The ship
Arrow of Ayr.
Our 80-foot schooner, built to cross oceans, not just harbours. A small group of guests, a professional crew, and room to live at sea.
A schooner made for the open sea
Two masts, around 250 m² of sail, and 59 tonnes that keep her steady when the sea gets up. Designed by Doug Peterson and built in Guernsey, Arrow of Ayr belongs to the family of the Ocean 80s: yachts made to sail far, and to sail well, with a small crew. She was fully refitted in 2022, with her rigging overhauled, then given new sails in 2023.
A schooner is a classic rig, generous and easy to handle — the shape of the great ocean-going sailing ships, at a human scale.
Life on board
- Four guest cabins, each with its own bathroom: two with a double bed, two with a double bed and a bunk.
- Separate crew quarters: the crew has its own space, and so do you.
- A saloon and a galley for shared meals, and a wide deck with a sheltered cockpit, a bimini against the sun and a swim platform.
- Fresh water made on board: a watermaker and large tanks, for real showers, even far from any harbour.
- Internet and air conditioning at set times: to stay in touch when it matters, and to cool down on hot evenings — without losing what you came for.
- To enjoy the water: a tender with outboard to go ashore, paddleboard, mask and snorkel.
Safety
Arrow of Ayr sails under the Red Ensign — the family of British registers, of which Jersey is part — and is run as a commercial vessel. Being under 24 metres on her load line, she comes under the UK Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code, in force since December 2025: the code that replaced MGN 280 and the former "colour codes" for sailing yachts carrying up to twelve guests.
- Surveyed and certified. Hull, stability, rigging and equipment are examined by an approved authority, with a certificate checked every year.
- Equipped for the open sea. Life rafts, lifejackets, fire-fighting, distress and radio equipment (GMDSS) matched to how far from shore she sails — standards that build on SOLAS, the international convention for the safety of life at sea.
- A qualified, well-treated crew. A skipper holding the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean, and crew working and living conditions in line with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006).
- Safety managed every day. Risk assessments, regular drills, and a safety briefing for every guest on boarding.
At sea, safety is not negotiable.
Specifications
| Type | Ocean 80 schooner |
|---|---|
| Design | Doug Peterson |
| Built | Guernsey, 1995 |
| Length overall | 24.2 m (79 ft) |
| Waterline length | 21.2 m |
| Beam | 6.1 m |
| Draft | 2.5 m |
| Displacement | 59 t |
| Sail area | approx. 250 m² |
| Hull | GRP |
| Engine | 170 hp diesel |
| Water / fuel | 5,500 L / 2,300 L |
| Guest cabins | 4, each with private bathroom |
| Refit | 2022 (full refit and rigging), sails 2023 |
Virtual tour
Coming soon: a 3D tour of the ship, from the bow to the cabins.