Hands on sailing experience - I can’t recommend this trip enough. Many thanks to the captain and crew of the vessel (Marcel, Connor, Tom, and Arihi) for helping to make it such a great experience. You get to be as hands on (or hands off) as you want to be—for me that was very much hands on. I got to help hoist the sails, man the helm, ride the bowsprit, swing from a rope swing into the ocean, and my personal favorite—climb the rigging which gives you the best view on the ship! Only a handful of passengers wanted to climb, so they let me spend quite a bit of time up there which I really appreciate. We experienced all the weather during our day sail—wind, sun, clouds, and a brief but heavy downpour of rain—and while it dampened everyone’s clothes it didn’t dampen peoples’ spirits. I went on my birthday and I can honestly say it was the best birthday ever. I’d originally been suppose to come in 2020 but the pandemic put a halt to that so I had had 4 years to build the day up in my mind and the reality not only met but exceeded my hopes and expectations. And thank you for the birthday card; that was an incredibly sweet and unexpected personal touch. 💕

Sailing into the past in days of old. - Everything about the whole R.Tucker-Thompson experience was rewarding. It was my wife's birthday and she wanted to go out on the water. Sailing on such an old time square rigged sailing vessel was just the perfect choice. The crew were very nice and capable and contributed a lot to the enjoyment of the day. Really got a kick out of taking the helm and getting a helmsman's feel for the sailing capacity which was impressive especially on the wind in my opinion. I have recommended it to many friends and family and would do it again . Great thing you have got going there guys. Wayne McCarthy

Don’t hesitate to book this one - Wonderfully positive and inspired young crew. Instead of rushing from photo op to photo op, you truly experience a great day. Lots of participation possible, but never required. We even raced another tall ship for a bit (our crew knew the folks on it) which made for some fun sailing. Cannot recommend more highly, as this non-profit also support sailing trips for youth up north. The scenery is breathtaking.

Don’t hesitate to book this trip! - Amazing day. Great crew, learnt really interesting history and had loads of fun on this sailing trip. BBQ lunch was good and plentiful. Boat was very cool. They’re a non profit organisation who use the trip proceeds for youth education on sailing, leadership, etc., so all for a great cause too. Highly recommend!

A great experience - Good to be able to financially support this youth training organistion, and have a bit of fun in the process! The cost included a free ferry ride over from Paihia, and back at the end of the day which was a bonus. We departed from the jetty at Russel about 10am with all the guests- there were quite a lot on our trip- though plenty of room to sit up on deck. After motoring for a while out into The Bay of Islands, we anchored near a lovely sandy beach. The skipper and crew were very laid back about guest activities- some went in the inflatable to the beach, some swam to the beach, some stayed aboard and painted, some went up the rigging wearing harnesses. A couple of hours later, we all had a lovely BBQ onboard of Butter Chicken, Potato Salad and Green salad- you could buy alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks to go with it. We then set off back to Russel, this time under full sail, and the skipper let those interested have a go at steering. We got back at about 3pm, after a great experience, then after a quick explore of Russel (the original NZ capital, and 'Hellhole of the Pacific' ) caught the free ferry back to Paihia.

Unique, fantastic and fun - Unique and fantastic way to explore Bay of Islands. Wonderful crew, happy and helpful. Delicious food for morning tea and lunch. Entertainment extended from 3 yo navigating the ship to people swimming to the island and back again. Also watching climb the rigging and using the rope swing. Nothing was to much trouble for the crew.

Excellent. - Such a fantastic day. We booked it after a recommendation from a friend and it was great. It suited the whole family - 2 x grandparents, 2 x parents and 2 kids age 6&8. The crew were very friendly and really involved the kids. Age 6 - climbed super high on the rigging and the crew member was so helpful and patient while he went up. Age 8 - 'steered' the boat while the crew member chatted near by giving the illusion of our child having control! We all jumped off the boat and swam in the sea. Great food. Highly recommended. Bring lots of suncream/secure hat.

Perfect sailing trip - A fantastic trip highly recommended. The crew were great ,helpful and friendly as well as informative. Lunch was great too . A throughly enjoyable day. Was great sailing on this type of ship much better than the modern boats.

A positive experience to remember. - This is definitely something to experience. The captain & crew were very inclusive encouraging everyone to take part in handling the ship. Do not recommend to take small children from possibly under 10 (there were 3 kids from about 3 to 10 with a family & were terrified most of the way over to the Bay). Take loads of sunscreen. A day to remember :)

Do it! - A truely memorable sail with a great crew adding to the experience. Giving back to teaching youth how to sail adds to the reason to make this a bucket list must for those visiting Bay of Islands. Do it!