Reviews of Great Escape Sailing School and Yacht Charter. (School) in Opua (Northland).
Great Escape Sailing School and Yacht Charter
1 Richardson Street, Opua 0200, New Zealand
Description
Information of Great Escape Sailing School and Yacht Charter, School in Opua (Northland)
Here you can see the location, open hours, popular times, contact, photos and real reviews done by the users.
This place has good reviews, this means that they treat their customers well and you’ll feel great with their services, recommended 100%!
Map
Open hours of Great Escape Sailing School and Yacht Charter
Sunday
9am–5pm
Monday
9am–5pm
Tuesday
9am–5pm
Wednesday
9am–5pm
Thursday
9am–5pm
Friday
9am–5pm
Saturday
9am–5pm
Reviews of Great Escape Sailing School and Yacht Charter
A.We did the 6-day: Learn-to-sail then sail-yourself adventure in July 2020 having no previous sailing experience. It was the best thing we did - ever! Julie is a great teacher and we learnt so much. Sailing ourselves around the islands on the last 3 days was an incredible experience that we will never forget. Highly recommend Great Escape!
H.We absolutely loved our experience with Great Escape! We did the 6-day: Learn-to-sail then Sail-yourself Adventure. Beforehand we were feeling nervous about the prospect of sailing by ourselves for 3 days but our training with our instructor set us up perfectly and we felt very comfortable setting off by ourselves. Highly recommend - it is the best way to see the Bay of Islands. Julie, Bill, and the team are super helpful and lovely.
P.My daughter and I have just finished our third bareboat charter. First two times were day sails, this time was two days with an overnight. We absolutely loved it every time. Julie and Bill are helpful and accommodating, the boats are great fun and the sailing ground is awesome. We've seen dolphins, lots of seabirds, beautiful bays and islands, snorkeled on coral and seen loads of fish and some sting rays. What an affordable way to have the time of your life sailing! Best of all: no boat depreciation, maintenance, repairs or modifications to do 🙄! Highly recommend it.
m.Had such an awesome time! Learned to sail for 3 days with the wonderful and patient Di.
Josh and the team did an awesome job looking after us and helping us plan our overnight trip on our self sail around the BOI. We set of confident we had had great instruction and advice for a great family holiday- safety and fun are paramount with this team.
Our kids are 12,12 and 15 and they all had a blast. Highly recommend Great Escape sailing and their crew- we’ll be back 😊
T.My husband and I just completed Great Escape’s 5 day learn to sail course and can’t recommend them highly enough. We learnt so much in only 3 days with Darryl & Bill and are now hooked on sailing and booked in for more! Very professionally run operation with Julie & Bill at the helm. What an asset to our NZ tourism industry, both domestically and internationally. Thanks so much.
Tasi & Adrian Hill, Auckland NZ.
S.Such an awesome experience. The training is so thorough and Daryl was SO knowledgable, patient and friendly as were Julie and Bill. What a way to see the Bay of Islands and learn a new skill. Couldn't recommend more. Thanks so much to the Great Escapes team :)
D.Without any prior experience in sailing, my girlfriend and I initially booked a 2-day course, and booked two further days later on. We enjoyed our time with the Great Escape team very much, and we are taking wonderful memories back home.
Julie is a superb teacher, she is demanding and emphatic. We had a very steep learning curve, and after 3-4 days of guidance I feel quite comfortable to sail a boat without a teacher on board.
Beside learning how to sail, we had a wonderful time enjoying the beauty of the Bay of Islands. From aboard, we saw New Zealand's iconic little penguins, a whale (!!) just 5m from our boat, lots of sea birds, and of course the picturesque coasts of many islands.
J.Excellent trip - we have some prior sailing experience and the 5 day trip was perfect to help us transition from crewing to skippering safely. Lovely staff, great teaching and would definitely recommend!
Y.It was recommended by my colleague after he did a well sailing and really is amazing.
It was very easy to book in and Julie sent everything and explained all my questions. She welcomed us on our first day and is such a lovely person.
Unfortunately we have bad weather ahead but she so kindly told us we can reschedule and enjoy the one day we have with the good weather before the bad weather comes. She was so thoughtful as we bought the Linen package (highly recommended) and inside were some lovely warm blankets.
Our tutor Martin was amazing! Within a day he gave us so much knowledge! He was very patient with us and guided us so professionally. He is by far the best tutor I have ever had for sailing and is so clear in explaining the techniques and ways of sailing.
We were given a booklet for sailing and a good lesson on chart reading and so much more info needed for sailing. The boats are maintained very well and we had everything we needed.
This company is very Profesional and gives a good amount of information for everyone to become sailors and enjoy adventures.
We look forward to coming back again to this amazing place! But a huge thank you to Julie and Martin for making our first day/night so 👏 amazing!
Highly recommended for anyone!
