RUBICON 3 - Gosport

Angela B.

Amazing trip on Hummingbird, Caribbean 1000. A great bunch of like minded adventurous individuals & great friendships made. Skipper Phoebe & Mate Manu were exceptional with knowledge & training. Highly recommend Rubicon 3 - if you’re thinking about it, do it!

Chrissy F.

A five star experience.
Having completed ARC 2024 on Rubicon 3 yacht Hummingbird, I would most definitely recommend this if you want to fulfill a dream to cross the Atlantic under sail.
This is not a luxury cruise and everybody on board takes part in sailing, cooking, cleaning and maintenance. It is a 24/7 experience.
So for anybody wanting hands on sailing, led by a superbly experienced skipper and mate. Rubicon 3 delivers.

Chris F.

The trans Atlantic crossing was everything I hoped for. I truly experienced what our generations before us experienced crossing an ocean. Our skipper and 1st Mate (Alex and Phoebe) were extremely competent and capable and it was a pleasure and privilege to crew for them. Although the modern electronic kit let us down at times, our skipper made sure we knew how to helm accurately using the noise of the sails, wind on our cheeks and compass heading. A great set of skills which I will apply to my own yachting!

honey M.

Great experience, with a very capable skipper Manu and exceptional first mate Neal.
The boats are not the newest but are great for training and experience - do not expect luxury! these are ex racing yachts....

Afalli S.

Disappointing Experience with Rubicon3 Adventure Trip on an Old Clipper 60
I am surprised theycompany existed for 11 years and only 190 only reviews ?

Anyway, here is a fresh, out of the oven review. I spent around 30 days and more than USD 10k on Rubicon3 boats, and in short, it was very disappointing. Hence, this review,  to warn those not ready for a military camp style of sailing. This is not a holiday trip but if you look for a hardship sailing passage then go for it.

The Clipper 60 boat is old and uncomfortable,  suitable for costal but not passages. For instance, changing sails is very hard and takes over an hour with 3 to 4 crew members. One of the crew hurt his back and spoiled his trip due to the hard work or maybe the hard and small beds. The jib, called a Yankee, comes in 3 sizes, and you can't reef it in or furl it. You must deploy the new sail, set up, and fold the previous sail—very exhausting when you need to do it a few times a day. You also need to depower the mainsail at the same time. There is no autopilot, making the journey/offshore passage unnecessarily tiring. The sleeping bunks were very small and uncomfortable. All the high-level bunks are not accessible to older crew members. The living area can max fit 5 people around the table, while the boat took 12 passengers, you only have 1 electrical pumped toilet and 1 manual toilet, with 12 people on board normal that you clog the toilet daily.

On top of sailing work, the heavy-duty shifts, including night watch (duty 4h on/4h off ), mother watch with 3 meals a day, daily housekeeping with deep boat cleaning, and twice-daily deck checks, all on strict schedules, were not good for everyone. Some even referred to it as a military camp, which might not be suitable for older people. We even had a crew, who requested to disembark at the first port as he raised the concern to the captain who played hard power on him.

This being said, the 2 skippers I had on both of my trip were very strict and old-fashioned, which made the trip less enjoyable. Also, after Rubicon3 management got my money, customer service was nonexistent, with heavy delays in responding to emails. Proving me the watch leader material on the same morning we embarked, btw it was supposed to be shared weeks prior.
This lack of good communication and care was very frustrating. The management are very good salespeople and tend to tell you that seats are sold quickly—don't believe them. Out of 15 companies doing the ARC, only Rubicon3 still had available seats (that should have given me a hint).

I raised my concerned and 50% of the paid clients did the same, management replied that I was not made for such adventure and made me believe that I was the problem. Point taken, hence this review, i want to make sure to pass the message that you must be resilient, in good health and fit, dont embark in a 20 days ocean passage with anyone, cause there is no door to leave whenever you want. Overall, I would not recommend Rubicon3 based on my experience.

Response to Bruce comments here below :

Hi Bruce , read again, I stated facts no feelings, regarding the watch leader certificate i reported to RYA your subjective methodology to assess candidates. You used and abused us days and nights for 20 days, then you come only at the end of the trip to say .... you are not fit for watch leader! A bit unfair. If you had good intention you would help with corrective actions and daily feedbacks to lay down a path to success.

Enough said, I leave it to your future potential clients to judge and see if they are willing to risk it, after all if I only had the chance to read such review prior buying for more than USD 10k...with you. I would have certainly not joined.

To anyone who are passing the Watch Leader certificate with @rubicon3 I urge you to request a daily review and sign off on your daily duties to avoid subjective delayed/belated reviews which sets you up for failure.

simoncrockett65

I have just completed the 12 day Christmas/New Year expedition of the Windward Islands/Grenadines as a solo traveler. The itinerary was well thought through and the guidance of first mate and skipper excellent.
Be prepared to "muck in" with chores and routines and there is plenty of time to go ashore for wanders / hikes / cafes / bars.
Sailing times are generally early, to lunchtime, and you can be as involved as much as you wish.
Thoroughly recommend. (prima donnas; this is not for you)

michelle H.

A totally amazing experience!! I was amazed at the knowledge and confidence, the sociability and general calm demeanour of skipper Manu. As a total newcomer to sailing- I thought the level of teaching, the patience, communication, planning, problem solving along with practical skills- cooking, resourcefulness was impeccable from both skipper and first mate Alex. The amount of knowledge and confidence that they both instilled in me and other crew was amazing and very thorough. I felt a bit scared at the beginning- but it wasn't long before I was working up at the bow without having any fear at all. The trip was exhilarating, I totally enjoyed every minute. The work is hard and continuous and I loved it. Watching the stars at night lying on deck, swimming in the sea at sunrise- eating meals together with the other crew having a great laugh to trekking through the rainforest and wandering round the markets of Dominica. Wonderful- I recommend! Thank you Manu for being patient and an fantastic Skipper and to Alex for teaching me navigation and your sense of humour!!

Belinda N.

Just finished the Canaries to Madeira trip on Starling with the amazing Thorben (Skipper) and Phoebe (Mate). The boat was immaculate and wonderful to sail. The itinerary was exactly as described on the website with a nice mix of long and short passages in varying weather conditions. Guest experience ranged from “never been on a yacht before” to “own my boat” and the Rubicon3 team ensure that everyone got what they wanted from the trip. Would 100% recommend this to anyone looking for real sailing.