Join our sail training adventure!
Onboard NEPTUN we are a community, and we depend on each other. We need to share skills and teach in order to be able to maintain the knowledge it takes to sail, operate and maintain the vessel at all times.
Sail Training Aboard Brigantine Neptun:
Brigantine Neptun offers a unique and immersive sail training experience designed to foster traditional seamanship and community spirit. This historic vessel, originally built in 1947, serves as a platform for individuals seeking to learn the intricacies of sailing a tall ship while exploring the world's oceans. Operated by the nonprofit Neptun Association, the ship embodies maritime heritage and cooperation, with mutual respect and knowledge-sharing at its core.
The sail training program aboard Neptun is open to individuals of all experience levels, providing an inclusive opportunity for novices and seasoned sailors alike to deepen their maritime knowledge. As part of the training, participants engage in hands-on seamanship, learning everything from traditional rigging to navigation and helmsmanship. The program also offers specific certifications, such as the Yachtmaster Certificate, which equips trainees with skills in boat handling and navigation required for professional sailing.
One unique feature of the Neptun sail training experience is the focus on traditional seamanship. Trainees gain practical skills in handling square sails and understanding the operational demands of a large, manually-operated vessel like Neptun, which boasts a sail area of 290 m². This approach ensures that participants not only become proficient in modern sailing techniques but also learn the timeless practices that have shaped maritime history for centuries.
Beyond seamanship, Neptun functions as a "school at sea," providing various educational opportunities. Trainees can pursue certifications in areas such as engineering for marine diesel engines and diving, with expert instructors guiding them through the technical aspects of maritime operations.
This blend of theoretical learning and practical application creates a well-rounded training experience that prepares participants for both professional and recreational maritime careers.
The Neptun Association emphasizes sustainability and community as pillars of its mission. Life aboard Neptun is characterized by a collaborative atmosphere where crew members share responsibilities, such as maintaining the ship, cooking, and navigating. The association fosters a "sharing economy" aboard the ship, where participants contribute equally to expenses like fuel, food, and repairs. This communal lifestyle enhances the sense of teamwork and camaraderie, integral to the sail training experience.
In addition, Neptun's voyages are designed to minimize environmental impact while raising awareness of marine conservation. The association actively promotes sustainable sailing practices, making Neptun not just a training vessel but also a model for eco-conscious maritime operations.
Neptun's training voyages offer more than just skill-building, they are an opportunity to explore the world from a unique vantage point. The ship's current circumnavigation runs from Asia across the Indian Ocean, around southern Africa, into the Caribbean and back across the Atlantic to Europe, offering Sail Training Crew the chance to experience diverse cultures and marine environments. These expeditions combine rigorous training with the reality of life at sea on a working tall ship.
Joining Neptun's crew is as simple as signing up through the association's website, with no prior sailing experience required. The program encourages anyone with a passion for the sea to participate, regardless of background. Whether you're looking to start a career in maritime industries or simply seeking an adventurous break from the routine, Neptun's sail training program offers a rewarding and enriching experience.
Sail training aboard Brigantine Neptun offers a perfect blend of education, adventure, and community, providing participants with the skills, experience, and memories to last a lifetime.
Pick your training leg
Every leg is a real ocean passage with a full training programme. Pick the one that fits your calendar.
May 2026 — Aug 2026 · Bali, Indonesia → Réunion, France
The opening chapter of Neptun's 482-day world voyage, a 4,078-nm trade-wind passage from the temples of Bali to the volcanic cliffs of Réunion.
Read more about this leg → about Leg 1: from Bali to Réunion across the Indian Ocean
Aug 2026 — Sept 2026 · Réunion, France → Zanzibar, Tanzania
Forty days across the western Indian Ocean, volcanic Réunion, lemur-haunted Nosy Be, the Mozambique Channel, and the spice-scented stone alleys of Zanzibar.
Read more about this leg → about Leg 2: from Réunion to Zanzibar via Madagascar
Sept 2026 — Nov 2026 · Zanzibar, Tanzania → Durban, South Africa
Sixty-three days coasting the African shore, spice islands, mangrove anchorages, Portuguese praças and the long trade-wind run down the Mozambique Channel to Durban.
Read more about this leg → about Leg 3: from Zanzibar to Durban down the Mozambique Channel
Nov 2026 — Dec 2026 · Durban, South Africa → Cape Town, South Africa
Thirty-eight days of serious seamanship, the Agulhas current, the Cape of Good Hope and the Southern Ocean at the tip of Africa, finishing quietly in Cape Town for Christmas.
Read more about this leg → about Leg 4: from Durban around the Cape of Good Hope
Jan 2027 — Mar 2027 · Saldanha Bay, South Africa → Fortaleza, Brazil
Forty-four days before the southeast trades, Napoleon's exile at St. Helena, the equator crossing, and landfall in tropical Brazil. The ocean chapter of the voyage.
Read more about this leg → about Leg 5: across the South Atlantic from Saldanha to Fortaleza
Mar 2027 — Apr 2027 · Fortaleza, Brazil → Trinidad
A thousand miles of downwind trade running, the Amazon's brown water under the hull, the Guianas smudged on the horizon, and Trinidad's steelpan waiting at the end.
Read more about this leg → about Leg 6: from Fortaleza to Trinidad along South America
Apr 2027 — May 2027 · Trinidad → Antigua
Four weeks of short trade-wind daysails through the Lesser Antilles, turquoise anchorages, rum shops on the sand, French-Creole Martinique and the tall-ship scene in Antigua.
Read more about this leg → about Leg 7: through the Windward Islands from Trinidad to Antigua
May 2027 — Jul 2027 · Antigua → Ponta Delgada, Azores
Fifty-six days on the classic spring tall-ship route home, Antigua, a long reach to Bermuda's pink sand, then three weeks of open ocean to the volcanic Azores.
Read more about this leg → about Leg 8: across the North Atlantic from Antigua to the Azores
Jul 2027 — Aug 2027 · Ponta Delgada, Azores → Kiel, Germany
The final 1,878 nm, from volcanic São Miguel to the Baltic, up the English Channel through the Dover TSS, past Helgoland's red cliffs and home to Kiel.
Read more about this leg → about Leg 9: homecoming from the Azores to Kiel