SailTime, the world’s leading membership boating company will be holding an open weekend on the 24 and 25 of July to coincide with the 10^th Windermere Airshow. The global company launched its first UK based, in-land operation on Lake Windermere earlier this year.

The Open weekend will allow anyone who is interested in sailing on Lake Windermere the opportunity to get out on the water with ‘try-sailing’ experiences from SailTime. The experiences will take place every couple of hours throughout both days of the show, operating from Ferry Nab, (nr. Bowness-on-Windermere).

The opportunity to see Lake Windermere from the water is something all visitors to the Lake District should experience, and to be able to see a Red Arrows display from the water at the same time is an event not to be missed.

Windermere offers perfect sailing conditions, being twelve kilometers long and almost 2 kilometers wide, with islands dotted around the lake and SailTime Windermere provides the chance to see the lake, wildlife and national park from a completely new perspective.

A second open weekend will be held on 4-5 September to coincide with the Great North Swim, when base-owner, Steve Davies, will be taking part in the famous swim across the lake to raise money for the charity, Diabetes UK.

Steve said, “Lake Windermere offers great sailing for anyone who lives in or regularly visits the Lake District. My son Lewis, loves sailing on Windermere and being on the water. He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes two years ago when he was just three years old, so I have decided to raise money for Diabetes UK by entering the Great North Swim in September. Between now and the event I am hoping to raise as much money as possible at the open weekends we are holding at SailTime Windermere.”

SailTime offers a sailing membership akin to a club membership, where members pay a monthly fee to enjoy the use of their boats and SailTime takes care of everything else. Members can book when they want to go sailing online and turn up on the day where everything will be waiting for them.

SailTime Windermere currently has a white hulled Beneteau Oceanis 323 yacht which provides a perfect blend of comfort, ease of handling and good performance.

The monthly fee for members is usually less than the marina fees alone, with the added advantage that once a member has finished their day out on the water, they simply check off the boat and walk away with no worries about depreciation, maintenance, or servicing.

Each boat is shared by a maximum of seven members and one owner-member who can each sail the boat for a minimum of 42 days a year.

Ends

Notes to editors:

·         SailTime is a boating membership company with bases throughout the UK, Europe and Worldwide.

·         The monthly Membership fee for a Bénéteau Océanis 323 starts from £399 including VAT. There are no other costs for Members - SailTime pays for all the marina fees, maintenance, insurance and running costs. (Power boaters pay for their own fuel.)

·         SailTime members can utilise other SailTime bases in the USA, Caribbean & Netherlands.

·         Members are required to join for an initial 12 months, then renew for the following years if they so choose.

·         SailTime Members check on and off the yachts using the SailTime E-ttendant™, a handheld PDA which guides them through a series of safety & equipment checks.

·         Members pay a £1,700 induction and training fee for a two-day course which includes use of the online calendar and E-ttendant™, training on the specific yacht; navigation, electronics and general layout of the boat, and orientation day-sail.

More information:

For more information about SailTime please visit www.sailtime.com/uk or contact John Bostock at SailTime UK (01202 492830) or Steven Davies at SailTime Windermere (0845 602 6593) or by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

More press information is available from James Tuck or Alice Driscoll at ADPR: Tel 01460 241641; or by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

July 2010 (PR 153)