From the initial booking through to the emotional goodbye to fellow guests and crew, the Provident experience way exceeded expectations.

yes and more

Got back home last night, and still thinking about our wonderful week with you all on Provi.  Thank you all for a great trip!  It was a wonderful group of people, and we all seemed to get on well together.  I've been singing your praises to many, especially about the great restoration job you have done on Provi, and how comfortable you have made her.  It really was a great way to enjoy the beauty of the west coast of Scotland and get to see some of the wildlife.

It exceeded my expectations. It was absolutely brilliant.

Thank you both for a wonderful trip. Absolutely everything met all expectations. It was especially good for me to understand how to hoist and sail with almost all the sails. Really enjoyed everything...great company,  sailing, exploring, spectacular catering, crew..... In total awe of you both for taking on Provident and for such a great refit.

More than that - wonderful experience

It exceeded my expectations. I hoped for good sailing, to experience the islands, see wildlife and enjoy good company and good food. I got all of these and so much more.

Yes! Sailing, islands, birds, marine life, good company

 An amazing week! The accommodation was much better than 'good' - very cosy and comfy bunks and even electric heads and a great shower - luxury! Fantastic sailing in stunning scenery and lots of birds and wildlife, including eagles and dolphins. The food was excellent and plentiful, always delectable aromas from the galley. All in all, an unforgettable experience on a beautifully restored vessel.

Yes, a great way to see the Hebrides

I was the most inexperienced by a mile. Everyone very patient and helpful. Learned. a lot. Loads of fun.

Yes - despite last minute change of plans due to the weather it actually exceeded expectations.

We were sad not to get to St. Kilda but completely understand that the weather dictated otherwise. We thoroughly enjoyed the sailing and the whole Provident experience - a fantastic experience all round. (We were sad not to get to St Kilda too and in the future, we are calling our trips “the Big Sailing Adventure - to reflect the 10 day sailing adventure rather than the destination)

I enjoyed my time at the helm, and pulling ropes, it was fun, and gave me a buzz knowing the wind was powering part of our journey

I had no prior sailing experience and yet I had the chance to learn about and experience sailing. Every crew member was happy to answer questions and explain everything. Also they were ready to involve you in the actual sailing as little or as much as you wanted, anytime. I can honestly say that the trip sparked a desire to learn more about boats and sailing in general. The crews enthusiasm for sailing and Provident really shone through

Involving novices was handled very well. You could do as much or as little as you wanted. Instruction was always at hand, if necessary. In the canal, sailing was obviously limited but gliding past and through beautiful Scottish mountains and lochs was idyllic.

Loved it. Great to get the sails up and have a go at the helm.

Really enjoyed getting involved. It was really helpful to have a tutorial on the boat and how the rigging worked, then see it in action. Titouan’s drawings on deck are a great way to get to grips with how the boat works. Also Steve is great at spotting opportunities for you to have a go and feel confident in what you are doing, explaining things as you go. Learnt a lot and had fun.

Great - no pressure to help but if you were interested you quickly became part of the team and were give clear instructions which was very helpful if you had no previous experience.

Fantastic. I really enjoyed the experience of sailing on Provident and very much enjoyed experiencing the islands on foot.

Excellent. Great enthusiasm by the crew. Friendly and helpful at all times. Got plenty of practise at all tasks.

Excellent - plenty of opportunity to get involved with the sailing - helm, sail handling - without feeling any obligation to do more than I felt able to

We were lucky to have a few great days sailing with a good wind !, it was nice to participate in all aspects of sailing the boat . It was like a 4 star hotel with full time activities included !

Brilliant. As a not especially keen sailor I felt I could do as much as I felt comfortable with. Always felt in safe hands even when it was getting a bit sporty! Shore opportunities were good too.

The main sails are heavy work but technique improved over the week, thanks to crew's help.

Able to do as much or as little as I wanted regarding the sailing of the boat.

It was good fun. Everyone was very kind, calm and explained things in a clear way. They didn't get frustrated when they had to repeat things multiple times for those new to sailing. They were very enthusiastic and encouraging throughout. I loved that everyone got to go on the helm and that Steve was right there offering support during choppy bits. Every day I felt like I had achieved something or learnt something new. I enjoyed swimming from the boat and our hikes.

it was a fascinating introduction to how a sailing ship operates, and opened my eyes to all the variables that a skipper has to balance up - wind conditions, the current and future state of the tides, the selection and sequencing of the mooring stops - all sifted and weighed with experience. The sailing was well-balanced with stops and onshore walks, so I was very happy here too.

Totally epic

Very well organised and correctly pitched

Really enjoyed the sailing element and learning whilst having that experience.

She’s spacious, I enjoyed sitting in the dog house when it was wet, below decks it was fine, and I coped with the low level of the ceiling.. My one suggestion would be to add some cargo net at the foot of the top bunks to stop the duvet falling on the face of the person sleeping below. (we will do!)

I loved getting the opportunity to learn a little bit about sailing. Provi and the crew provided a great way to learn in a non pressured way. You all managed to create a varied itinerary that everyone loved. There was a great range of activities and shore visits, something for everyone. We discovered hidden bays, islands and a different perspective on the coastline of the West Coast of Scotland.

