Sail from Bergen, Norway to Portsmouth, UK
Price: £1247. 4th - 9th June 2026
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Add 800nm and significant offshore experience to your log book with this Mile Builder conducted on an incredible 72ft steel yacht.
- Serious offshore mile building (around 800nm) on a Challenger 72
- High-value real-world navigation and watchkeeping
- An unforgettable route from Bergen to Portsmouth
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A yacht for the job
A great boat (Challenger 3) made light work of any rough North Sea weather; the skipper and crew/watch leaders were very knowledgeable and had everything under control, whilst also being fun and letting us get involved - you couldn't have asked for better; the boat was very well equipped (with copious good food and biscuits!); and there was nothing we could have faulted about the whole trip.
Fab2910
Verified Customer
This passage is for those looking to increase their sea miles and offshore experience with the added bonus of gaining the experience of sailing on a large, powerful yacht. While many of our mile-builders achieve 400-500nm in 7 days the size and additional speed of the Challenger 72 will allow for 800+ miles in 6 days.
Sail from the dramatic Norwegian coast and UNESCO-listed city of Bergen to historic Portsmouth, one of Britain’s great naval harbours — combining exceptional training value with a memorable offshore adventure. Board the yacht in Bergen the evening before departure to settle in and meet the rest of the crew. There the highly experienced Skipper will provide you with a comprehensive safety brief prior to a prompt departure.
You will then take in the incredible scenery when transiting down the Norwegian Coast before breaking into the truly offshore element of the passage across and down the North Sea.
Develop real-world navigation and watchkeeping skills as the route crosses busy commercial shipping lanes, offshore wind farms and oil and gas fields, before negotiating the Dover Strait — one of the world’s most concentrated maritime traffic zones.
5.0 based on 496 Happy Customers on Tripadvisor
RYA-certified sailing courses
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More Info on the mile building trip from Norway to the UK
800 miles of offshore sailing: Significantly add to your log book with good quality and quickly collected miles. Ideal for Yachtmaster preparation.
Extremely seaworthy yacht: 72ft Challenger Yacht that has sailed around the world twice, done numerous Atlantic crossing and been to Norway several times before.
High-value real-world navigation and watchkeeping — North Sea weather systems, wind farms, offshore platforms, heavy commercial traffic and the Dover Strait.
Experienced and Friendly Skipper and Mate: With a wealth of knowledge and a passion for imparting their knowledge the Skipper and Mate are dedicated to creating a safe, supportive and enjoyable environment for crew of all skill levels.
Key Trip Details
Bergen to Portsmouth - 4-9 June 2026
Prerequisites
- You need to have done Competent Crew as a minimum.
- You need to be reasonable fit and have good mobility
- Willingness to get stuck in essential
Trip Duration
- 6 days
Experience Gained
- Serious mile building on a genuine offshore passage
- North Sea sailing experience with changing weather systems and sea states
- Full watch system including night watches
- High-traffic environments including commercial shipping and the Dover Strait
- Offshore wind farms and oil & gas platform navigation awareness
- Sail on a Challenger 72, designed for offshore performance and endurance
Mileage
- 800nm
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Joining Details
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Join the yacht in Bergen
Arrive in the UNESCO world Heritage City of Bergen to start you adventure
Bergen in Norway to Portsmouth in the UK
An Inspiring Start to a Serious Offshore Passage
Sail from the spectacular Norwegian coastline to one of Britain’s most famous naval ports on this serious offshore mile-building passage aboard a Challenger 72 yacht. Departing from Bergen — a UNESCO World Heritage city surrounded by mountains, fjords and historic harbours — the voyage begins with stunning coastal scenery before heading into the open waters of the North Sea. It’s an inspiring place to start a demanding and rewarding offshore passage, combining natural beauty with genuine blue-water sailing.
A Demanding Passage That Builds Offshore Confidence
This trip is designed for sailors looking to build meaningful offshore miles and gain real operational experience at sea. Life onboard runs to a full watch system, including night watches, giving hands-on exposure to passage planning, navigation, sail handling, lookout routines and decision-making in changing conditions. The route offers excellent training value, navigating around offshore wind farms and oil and gas platforms, managing commercial traffic and crossing the busy Dover Strait — one of the world’s most heavily trafficked shipping lanes — before arriving into historic Portsmouth. It’s a challenging, confidence-building passage that delivers both quality sea time and exceptional learning opportunities.
The Yacht - A Challenger 72
The yacht is a tried and tested Challenger 72 that has raced around the world twice. She has a steel hull and is MCA Coded to Category Zero meaning that structurally she is suitable to sail anywhere in the world and she carries the safety equipment to facilitate this.
On board will be an extremely experienced skipper and mate plus 2 watch leaders.
Being 72ft long and weighing 48 tonnes the yacht is very hands on and most things require at least two people so team work is important. Below deck she is very comfortable with two heads/showers, a spacious saloon and a well-stocked galley. There are nice snug bunks in the sleeping areas.
The Price and Travel
The price is £1247 and includes all food on board, mooring fees and insurance, oilskins, fuel and gas.
Travel costs to and from the boat are not included.
You should aim to join the yacht in Bergen at 1900 on 3rd June and can expect to depart in Portsmouth by 1600 on 9th June.
Bergen airport is a short 45 minute light railway ride away from Bergen Town Centre. The position of where the yacht will be moored will be confirmed in due course.
In Portsmouth the yacht will be moored at Gunwharf Quays. There are good train/bus links. The train station is a short walk from where the yacht will be moored. If being picked up by car there is plenty of parking in Gunwharf Quays. The nearest airports are Southampton, Gatwick and Heathrow.
Before this trip there is a trip from Portsmouth to Bergen that includes 5 or 6 days cruising through the fjords. More details can be found here.
What Sailors Say About Us
5.0 based on 577 Happy Customers On Tripadvisor 
5.0 based on 337 Happy Customers On Google ReviewsGreat Sailing School
I've sailed with First Class quite a few times - first to get my Day Skipper and then on a few sailing trips, all of which were very enjoyable. Most recently I joined their trip from Portsmouth to Norway on a Challenger 72, which was fantastic.
Russ G
Verified Customer
Deep Sea Challenge, blue water mile-builder
The voyage from Portsmouth to the Canaries exceeded my expectations in so many ways. It was a great blue water mile-builder and a first class preparation for Trade Winds sailing . I'd recommend it to anyone considering an ocean passage especially the ARC. A tremendous experience in every way.
Ian J
Verified Customer
Superb
I participated in the Mile Builder in April 2025. Excellent experience. Yacht was seaworthy and comfortable, victualling thoughtful, ample and tasty. Our instructor Tom was great, and I learned a lot. The land-based FCS team is really professional, friendly and efficient.
Julian J
Verified Customer
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Ready to clock up 800nm from Bergen to Portsmouth
Get some great experience on this mile building trip
- 800nm
- Sail a Challenger 72
- Sail in the North Sea and through the Dover Straits
- Meet like minded crew mates also looking to build experience
Professional Sailing Outfit
Booked a weekend mile builder recently with First Class Sailing. The experience was excellent from the initial booking, clear joining instructions and the preparedness of the boat and skipper. We sailed hard on our weekend and got every minute of experience we could. First Class even arranged for us to have plenty of wind! Very professional business which is imperative when offering sailing to mixed ability groups. I will definitely be sailing with them again. Thoroughly enjoyable, thank you. Arrived home shattered, wind beaten and smiling!
Abbeywiththelab
Verified Customer
Ready to clock up 800nm from Bergen to Portsmouth
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