countries all over the world. Therefor the language spoken on board is English. Your skipper will also speak Dutch, German, Italian and French.