D.Big thanks to Julie (from Great Escape) and all the wonderful WOW sailors for a fabulous weekend sailing in the Bay, the Noelex 30 was a pleasure to sail, looking forward to next time!
S.A fantastic experience! Amazing instructors, so much fun.5 days from novice to being completely confident on our own. Julie and her team are the best!
L.We went out sailing with Julie for the two day introductory course and I can't recommend it enough for getting into sailing. Julie was so knowledgeable and patient with us as complete beginners. We had a range of wind conditions and had so much fun. The course is really hands on and an incredible way to learn the basics. They were also very accommodating with our schedules and weather disruptions. We will definitely be doing further training with them!
O.We chartered with Bill and Julie in the bay of islands in March 2021. Julie made booking super easy and was very accommodating. When we arrived Bill was really efficient and gave us all the info we needed before sending us on our way. Don't be fooled by the size of their Raven 31's - then have more than enough room for a family of five and sail surprisingly well! After three nights in paradise we arrived back to be greeted by Bill and Julie who helped us unload the boat and get us on our way after a chat about all things Americas Cup! Thanks again, We look forward to seeing you again!
M.We just finished our 6 day learn to sail adventure and loved it! We had no prior experience with sailing but after the 3rd day with our experienced instructor Martin, we had the knowledge and confidence to go explore the islands on our own. Bill answered the million questions I had with a wealth of knowledge and always a smile! Julie was always smiling and helpful installing confidence in my not so confident grace 😂 thanks guys we still have plenty to learn but can definitely now learn on the water safely with our own little boat. Will definitely pop in when we come up again!
L.We had a great experience sailing with Great Escape. Daryl was onboard with us for 2 days to refresh our skills after a break away from sailing. He gave us a good review of what we had learnt in the past and hone our sail trimming skills. It gave us the confidence to go explore on our own for the next 3 days. Everyone at the school was friendly and available to help.
C.What an amazing 6 day learn to sail experience aboard a Noelex 25.
Many thanks to Julie, Bill and our instructor, Daryl for their professionalism, encouragement and instilling confidence in keeping us on an even keel!
Didn't want our adventure to end, we just wanted to continue exploring the abundance of beautiful bays and coves.
Highly recommended. Can't wait to return and practice our new-found skills.
Thanks again guys! 🙏
G.Great thanks to Bill & Julie for a well prepared and well maintained yacht. Highly recommended for your Island venture. No fuss, no attitude and no worry charter. Will be back soon...
M.Amazing experience and fantastic teaching. Our instructor- Kerry was a wealth of information (having sailed in some of the worlds most beautiful places) and such a lovely person too. She was patient with her instruction and tailored her teaching to suit our goals. Will definitely be back, nothing but great things to say about our experience!
J.We had a great experience sailing the bay of Islands thanks to Julie and the team at great escape. The whole process was effortless and and we thoroughly enjoyed sailing around the beautiful islands. Even with the cooler water temperatures we had plenty of swims, saw lots of marine life including a pod of dolphins following, breaching next to and swimming under us for 10 minutes on our return to Opau. I wouldn't hesitate for a second given the opportunity to jump back aboard one of great escapes boats and get back into the islands!
A.OMG!!! Do this 'Great Escape' sailing experience - the best break I possibly have ever had! The 3 days tuition seemed intense initially but it all came together nicely and set us up for our own 5 day charter in the beautiful Bay of Islands. The fresh air, adventure, new sailing skill set, visiting new places and sites, the peace of sleeping on your own yacht in a secluded bay, taking a morning run/walk on an island bustling with bird life and letting the wind take you is simply amazing - possibly even devine :-)
Book it now and do it! Thank you to Julie, Bill and Darryl of the Great Escape team.
B.Had a wonderful experience thanks to expert instruction from our skipper who made sailing in upper wind limit conditions, safe and fun adventure for her novice crew. The yacht Liason was well maintained, comfortable and had everything we could want to enjoy our weekender in style- nice beds, well appointed galley, fridge and plenty of space for our group of 4. Thanks Great Escape - I learned a lot and had a super time.
W.This is our eighth year chartering from Great Escape. Bill and Julie took over the business two years ago and are going from strength to strength. This year we were back on our favorite 31 foot Raven "Liaison" for four days. She has had a thorough overhaul in the last twelve months, including a new engine, much of the interior, and a fresh coat of paint. Similar upgrades are happening throughout the fleet, so you can count on a well cared for vessel on the water, as well a friendly, warm, efficient welcome on land. Top notch!
G.Excellent 4 days out - again! Super service, and the facilities on the boat are very well attended to
K.Great escape were an awesome company to charter a yacht. Julie and Bill were incredibly welcoming and helpful. The boat, Davidson 20, was perfect. The trip was perfect length allowing us to see all the harder to reach beaches and coves. Great value too.
Thanks guys!
