Flotilla sailing is sailing with a small fleet of boats. Coasting trade is sailing close to the coast. So logically, cabotage in a flotilla is sailing on coastal routes, with a small group of sailboats (about fifteen).
Flotilla sailing, pourquoi??
It's group emulation. We meet boaters who have the same sailing habits as us and we manage to form a real club of coasters. " Newcomers are taken care of and helped by the old ones " explains Vincent, head of Cabotage in Brittany.
Flotilla cabotage is reassuring. Accompanied by boaters who share the same way of sailing and professional guides, you feel safe. " Some discover places where they would not have sailed alone and realize that they are capable of it. You go upriver, you anchor in the bottom of bays, you dock... It's a bit of a navigational school."
Flotilla sailing also allows access to places in a privileged manner, with private visits negotiated by the organization. "In 2018, we visited the lighthouse on Ile Vierge, the year before, the citadel of Port-Louis, and the Cité de la Voile in Lorient."
Flotilla cabotage, for qui??
Flotilla sailing is for all profiles: families or couples, and especially young couples. "The boats we're sailing on are affordable for first-time buyers. It's a great way to discover, learn and get started in a safe environment. It's a way to get your foot in the door and start sailing through the youngsters."
Today, Cabotage in Brittany has federated a real community. "We have a group of 300 coaster sailors who exchange and return regularly. Some are technically perfected, but come back to find their friends. Others stop for a while and come back later."
Which boat for cabotage??
The cabotage in flotilla is done on sailing boats from 5 to 8 m, rather reassuring sizes. "They are small sailing boats, mostly groundable, with a shallow draft. A ballasted dinghy or a canting keel. "One finds sailboats type Edel or Blue Djinn".
