Completing your Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at sea is a unique way to challenge yourself. On this 9-day voyage you’ll balance practice, rest, and qualifying phases while sailing a traditional vessel as part of a close-knit crew. It’s an experience that builds resilience, leadership, and confidence while fulfilling the expedition requirements.
Day 1 – Arrival and Preparation
You’ll arrive at the boat in Plymouth in the late afternoon where you’ll meet your skipper, crew, and fellow participants. Once settled in, the team will go through a full safety briefing and an introduction to the vessel. The evening is spent getting organised – you’ll plan menus, stock up on provisions, and familiarise yourself with the layout of the boat. Everyone will have a role to play, from stowing kit to helping decide on your team’s expedition goals.
Day 2 – Practice Expedition
The first full day on the water begins with practical learning. You’ll get hands-on with hoisting sails, helming, working the ropes, and learning basic navigation. The skipper will guide you through tacking, gybing, and safe boat handling while you rotate tasks so that everyone gets a chance to try each role. By the end of the day, you’ll have a good feel for teamwork on board and an understanding of how the yacht handles at sea.
Day 3 – Practice Expedition
Your second practice day builds on what you learnt the day before. This includes planning short passages, using charts and compasses, and putting navigation skills into action. The group will work together to make decisions, set sail routes, and manage time on the water. With the crew’s support, you’ll start to take more ownership of the boat while still having expert guidance on hand.
Day 4 – Rest and Reflection
After two busy days, this is a chance to recharge. Depending on conditions, you may anchor in a quiet bay or moor in a small harbour. There’s often time for swimming, beach games, or going ashore to explore a local village. You’ll also use the day to go over key skills, check your knowledge of navigation, and finalise plans for the qualifying section of the voyage.
Day 5 – Qualifying Expedition
This is when you begin the assessed section of your DofE expedition. Under the watchful eye of your skipper, the group will plan and carry out a full passage. You’ll take charge of navigation, setting sail routes, and helming the yacht. Everyone will need to contribute to life on board – from keeping the boat tidy to preparing meals – all while managing the responsibilities of being in control.
Day 6 – Qualifying Expedition
The second day of qualifying is all about teamwork and applying what you’ve learnt. You’ll continue your planned route, handling longer stretches of sailing and possibly making port entries or anchoring decisions. The skipper will step back further, allowing you to demonstrate independence and group problem-solving.
Day 7 – Qualifying Expedition
At this stage, your confidence will be much higher. The team will rotate leadership roles so that everyone gets the chance to take the lead in navigation, helm, or crew management. You’ll face real decisions based on weather, tides, and timing, giving you a proper taste of responsibility at sea.
Day 8 – Qualifying Expedition
This final day of sailing during the qualifying phase is your chance to show how far you’ve come. By now, the yacht will feel like home, and you’ll be expected to handle most aspects with minimal input from the skipper. The day often finishes with preparing for the final assessment and presentation.
Day 9 – Assessment and Presentation (Departure 4pm)
On the last morning, you’ll present your expedition aims and achievements to the DofE Assessor. This is also a chance to reflect as a team on how you worked together and what you’ve learnt during the expedition. After a final tidy up and debrief, you’ll depart by late afternoon with your qualifying section completed – and a sense of achievement from sailing the south west coast as part of your Gold DofE.
Gold expeditions cover more distance along the south coast of Devon and Cornwall. The longer voyage allows for greater variety, from small fishing harbours to open sea passages. You’ll encounter different sailing challenges, ensuring a rewarding and memorable Gold-level achievement.
All expeditions begin in Plymouth, a harbour city known for its maritime heritage. Its location provides quick access to open water, making it the perfect starting point for a challenging Gold Award expedition.
Throughout the nine days, the boat is both your home and your classroom. Shared sleeping quarters below deck foster teamwork and adaptability, while the communal galley means meal preparation is part of the daily rhythm of life on board.
Living at sea encourages you to work closely with your crewmates, share responsibilities, and support one another. It’s a lifestyle that builds friendships and helps you appreciate the rewards of teamwork.
Completion of the RYA Essential Navigation online course is required before joining, giving you a solid understanding of navigation and safety at sea. This is essential preparation for the longer Gold expedition.
Some previous sailing knowledge is useful but not mandatory. Most important is a positive attitude, readiness to learn, and commitment to working as part of the crew for the full duration.
For over 50 years, the centre has been dedicated to helping young people succeed through sailing. Their team of professional skippers and volunteers provide expert guidance while encouraging independence and self-reliance.
By choosing to complete your Gold expedition at sea, you’ll achieve more than just the Award – you’ll gain lasting sailing skills, meaningful friendships, and the confidence to tackle challenges both on and off the water.
Gold expeditions run over nine days to include more extensive practice and qualifying phases. The longer duration allows for greater independence, longer passages, and more varied sailing conditions.
This extended time also reflects the higher level of challenge expected at Gold. You’ll need to demonstrate strong teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
You must complete the RYA Essential Navigation online course before joining. This ensures you have a strong understanding of chart work, navigation, and safety principles.
The course typically takes around 6–8 hours and gives you a head start for the more demanding navigation and planning tasks at Gold level.
Previous sailing knowledge is useful but not strictly required. The training phase at the start of the expedition ensures everyone has the skills they need.
What matters most is a willingness to learn, a positive attitude, and the ability to work closely with others in a team.
The Qualifying section lasts four full days. During this time, you’ll plan and carry out longer passages, take responsibility for navigation, and manage the boat as a crew.
The professional staff will step back, allowing you to demonstrate independence while still providing oversight to ensure safety.
Yes, one rest day is included in the schedule. This provides time to relax, explore ashore, and prepare for the longer Qualifying section.
The rest day is valuable for both recovery and reflection, giving the team space to review what has been learned so far.
At the end of the expedition, a DofE Assessor will visit the vessel. They’ll review your planning, teamwork, and independence, as well as listening to your group presentation.
The assessment is designed to be supportive, recognising your achievements and confirming that you’ve met the Gold Award requirements.
Life on board during Gold is more demanding because of the expedition length and responsibilities. You’ll spend longer at sea, face more complex navigation, and work more independently as a team.
The communal living arrangements are the same, but the extended time together strengthens bonds and challenges you to adapt even more fully to life at sea.
The skipper and professional staff provide all necessary training and remain available throughout. During the Qualifying section, their role shifts to observer and mentor, allowing you to take ownership of the expedition.
This structure means you’re never without support, but you also have the space to demonstrate your abilities at the Gold standard.
Gold at sea is an opportunity to achieve the highest level of the DofE Award in a unique and rewarding environment. It challenges you physically and mentally, while also providing the adventure of sailing a traditional vessel.
Many participants find it one of the most memorable parts of their DofE journey. It combines the requirements of the Award with practical sailing skills, teamwork, and the sense of achievement that comes from completing a demanding expedition.
About the centre
Plymouth Yacht Haven, Shaw Way, Mount Batten, Plymouth, PL9 9XH
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