We’re the Good Guys of Sailing

It’s often hard for businesses to make a positive contribution to the community and the environment, but it’s something that we at PlainSailing.com is super important – so we work not just for ourselves or our customers, but our wider communities and the environment.  And we hope that, by doing things the right way, customers will find us.

The Great Ocean Clean Up

Starting with the environment – which is the single biggest threat to our way of life as a species! – you may have noticed that this month’s special offer isn’t about a new jacket or a pair of floating sunglasses for one of your crew, but a donation to support the Great Ocean Clean-up.  This is an ambitious initiative that aims to clean up 70% of the plastic from our oceans through the use of pioneering technology and giant floating nets. 

The project is very much on the cutting edge of marine environmentalism.  Whilst it might not impact directly our Mediterranean cruising grounds just yet, but given the importance of the sea to sailing (not to mention the impact on our weather systems and therefore the wind), it felt like the right thing to do.  And if it works on a grand scale, hopefully they’ll be able to focus efforts on cleaning up the other 30%. 

We’re also working on offering all our customers the opportunity to donate to the project as part of the check-out process when making their booking, so that they can personally choose to help look after the oceans too.

The PlainSailing.com Beach Clean up

On top of that, and closer to home, if you’ve booked with us for the 2018 season, we’re offering a free beer for every bag of rubbish you collect from beaches!  (You’ll hear more about this when the season arrives!)

Supporting sailing in the UK, with the RYA

Obviously, one part of sailing is about the sea and the wind, and the other aspect is getting people out on boats - so it makes sense that we’ve also been taking part in all sorts of activities to help develop sailing and sailors.

From days in the rain helping a bunch of Scouts learn how to master their Dinghy (and watching the thrill they get from getting the boat to tack without capsizing!), to taking groups of friends on a yacht to show them the ropes at a more relaxed pace, we’re hands on with trying to share our love of boats and sailing.

But we’re also supporting sailing at grassroots level by supporting other organisations – namely, we’re principal sponsors of Manchester Cruising Association, a local branch of a long-standing organisation that represents British sailors over the world. 

We’re also sponsors of the RYA North-west conference, where people will be able to get inspired a number of speakers, including intrepid explorer Claire Thorpe!  Tickets are still available, and include lunch!

But we’ve also recently commenced a search to find a University Sailing Club to sponsor (again, expect to hear more on this in the coming weeks – but if you’re a member of a University Sailing club, you can download an application form!), in the hope that we can be instrumental in the development of the next bunch of sailors and yachtsmen and women.

So we’re more than just (the best) yacht charter company – we’re also all round good guys :)