Q: What if you're not a sailor?

A: No problem at all!  No experience is needed; we will help you learn the ropes. The majority of people who sign aboard for the first time have never even been on a boat before. The Captain and crew are very patient teachers and will show you how everything works.

 

 

Q: Will I have fun on a Bytown Brigantine program?

A: Our programs are for adventurous participants who don't mind getting their hands dirty. We offer the unique experience of joining a tall ship as crew for the opportunity to learn (and do) everything there is to know about sailing one of these vessels. This ranges from setting sails, steering, navigating, climbing aloft to cleaning toilets and helping the cook prepare meals. Participants aren't just involved in the sail training program, they become part of it. A tall ship is a community, and every participant must be active and contribute to it. And yes, most people do have fun!

 

Q: What does it cost?

A: Our teen summer camps and sailing adventure programs have one of the lowest daily rates for a summer camp in the Ottawa area. Also, if you register for two or more programs you will get a discount. We are a non-profit charity so we are not trying to make money, we are just trying to cover the costs of food and operating the ship for the length of the program.

Black Jack camps for youth between the ages of 12 and 14 are about $90/day.  Our Fair Jeanne youth sessions, for teens 15 to 19, are about $110/day.  There is a 20% discount if a family is signing up more than one participant or if they are signing up for more than one voyage. 

Bytown Brigantine fundraises annually so that we can offer financial assistance, or bursaries, to financially challenged families and leave no one on the dock for want of funds. If you cannot afford to pay the full cost of camps or voyages, give the office a call and ask about a bursary application, or print off and fill out the Bursary Application Form and submit with your application. The bursary will help to cover the portion you cannot afford to pay. Bursaries are based on financial need, not merit, so don't let finances stand in the way of sailing with us!  Remember, the bursary is there for people who need it, not for those who don't wish to pay full price.

Q: Is the trip tax deductible?

A: For Canadians under age 16 at the beginning of the year of their summer voyage, 20% of the cost of summer trips is tax deductible through the Children's Fitness Tax Credit. Receipts will be mailed by Bytown Brigantine to the families of eligible trainees following receipt of full payment for the camp or voyage.

Details are at www.cra-arc.gc.ca/fitness/

 

 

Q: How do I sign up?

A: You can sign up for our overnight summer camps by downloading the Registration Form in .PDF format , fill it out, print it, sign it along with your parents and mail it, fax it, or deliver it in person to Bytown Brigantine. You can also apply using the online registration form , but you should talk to your parents or guardian first because there is information we will need from them.

 

 

 

 

Q: Are sailing adventures safe?

A: Bytown Brigantine is an established sail training organization with over 25 years of experience in the sail training industry; boat, ship and participant safety is at the top of our concerns. Although our ships look traditional, all of our vessels are equipped with modern marine safety equipment and our crew are selected on the basis of their professional certifications and their ability to teach. Going to sea, or even just getting on the water on a boat comes with some risk, but we adhere strictly to federal ship regulations that assist us in mitigating the risk of running our sail training programs.

Q: Is the crew trained?

A: Each crew member has a specific role on the ship and all have different certifications based on their position. Transport Canada certifies the Master, Mates and Bosun and all have numerous training certificates. M.E.D. (Marine Emergency Duties), Marine First Aid, WHMIS, Fall Arrest, Food Handling and VHF Radio are some of the additional certifications our crew possess.

Q: Is this a program for youth who need ‘straightening out'?

A: Our programs are for everyone, not just those who need discipline. Although our camps are loosely based on naval tradition, they are not militaristic. Sailing on a tall ship is a structured activity; this ensures both the safety of the participants and safety of the ship. We accept participants based on their desire to attend our programs and they come from all backgrounds and walks of life

Q: What if I'm afraid of heights?

A: No problem. You can stay on deck and handle the ropes there. We do not force anyone to climb aloft who doesn't want to. (And anyone who does go aloft must be wearing a five-point fall arrest harness like you may have seen construction workers wearing.)

 

Q: What is a brigantine?

A: A brigantine is a type of sailing ship (like the ships in Pirates of the Caribbean) with two masts, square-rigged on the foremast and fore-and-aft rigged on the main mast (like most yachts with the sail attached to the mast and a boom).

 

 

Q: Where do I sleep?

A: On Fair Jeanne , everyone is assigned a bunk to sleep in (you bring your own sleeping bag) and a cubby hole to stow their gear in. You will be expected to keep your area clean and tidy. (Emphasis on clean and emphasis on tidy.)

On Black Jack you will sleep on the bunk barge in a pipe berth that is kind of like a hammock. There is also a chance you will spend a night camping on an island, but don't worry we have foam mats that we provide.

Q: What are the cannons for? Are they real?

A: The cannons are real, but they don't actually shoot anything. We load them with ‘blanks' (essentially just gunpowder in a tinfoil case) and when we fire them….BOOM! There's a lot of noise and smoke, but no holes in walls or houses onshore.

 

Q: What is the food like?

A: The food is good and there is plenty of it. And no, it's not beans and wieners all the time. We like to have a varied menu with as much fresh produce as we can manage to keep aboard. We have various menus that the cooks can use to keep the food interesting. The ships have propane stoves so hot food is usually the order of the day unless serving sandwiches is more practical.

 

Q: Will I get seasick?

A: We hope not. When sailing on the Black Jack, 99.9% of people do not get sea sick because the Ottawa River doesn't get very rough and the ship stays steady. On Fair Jeanne if the weather looks like it is turning ugly we would sooner pull into a nice quiet anchorage and wait it out than pound through it lessening the chance of seasickness.

 

 

Q: Are there any showers on board?

A: Yes, but we prefer to anchor and have people go swimming. You will prefer swimming too when you see the size of the shower stall. The Black Jack has only one very small shower and it is rarely used. Each day participants swim off the ship or on a beach in order to keep the dirt at bay. Fair Jeanne is equipped with showers and participants are permitted to use them if the weather or the location of the ship does not make it suitable for a swim.