How far have you been in that?

Is a question we are often asked by casual admirers while we are berthed on a public quayside. Sometimes followed up by ' You been round the world?'

Well no is the answer, just around Britain and the Channel, and honestly, that's enough of an adventure for us. In the past five years we have visited over 100 harbours and anchorages and all four UK capital cities, sailed over 5000 miles around Britain and the Channel, accompanied by loads of lovely people. What's not to like! A couple of years ago we planned a voyage to Copenhagen and back but for lots of reasons that's not for us, one for a future owner of Snark perhaps.

Snark is a perfect coastal sailing ship, licenced to sail up to 60 miles from a safe haven. She is big and comfortable, can squeeze into most harbours, motor way up river or anchor in shallow bays. She can be leisure sailed by any suitably experienced crew and commercially with an endorsed offshore yatchmaster ticket. Passages against big waves and head winds are best avoided but they don't last and we have lots of ways of filling the time waiting for the weather to play nice.

Blue water sailing is exciting and challenging, but, quite frankly, tedious. As one experienced charter skipper put it, 'why would I spend three weeks on a boat with a bunch of strangers when I can fly across the pond in a day?' Well he has done it many times before and so may be a little jaded. The first time would be worth it but weeks in the middle of the ocean, no beautiful and changing coastal scenery, no welcome pint in the Harbour Lights or Fisherman's Arms. no fish and chips on the quayside, no cliff top walks; it's about priorities.

One leading yacht broker told us recently that charter boats all loose money. Well, while we haven't made our fortune, we have covered our operating and living costs and our modest profits have been ploughed back into improvements to make Snark more comfortable, regulation compliant and most importantly, more sustainable. Our marketing is haphazard at best. A more energetic and focussed campaign would certainly increase occupancy rates from under half to near full with a very positive effect on profitability. But again that is a challenge for future custodians of this wonderful, versatile ship to take on.

We have just two more summer sailings to go. Forecasts for next week's sold out trip to the Isles of Scilly look good, the weather and swell seem to be playing nice! Then we have a final cruise back along the South West coast from Falmouth to Topsham via our favourite stopovers and anchorages. There are spaces available for our last summer sailing, so if you are at a loose end the last week of August why not book now?