K.Awesome experience with great coaches! Excited for the next sailing adventure :)
S.Great Escape were amazing beginning to end! They are friendly, helpful, accommodating, knowledgeable and great to deal with! We booked a 2 day sailing course for my husband and he loved it! The hardest thing now is to try and work out when we can get back there to sail with them again! If you are thinking about sailing the BOI - book these guys, you won't regret it!
A.Went on a winter sailing long weekend with three friends on Liason. What a treat! I was worried about the cold but we were rugged up and the boat was so cosy - really comfy berths. Some great sailing in stiff breezes, nights under the most incredible star-scape, even swam both mornings! (Yes it was cold!) A completely different experience to summer - the sea to yourself virtually, no crowds on Urupukapuka, and the most amazing coloured sea and sky. Boats beautifully maintained and easy to operate.
L.We had a great family holiday chartering with Great Escapes. The boat (a Nolex 30) was perfect for the bay of islands, only very minor complaint was that it was in need of a new dodger, it was leaky in the rain. But other than that the boat was clearly maintained and upgraded where it counted, so still a five star experience.
S.Incredible experience. No one should miss out. Julie was calm and patient with us, while also ensuring that we had a wonderful trip and learned a lot. You should not see the Bay of Islands any other way than sailing with this team!
D.We rented a Davidson 20 for a long weekend (3 days) and had an amazing time. The boat sails OK, very spacious inside considering it's size. Retractable centerboard means you can get into some spots where you otherwise wouldn't be able to anchor.
The staff was friendly and professional. Explained us all the basics about the boat, helped us with planning the trip - quickly and efficiently.
The only minus I can think of would be there is no electricity onboard. So no option to charge phone, onboard stereo, refridgerator etc. Not a big problem for a shorter trip though.
All in all - awesome way to spend a long weekend, highly recommended!
A.Awesome few days on Carnival, a trusty Davidson 20, with my fab sailing instructor Antje. We pushed her a little hard but she didn't let us down and was a cosy overnight abode for me back in Opua on the Great Escapes Dock. I learned heaps from Antje who is a very calm and patient instructor and a lovely person to spend a few sailing days with. Great hospitality from Bill and Julie, and the Bay of Islands is of course just a stunning cruising ground! All in all a great escape!
G.So worth it - saw dolphins and went to a really cool island, best day ever. Highly recommended! We were back a little late from chasing the dolphins around and they were really cool about it. Very friendly professional organisation. Flexible and relaxed staff for whom nothing was a hassle. Thanks again!
E.4 day charter on Noelex 25 (has 8HP Yamaha outboard in well). Well maintained boat, ample fuel, secure anchoring setup, detailed guidance from Julie about the best places to go. Great Escape also has private moorings in Otehei Bay and Matauwhi Bay (Russell). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
A.Great day on the bay. I can't think of a better way to get out on the water and see the bay than sailing with these folks. The 20 foot Davidson was perfect for us for a day sail out past Russell to Cooks cove. Recommended.
S.Had such a fantastic time chartering a Nolex 25 from Great Escape. The staff were extremely helpful, the yacht was perfect, and the location was stunning. Would absolutely return!
K.Great team, excellent time out on the water. Highly recommend. 😀
I.We had an amazing two day sail with our boys. Julie and Bill were great and really streamlined the process. We look forward to coming back again next year.
R.Chartered a boat for three days. Great staff! Answered any and all questions and had great tips already in their talk when going over the boat! Thanks, we had a great time!
F.Awesome boat, awesomely equipped and even better surroundings....Bay of Islands is absolutely stunning. We'll be back for sure!
P.Once again a superb experience. Couldn't fault the service. Boats upgraded untold. I will be back.
L.Me and a few friends hired a few boats it was great fun. Really enjoyed it.
R.Great time. Highly tecommend
J.Fantastic weekend out on Liason.
B.Fantastic experience. We will come back for sure.
L.Great team, made everything easy.
S.3 days and 2 night on the Ravin 31. Fantastic boat and such an easy experience. Caught snapper for breakfast straight off the back of the boat. Definately recommend to anyone who loves sailing and loves the water.
B.(Translated) With my partner we did the 3-day course with an instructor and 3 days sailing alone, it was incredible, one of the best experiences of my life, or the best. Cheer up even if you don't have the best English (we have an intermediate level down) everyone has a very good vibe and patience above all, the instructors speak very clearly. This place is worth every penny and we will be forever grateful! Thank you very much Julie, Ian, Daryl and Bill!
(Original)
Con mi pareja hicimos el curso de 3 días con instructor y 3 días navegando solos, fue increíble, una de las mejores experiencias de mi vida, o la mejor. Anímense aunque no tengan el mejor inglés (nosotros tenemos un nivel intermedio para abajo) todos tienen muy buena onda y paciencia sobretodo, los instructores hablan muy claro. Este lugar vale cada centavo y les vamos a estar eternamente agradecidos! Muchas gracias Julie, Ian, Daryl y Bill!¡
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