Love the new layout and loos!

Cabin was really comfy, everything we needed. Bathroom arrangements were great - who would have thought a shower on board! Great company, guests and crew. Enough space to be sociable but also if you want some time reading or just watching the world go by the boat gives you lots of options.

I really enjoyed life on board. You guys run a tight ship!

Really enjoyed it. It is undoubtedly compact, but that is part of the experience, and meal times around the table to were very enjoyable

Very comfortable. Loved the electronic flushing toilets and being able to shower.

Lovely. Furnishing and design was really good, Lots of nice little touches. Excellent shower, and nice toilets.

Warm and cosy (v important after cold water swims!) and welcoming. Cabins were small as expected but had plenty of storage and beds were very comfortable. Lights on beds and charging points for phones were very welcome. Toilets and shower were great and always clean

Being able to sit in the deckhouse in either rain or sun was very welcome. The bunks were 'cosy' but as expected. The mattress was extremely comfortable and cured my bad back (temporarily).

Une toilette un peu petite ( one toilet a little small) (not sure what we can do about this - the other one is a bit bigger)

Very comfortable. Love the new loos. Beds as always were a bit of a challenge.

It was unfortunate that water ingress led to wet beds. Although very compact accommodation and heads, it was what we expected. (this was an exceptionally wet week with some big sailing! We wish you had told us about the wet bed. We have lots of ways to dry stuff. This years winter project is the covering boards round the deck so this problem should be solved!)

I enjoyed the sense of cameraderie, everyone pitched in together. I was expecting snug accommodation so I adapted pretty quickly

Very comfortable!

terrific!

Our cabin was particularly restricted with no room under lower bunk to stow holdall-consequently, didn't unpack all week. (We think this was the musicians cabin - next year we will make sure we check in with all guests to ensure they are happy with the storage arrangements as we have other places we can store peoples holdalls)

It was welcoming below deck. The decor, the vibe, the atmosphere. Simply wonderful. I liked that there were opportunities to.get involved and contribute to day to day boat life. The shared areas and heads were kept clean.

Amazingly stress free, which was partly down to the very welcoming group on board (both crew and guests) and the cunning layout of the boat itself, which made the most of all of the available space.

The cabin was small but adequate. The bunk was fine once I was in it but tricky to get in and out of it without knocking myself (Provi is a boat… we are thinking about how to configure the bunks but everything is a bit of a compromise)

Excellent - best loos & shower I have seen on a boat. Bunks very comfortable saloon cosy

Very comfortable. the saloon area was more spacious than I thought it would be, and the cushions and soft furnishings made it feel nice and homely

Comfortable warm and cosy

Super group of people - very good company. Bunks spotless and comfy. Toilet & washing facilities exceeded expectations. Always spotless.

Clean, dry, warm and comfortable, USB charging and shower often not found on boats

Super comfortable, lots of room to be able to move around and felt like home for 5 nights.

Spent plenty of time on smaller boats so was very comfortable. The big table was great. Berths a bit neat but made better by the lovely duvets!

Very cosy atmosphere, very well organized, loved it

(About the food) There was breakfast, lunch and dinner…and snacks too! Morag went to great trouble to have a huge variety in food options and to accommodate everyone on board. A highlight was the fresh mussels and the fresh bread made on board.

You catered for my dietary requirements very well and I am grateful for the effort to accommodate this. I never felt I missed out. Your meals were great, and there was plenty of food.

The standard of cooking was amazing. Food seemed to be always available and arrive just when you thought you might like a bite or a cup of tea.

Superb, sadly I have put on over 5lb!

Excellent! Morag's cooking was fantastic and bread making lessons very much enjoyed.

Delicious, thank you Morag

Excellente et très abondante

Fantastic. Restaurant standard food and drink. Highly recommended.

Tasty, varied, wholesome, high standard

AMAZING!!!!! Very tasty, nourishing and plentiful. Loved every bite. Every single meal was exceptional. Arthur's haggis hash browns with eggs and sriracha were delicious! Leo's cake and appetizers were also lovely.

 Food brilliant altogether, and everyone around the big table made every meal an occasion. Was expecting to participate with washing up etc.

We were being served very nice food ….. nice homely comfort food

Food was tasty and plentiful with enough variety. Thanks for taking the effort to accommodate my dietary needs. Better than expected in terms of quality and variety.

Food was delicious and plentiful.

Food was great and lots of it. What Morag can conjure up in that galley is very impressive. Cakes, homemade bread, canapés, and hearty dinners much appreciated. Surprising appetite given we were just watching the lovely scenery, but more than amply fed by the crew.

Amazing, top quality produce, lot’s of it and complimented by the baking and homemade bread

Excellent. Fantastic meals that fitted the environment and location perfectly.

Excellent and plentiful

Amazing! We felt really cared for.

Morag’s cooking was excellent. Good, tasty, nutritious food. The whole crew’s efforts with baking were great and the daily fresh bread a really welcome surprise

Magnificent

Excellent - plentiful, tasty, varied and well-prepared.

