SailTime Gosport marks launch with new Bénéteau Océanis 323
by SailTime / ADPR 19 Jul 2007 11:37 BST
SailTime Gosport marks launch with new Bénéteau Océanis 323 and a not-to-be-missed SailTime Membership deal!
‘Merlin’ - a brand new Bénéteau Océanis 323 yacht greeted visitors at the weekend launch of the new SailTime Gosport base, located at Gosport Marina this weekend. Joint base owners Richard Lago and Andy Rees were on hand to welcome over 100 sailing enthusiasts and share information on all the benefits of becoming a SailTime member.
To mark the success, SailTime Gosport is offering a free day skippers course or a month’s free membership for Members who sign up in July and August.
The Bénéteau 323 is a brand new entry-level yacht, sharing all the new lines of its larger sisters and their impressive all-round design, built with comfort, style and performance in mind. This superbly equipped 32 footer is safe, stable and fast in all whether conditions. The 323 is adaptable and therefore suitable for all sailing abilities, as Richard Lago explains, ‘The 323 can easily be sailed by the less experienced yachtsman, but for the more competent sailor the auto control options allow her to be sailed single handedly.’ Merlin is priced at £399 (+ VAT) per month.
Richard Lago and Andy Rees are both keen amateur sailors, passionate about helping other sailors to enjoy their hobby through SailTime. Richard Lago comments on the weekend’s events, ‘Andy and I are excited at the arrival of our new Yacht in Gosport, which extends the SailTime fleet to include the beautiful Bénéteau 323 Océanis, a great yacht to sail, regardless of ability. Our opening weekend was a great success with a number of sailing days booked for potential new members over the next few weeks.’
SailTime offers a sailing membership akin to a club membership. Members pay a monthly fee to enjoy the use of their boats, and SailTime takes care of everything else. The monthly membership fee 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 without the constraints or worries of depreciation, maintenance, or servicing. Each boat is shared by a maximum of seven Members and one Owner-Member.
The 323 Bénéteau will join two 343 Bénéteau and a Bavaria 27 powerboat, building the SailTime fleet at Gosport to four. With plans already in place for two more vessels to join the fleet early next year, the base is already proving a huge success. Richard added, “The fractional sailing formula is proving so successful that we are planning to open two more bases in Brighton and Chichester in the near future. Collectively the three bases are to be named SailTime East Solent.”
Located on the East Solent, SailTime Gosport has recently relocated, and provides 24-hour access to the world famous Solent sailing ground. This historic base is perfect for all levels of ability with easy access to places to visit on day sails or longer. From London you can be on the water in less than 90 minutes, making SailTime Gosport perfect for the cash rich, time poor sailing enthusiast, living in the city, but wanting the best of both worlds.
Richard adds, “Our aim is to open up sailing to the people living in and around the city. Our new location greatly improves access, while the SailTime concept makes sailing fun, affordable and hassle free.”