Build sea miles, confidence and real offshore experience in the warm waters of the Caribbean.

Our Mile Builders trips are designed for sailors who want to expand their practical experience at sea, log valuable sea miles and enjoy real sailing passage-making — whether you’re preparing for higher qualifications like RYA Yachtmaster or simply want the adventure of extended sailing in beautiful tropical waters.

Caribbean mile building experiences offer the perfect blend of skill development, passage planning, night sailing, watchkeeping and open-water navigation in a region famed for its consistent winds, stunning scenery and varied cruising grounds.

What You Will Do & Learn

Mile Builders are practical sea miles, not classroom drills. You’ll be actively involved in every aspect of real sailing passage-making:

• Longer passages between islands, building real offshore experience
• Practise passage planning, routing and pilotage in changing conditions
• Night sailing and watchkeeping, logging valuable night hours
• Handling sail and power throughout extended sea miles
• Weather interpretation, tide strategy and decision-making
• Teamwork, crew communication and shared responsibilities
• Confidence and resilience as conditions evolve underway

These real-world experiences help you handle situations away from sheltered waters and refine your skills in a way that short courses simply can’t.

Who Is This For

Mile Builders are ideal if you:

• Have completed basic sailing or RYA qualifications and want more sea miles
• Are preparing for professional pathways or higher RYA certificates
• Want real offshore experience before tackling bigger passages
• Enjoy adventure, cruising and extended sailing with purpose
• Seek a dynamic mix of skills, exploration and teamwork

Whether you’re a confident crew member, future skipper, or seasoned sailor looking for deeper experience, this is the next step after basic courses.

Caribbean Mile Builder Options

In the Caribbean, mile building trips can vary in style and ambition, including:

Island-Hopping Passages

• Sail from Antigua to neighbouring islands such as Barbuda and back
• Combine picturesque cruising with purposeful miles
• Choose routes up the Leeward chain to include longer legs

Offshore Blue-Water Legs

• Extended non-stop passages between major islands (e.g., Grenada to Antigua)
• Sail hundreds of miles across open Caribbean waters
• Excellent for sea miles, watchkeeping and passage leadership

Mixed Experience Voyages

• Island hops interspersed with longer transits
• Opportunities for anchoring, marina stops and coastal navigation

Mile builders attract a broad range of sailors — from those building towards exams to those simply wanting more time at sea.

How Mile Builders Fit Into Your Sailing Progression

Completing a mile building trip is a valuable part of your sailing journey:

• Accumulate sea miles required for RYA Yachtmaster or other qualifications
• Log night hours and watchkeeping experience
• Build confidence on extended passages and in changing weather
• Prepare for offshore sailing, deliveries or long passages
• Sharpen decision-making in real scenarios, not simulations

These voyages are genuine sailing experiences — you contribute as active crew rather than observing from the sidelines.

What’s Included

Typical mile building experiences include:

• Professional skipper (and instructor on some options)
• Fully equipped sailing yacht for offshore passages
• Safety briefing and orientation
• Nights aboard for full watchkeeping experience
• Navigation and passage planning involvement
• Fuel and docking fees (where applicable)

Exact inclusions vary by itinerary and provider — always check details when booking.

Price and Availability

Mile Builders in the Caribbean are typically run over five days at a cost of USD $2,890 per person on a shared-cabin basis (if you would like to reserve a guaranteed private cabin, please contact us for pricing).

Typical routes in the region range from 100–300+ nautical miles for week-long experiences.

Availability is often seasonal, with steady trade winds and peak sailing weather in the winter and spring, so book early to secure your preferred dates.

Why Caribbean Mile Builders Are Special

The Caribbean offers remarkable conditions for mile building:

• Consistency of trade winds and pleasant temperatures year-round
• Beautiful island anchorages and cruising grounds
• Clear, warm waters that make offshore sailing comfortable and rewarding
• A mix of coastal and open-water miles that builds versatile experience

These trips combine the joy of cruising with purposeful sailing that strengthens your skills and logs the sea miles you need for progression.