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Sail with us on the upper reaches of the Fal, Cornwall's largest and most beautiful estuary.
We start our trips at Malpas, strategically located moments away from the most enchanting and unspoiled part of the river. Two hours or longer on these sheltered waters observing nature and wildlife, learning of its surprisingly important past, and experiencing being under quiet sail is for many a highlight of their visit to the southwest.
We sail everyday in season, with start times that take best advantage of tides. All trips start and finish at Malpas near Truro.
We offer family friendly trips of
2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours and all day.
Drifter's cockpit is spacious and comfortable, perfect for social and relaxed sailing!
BOOKINGS FOR 2025 SAILING TRIPS NOW BEING TAKEN.
We will be offering trips from SPRING until the end of SEPTEMBER.
You might also like to consider gifting one of our sailing experiences.
We recommend booking well in advance.
Enquire or book a sailing tripTHE WEATHER
We want you to have the best experience possible on the water so our trips are dependent on good weather. We typically sail on dry days in wind strength up to Beaufort force 4 (Moderate breeze). We sail in sheltered waters so no waves, no worries. Weather forecast
TRIP START TIMES
Our trips start at a time that takes best advantage of tides on the day, this is to maximize the time that we spend under sail during your time with us on the water. This does vary every day throughout the season and we might suggest a morning, afternoon or evening sail to suit.
Explore the sheltered waters of the River Fal in a very special way onboard our classic sailing barge. Within moments of boarding at Malpas near Truro, you will be cruising along the upper reaches of this enchanting river.
Amongst the wild and densely wooded banks are discrete signs of life on the river both past and present with Heron's and Cormorant's typically seen along the waters edge.
We always aim to get under gentle sail during our trips where nothing but the sounds of the water and watching the sails gently move us along will enchant you.
During this trip we typically pass the commanding Tregothnan estate, the strategic WW2 location at Tolverne and the ancient King Harry passage before returning upriver.
After departing from Malpas we promptly hoist our sails to quietly travel downiver as far as possible before gently motoring back. Our trips do depend on the wind and tide on the day so we may also choose to motor downriver before sailing back.
The experienced and knowledgable owners Neil & Debbie take care of all the sailing.
A family outing, a celebration cruise or a very special trip for 2
2 HOUR RIVER TRIP - AVAILABLE TO BOOK 7 DAYS A WEEK
£45 per person
This river trip is a 'share-the-sail' which means you may be joined by others. We are always very happy to make your trip an exclusive trip where you will have the boat to yourselves, just ask!
UNDER 12's ½ PRICE & FIXED RATE EXCLUSIVE HIRE AVAILABLE!
SHARE THE SAIL
Our 'share the sail' trips are the most affordable way to join us on the water, on these trips you may be joined by others. There is a minimum booking of 2 people though we can sometimes accommodate individuals. Unfortunately we cannot allow dogs on these trips.
'Share the sail' trips are regularly scheduled throughout the season, please enquire about our upcoming trips.
EXCLUSIVE HIRE AVALABLE AT COMPETITIVE RATES
Tailored trips of 2 hours and longer for up to 6 people, these trips are perfect for couples, family or friends days out on the water. Well behaved dogs are also welcome. Why not consider bringing along your own bubbles or perhaps a picnic to enjoy at anchor.
INCLUDES UP TO 6 PEOPLE2 hours - £150
3 hours - £225
4 hours - £300
PLEASE BOOK EXCLUSIVE HIRE TRIPS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO RESERVE YOUR DAY
Often passengers on our 2 hour trip said that their time on the water passed too quickly and wanted to explore just a little more so we introduced our 3 hour trip.
The extra hour allows us to sail a little longer and reach a little further downriver from Malpas.
Where we sail and the distance we can cover is dependent on the wind and tide and is what makes every one of our sailing trips different and special.
Our trips are family friendly and are suitable for all generations
3 HOUR 'DOWNRIVER' TRIP
£67 per person
This river trip is a 'share-the-sail' which means you may be joined by others. We are always very happy to make your trip an exclusive trip where you will have the boat to yourselves, just ask!
UNDER 12's ½ PRICE & FIXED RATE EXCLUSIVE HIRE AVAILABLE!
This popular trip includes cruising down the river to the Trelissick estate passing Tregothnan, Tolverne and the King Harry chain ferry on the way.
We then continue into the upper harbour waters known as the Carrick Roads which are surrounded by beautiful countryside and villages and include locations such as Mylor, Restronguet, St Just and St Mawes.
We then return up river to Malpas.
Experience a special connection with the natural beauty and the ever changing winds and tides of the Fal as we sail quietly along its reaches and into one of the worlds best natural harbours.
The crew are happy to share their knowledge of its history and industry.
These trips often include time for a stop at anchor in one of the many pretty bays in the area. Activities can include an onboard picnic (please bring along) and perhaps a fun swim.
We would recommend this trip for family and friends days out on the water, or for special occasions and celebrations.
Dogs are also welcome on all of our exclusive hire trips.
4 HOUR 'INTO THE HARBOUR' RIVER TRIP
£90 per person
This river trip is a 'share-the-sail' which means you may be joined by others. We are always very happy to make your trip an exclusive trip where you will have the boat to yourselves, just ask!
UNDER 12's ½ PRICE & FIXED RATE EXCLUSIVE HIRE AVAILABLE!
Immerse yourself in the beauty and charm of the area with our 7-hour sailing adventures, designed to let you fully experience its natural splendor and rich heritage.
On a day sail, we have the freedom to explore the captivating Falmouth region, including the picturesque River Fal, St Mawes, St Just, Mylor, and Falmouth itself. Our journey might include a relaxing anchor stop for a picnic lunch or opportunities for swimming and other activities.
These day sails offer a fantastic day out on the water, with the flexibility to tailor the itinerary and schedule to your preferences.
The Drifter’s spacious and comfortable seating and helm area provide a perfect setting for socializing, while the experienced crew handles all the sailing tasks.
Feel free to bring your own picnic hamper and drinks to savor, and we also have a BBQ on board for added enjoyment.
For more details on water and shore activities we can include, just ask us about customizing your day trip.
7 HOUR ESTUARY SAILING EXPERIENCE
£450 PRIVATE HIRE includes up to 6 people
A sailing experience is a fantastic affordable gift.
You can gift a sailing experience of 2 hours or longer which can be redeemed at any time throughout the sailing season (Spring, Summer and Autumn).
The voucher is presented on card in beautiful full colour, and is 6 x 8 inch. We are happy to include any personal message making the voucher even more special.
More details about our vouchershere.
If you have received a sailing experience voucher, please get in touch about our sailing schedule.
Enquire about gifting a sailing experience voucher
Our tours of the River Fal include time under quiet sail. You can also choose to tour the river under gentle power.
During a sailing trip we sail as much as we can, raising at least one of our sails and turn off the engine.
The relaxing sound of the rippling water, watching the local wildlife and looking at the sail gently move us along will entrance you.
Drifter by name, Drifter by nature... we keep things as relaxed as possible.
Our barge is very stable, and has a comfortable and social seating area.
Where we sail to, and how much time is spent under sail is dependent on the wind and tides on the day. This makes every one of our trips unique.
We typically use our engine at the very beginning of our trip whilst we raise our sails and then later to return upriver to Malpas. Sometimes due to the wind direction we gently motor downriver before sailing back to Malpas.
If you prefer to tour the river under power, we use our engine to gently move us along it's beautiful reaches.
Trips into the upper reaches of the river and into smaller creeks are also usually performed under power but occasionally possible under sail.
The picture shows us sailing along in the rarely visited Ruan creek, which heads inland to the source of the River Fal.