Topsail Adventures Ltd

Find out all about Amelie Rose and what she's like above and below deck.

Traditional boats like Amelie Rose have a very different feeling about them than modern boats. Both when they're under way, where their weight gives them a superb motion through the sea, but also when you're down below where it feels like a big wooden hug!

We got lots of pictures and a plan so that you can get a real feel for her before you come aboard. Look her over from Stem to Stern and even check out the berths so you can bag the best one when you come aboard!

Topsail Adventures is run by us, Nick & Melisa, from our base here in North Dorset.

Nick is usually the Skipper aboard the Amelie Rose and Melisa occasionally does service as First Mate, but concentrates in the main on the running of the business (when she's not up in London pursuing other opportunities).

Back in 2009 we both left our City IT jobs to launch Amelie Rose and Topsail Adventures, with the aim of re-connecting as many people as possible with the great sailing heritage of our island nation.

The boat, skipper and mate are only part of the story of a trip aboard the Amelie Rose. Discover more about day to day life aboard, the kinds of adventures that we have, who comes along and the other elements that make cruising aboard such an inspiring experience.

Whilst capable of handling Amelie Rose on our own we passionately believe that our guests get the most out of their time aboard by becoming a true part of her crew. There are tasks aboard for every skill level, be it hoisting sails, helming, pulling on sheets or even making the tea or doing the washing up.

By the time you leave us you'll have had the chance to be involved in every element of running the ship and will have developed that very special bond that evolves not only with the vessel but between the ship mates that are her crew. And no, you don't HAVE to dress as a Pirate!

It's our firm belief that a well-fed crew is a happy crew and it's amazing how appetites grow at sea, especially when working Amelie Rose with her blocks and tackles and her handspike windlass.

With this in mind we cook good hearty food and make sure that there's always a snack box aboard full of wholesome (and not so wholesome) snacks for filling up in those peckish moments.

We're also of the opinon that there is no such thing as too much tea, and can rarely be enticed to start a day without a pot of freshly brewed "proper" coffee (black no sugar please, if you're up first). Read on to find out what will be on the menu on your adventure...

The sea can be a dangerous and unpredictable environment; this challenge is what part of what makes sailing such a great adventure.

With this in mind we take the safety of our guests very seriously at Topsail Adventures and ensure that not only do we carry the latest safety equipment but that we know how to use it.

Find out more here about a few of the ways that we strive to make your adventure as safe as it is enjoyable.

Good stewardship of the sea and our coastline makes sense to us, after all, we earn our living from it. However our respect for the environment doesn't stop here and we're keen to do everything possible to help to protect our fragile world.

We have attempted to look at every aspect of our business with a critcal eye, reducing waste and harmful emissions in every feasible way. We know we're not perfect, as a small business looking to establish ourselves we do not have endless money, but we take the view that anything we can achieve is a step closer to a happier planet.

Listed here are the ways that we have looked to make Topsail Adventures a greener company. If you have any observations on how we could improve, please let us know - by email preferably!

Amelie Rose is based in beautiful Poole Harbour, the second largest natural harbour in the world, and home to amoungst other things the Red Squirrel, the SBS, Boy Scouts and the RNLI.

We've got maps and details on how to find our base so that you can find us if you're coming to visit.

If you just want to know exactly where we are right now then you can check out Amelie Rose's Google Latitude map (updated at least daily when she's on the move) and also her Twitter feed to catch up what's going on.