⚓ Your trip overview – facts & focus

With the Alubat Ovni 455 – an expedition vessel in a class of its own – you are perfectly equipped to master the high tidal differences of Saint-Malo, the canals, and the coasts of southern England. Get ready for an intensive program that brings CCS offshore theory to life!

Your port of departure and destination is the Porte des Sablons in St. Malo.

Type of trip: Training and mileage trip with daily sailing time between 4 and 12 hours, with time at sea taking priority over shore excursions. Night sailing and multi-day stages (e.g., to southern England) are possible by crew agreement.
Area: The entire Gulf of St. Malo, the Channel Islands, northern Brittany, Normandy to Cherbourg and Lézardrieux.
Training highlights: You will put everything you have learned in theory into practice! This includes: hourly tide calculations (coefficient, spring/neap tide), current triangles, dealing with dry falls (up to 8 hours of standstill), modern digital navigation (Navionics/TimeZero iBoat) and various anchoring techniques.
Safety: We sail up to wind force 6–7 consistently. From 7 consistently or gusts of 8, we stay in port or decide this unanimously with the crew.
Preparation: Please bring your CCS booklet with you! Actively indicate which points you would like to practice. At the end, you will receive a mileage confirmation and a copy of the logbook.

🚀 Your journey to Porte des Sablons, St. Malo
Your goal is to arrive at the harbor at 2:00 p.m. so that we can start shopping and stowing away on time. Choose the route that gets you to your destination in a relaxed and timely manner!

🚄 1. The fastest: By TGV (train)

The train is often the most efficient option, especially from France or with good connections.

Destination station: Saint-Malo (SNCF).
Connection: Use the direct TGV trains from Paris Montparnasse – the journey often takes only about 2.5 hours.
From the station to the port: The station is close by. Take a taxi 🚕 (very convenient) or the local bus to Porte des Sablons / the center.

🚗 2. The most flexible: By car
If you have a lot of luggage or want to enjoy the ride:

Route: We recommend traveling via Rennes or through Normandy (Caen) to avoid the Paris metropolitan area. Remember: The highways in Brittany are mostly toll-free!
Parking: The good news: Free parking at the marina (port of departure) is included in the price! You can park right next to the ship – super convenient.

✈️ 3. The alternative: By plane
For longer journeys from further afield.

Airports: Ideally, fly to Rennes (RNS) (approx. 45–60 minutes to St. Malo) or directly to the small regional airport Dinard (DNR) (approx. 20 minutes to St. Malo).
Onward journey: From there, plan to take a taxi or rental car to the Marina Porte des Sablons.

Please allow plenty of time to ensure you arrive by the 2:00 p.m. time slot for provisioning!

💶 Your services on board (included and excluded)

✅ Included (your safety package)

Overnight stays on board (7 or 14 nights).
Skipper/instructor (including liability and comprehensive insurance).
Final and interim cleaning of the yacht, bed linen.
Complete safety equipment: automatic life jackets with lifelines, AIS receiver, three PLB AIS emergency beacons for night work.
DCS handheld radio in the cockpit, dinghy with outboard motor.
Free parking in the marina.
Mileage confirmation and individual consideration of your CCS training goals.

❌ Exclusive (the board cash)

The board cash covers: food & drinks (on board and off board), ship diesel and marina fees outside the port of departure.
The skipper is provided for by the board cash (he contributes when off board).
You are responsible for organizing your own travel to the port of departure and any necessary medication for seasickness (please consult your doctor, as Stuggeron is no longer produced).

Pack your duffel bags – I look forward to seeing you and to an unforgettable adventure in the fascinating world of the tides! ⛵️☀️

Tommy Bieri
Skipper