Highschool students from the 8th grade onwards can spend two weeks of their holidays on the three-mast topsail schooner ‘Thor Heyerdahl’.
The students are integrated into everyday life on board a traditional sailing ship, receive daily English lessons and go on a multi-day excursion by dinghy, foot or bike in a country in Scandinavia.
No sailing experience is required.
The aim of the trip is to promote personal and social skills as well as English language skills. We want to strengthen English language skills, particularly through practical language use on board (the language spoken on board is English) and on land (staying in foreign countries).

Content and Concept

The objectives of the ‘Summerschool English’ are achieved through our specifically designed programme and with the use of professional educational methods. The students actively participate in ship operations, learn English during lessons and through practical use in daily life, and excursions on land.

Daily life on a traditional sailing ship

Students are actively involved in the ship operations and will learn about sailing the ship and life on board. Tasks on board are handled as a team. Students gain insights into different professions and general working skills. Daily activities for the students include watch duty, galley duty and cleaning the ship.
During daily watch duty, students work together with their watch leaders to run the ship which includes carrying out all the necessary tasks, such as steering and keeping watch, setting and striking sails, and conducting safety rounds.
About once a week, each student is a member of the galley duty team of the day, which consists of three students and one crew member. They prepare meals for the entire crew on board (45 to 50 people). Here, students learn about food storage and preparation as well as service.
With 50 people in a confined space, daily cleaning is mandatory for everyone. Each watch is responsible for cleaning one station, so that the whole ship is kept clean every day. Only in a clean home everyone on board can feel comfortable.

Strengthening English skills

The best way to learn a foreign language is to actively use it in daily life. At school, active speaking and interaction often falls short due to class size and the amount of material covered.
At the Summerschool English, the focus is on active speaking. Of course this is the case in English lessons, but also during life on board. Cooking and setting sail are done in English, and during leisure time our crew engages the students in small talk. During excursions on land, students can try out their English skills by talking with locals.
Every day, there are approximately two hours of English lessons in small groups of around 8-11 students. During one part of the lessons, the teachers explain ship-specific vocabulary and expressions, while during the other part the students can choose the focus of their lessons, e.g. conversation, grammar or writing.
The following English modules are offered:
• English conversation during watch duty in the watch groups (daily)
• Presentations of news, weather, meals (daily)
• Planning and preparation for land-based excursions and presentations about the places places
• Interviews with the crew and the locals of the places visited – on board and ashore
• Open ship tours in ports
• Practical use of English during expeditions on land
Our team on board (sailing crew and instructors) consists of native German- and English-speaking supervisors.

Excursions on land

Stays in foreign countries are an important part of the Summerschool English. Here, students can use their English skills outside the familiar environment of the ship community, learn about other cultures and have first-hand experiences in nature. They will go on a multi-day excursion, for example by dinghy, during which they will explore the surrounding area at sea or on land, spend the night on land and prepare their own food on camping stoves.
The stays are planned and prepared by the young people themselves and accompanied by our supervisors.

Summerschool English: Travel Information and Registration

Voyage: 18.07.2026 bis 01.08.2026

Travel area: Baltic sea

Price: € 1.650,00 (plus a one-time annual membership fee of EUR 25.00 for young people for the sailing ship ‘THOR HEYERDAHL’ e.V.)

The price includes the following services:
• Travel to/from Munich via Hamburg to/from the port of departure/arrival. For more information, please contact Segelschiff Thor Heyerdahl (see contact address).
• Travel on a tall ship
• Accommodation in the ship’s cabins (4-6 berths per cabin), sanitary facilities with hot showers and toilets
• Varied and nutritious food on board (and on land during excursions)
• Supervision by a team trained in seamanship and education
• English lessons in groups of 8-11 students
• Admission to museums and events visited, use of public transport
The price does not include any personal expenses incurred by the students, such as pocket money and medical treatment.

Registration

You can register at the Thor Heyerdahl Office. Please fill out the registration form below and send it to office@th-sailing.de.
The minimum number of participants is 26 people.

Contact

Segelschiff Thor Heyerdahl gemeinnützige Fördergesellschaft mbH
Wischhofstraße 1-3
24148 Kiel
Fon: +49 (0) 431 – 67 77 57
Fax: +49 (0) 431 – 67 83 67
E-Mail: office@th-sailing.de
Web: www.th-sailing.de

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