Excellent!

Wonderful. Very tasty, beautifully presented and able to cope with all dietary requirements. It was lovely to smell the home made bread.

AMAZING

The crew were helpful, knowledgeable and charming.

Helpful, friendly, funny!

Really great. No drama. Clear and direct guidance from crew and skipper. No pressure to join in. Experience as much passenger led as it was by Provi owners and crew.

Anna (swim coach) has a lovely manner, very calm, so pleased she could come at last minute. great coaching.

Excellent tuition, patience shown on the helm, lot’s of encouragement to get involved supported by instruction and explanation

What a treat to meet them and spend time with you all

Thank you you are great, very friendly and welcoming and so helpful

Good balance between great hosting and needing to get on with the day jobs.

Positive, encouraging, friendly, highly competent, supportive, great company. In a nutshell: brilliant.

Helpfull, patient, joyfull, kind.

The crew was great, calm and evidently competent. It was nice to see young Jamie gaining experience and being so good with the guests

Great crew and very engaging. All were happy to teach us about sailing on Provident and good company all round.

nothing was too much trouble

Learnt so many useful skills from all the crew.

the crew did an amazing job!

Everyone was super friendly and helpful

Crew was great with the different personalities. Steve was super calm and gave an impression of being competent and confident. Ewan provided an endless stream of light hearted humour whilst exuding a sense of being responsible. Tituan was extremely knowledgeable theoretically and demonstrated the energy of someone who had new Duracell batteries fitted every 5 minutes. (Morag) had an air of being fully in control and approachable were we to need anything. (Thank you so much for looking after my Dad and allowing me the time and confidence to fully take part in the walking part of the itinerary. Finding ways to have him feeling useful and part of the company was and is so appreciated

Hardworking, kind and overall great human beings. Morag, Steve and Arthur are the dream team. Couldn't ask for better people to sail with.

Very friendly and helpful in all ways

Always there when needed, competent, sympathetic

Excellent. Hard working. Helpful Fun

Everyone was very helpful and friendly, and I was very impressed with the steady work that went into life both above and below decks. I felt well looked after - and safe - at all times.

They were excellent and interesting people to be with. Also very competent.

Excellent - very supportive of all abilities and level of feedback/coaching reflected needs and wants of swimmers.

The crew were fantastic, very helpful and with lots of interesting experiences between them.

Anna (swim coach) was great calm and reassuring. Came away a more confident swimmer

Ahh I loved Titoine, his French sailorness, his obvious huge knowledge of sailing and his outlook, top job Titoine, thank you. Saying goodbye to Tom he said "I hope I wasn't too brash" please tell him he wasn't, he was a pleasure to hang out with, loved his utter professionalism, thanks Tom.

All of the crew were extremely welcoming, friendly and couldn’t do enough for us.

Anna (swim coach) was wonderful, very knowledgeable and helped me to realise I can do far greater distance swims than I thought so very good for confidence building.

Brilliant, I feel Anna (swim coach) paid attention to everyone needs and provided for us all. She gave good tips and I thoroughly enjoyed swimming with her

Souvenir merchandise!! (we have t-shirts now and will be printing more!)

Provident has achieved new heights. Eternally grateful to all.

We had a great time so thank you to Steve, Morag, Chris, Arthur and Titouan.

I liked the fact that we were buying and using local produce as we moved from place to place. I was happy with the organic way in which decisions about destinations and walks came about, and understand the importance of this rather than trying to stick to a fixed schedule, but I can imagine that others might find this process a bit more frustrating - maybe something to emphasize at the start, and reinforce from time to time en route.

You've got it perfect. Thanks for keeping heritage boats on the water.

A most enjoyable 8 days and with the benefit of the good weather and fair winds

Ideas - a simple thing but a couple of hooks in the cabins to hang things like towels would be useful. (we are on it!)

I enjoyed the journey aboard the Provident very much and will keep some unforgettable memories. Thank you, Morag and Steve!

Difficult to please all the people all the time but initial briefing to ascertain wishes and expectations was a great help.

I’d have really loved a hammock for sleeping outside at night. But aware that’s not everybody’s preference..

 A message/packing list one week in advance would have been great. Everything else was perfect. Thank you so much!

Very much enjoyed the trips ashore. Not sure I would so much enjoy long open-sea trips or overnight sails. One week was about right for me. Navigation tuition was great and Sunday navigation exercise spot on. Enjoyed seeing all the wildlife. Would have liked to have done more rope work with Titouan.

Swam in beautiful scenery and plenty of opportunities to get into the water.

Really enjoyed the hikes, essential to get off boat I think. Incorporating cycling would be fun but perhaps logistically difficult!! (afraid so)

You need to get a better ladder for swimmers to get out of the water. The rope one is way too wobbly and you need to be pretty strong to use it. (We are on it for next year)

Would it be possible to share the names and contact details of participants before arrival ? It would be nice to know also for later? (we cant do this I am afraid because of the data protection act - some groups set up their own whatsapp groups to share after they go to know each other)