If you’re thinking about how you could spice up your travel plans, why not embrace your inner-exhibitionist and embark on a naked sailing cruise?
I spoke with Jan-Willem van der Klooster, managing director of Saltyboys, to see whether I could stowaway on their next voyage.
What sort of guys go on a naked cruise?
It really is all sorts of guys – all shapes, sizes, colours, and a great mixture of personalities and characters – that’s what makes it interesting and so much fun.
The age range tends to be anywhere between 22 and 55, with most guys in their 30s and 40s.
Most of our guests on a naked cruise are single guys, travelling by themselves. We do also get couples, and also friends who are travelling together.
The main thing that everyone has in common is that everyone is gay, everyone is looking to have a great time together, and everyone loves being naked as much as possible.
It’s a vacation that includes time to party, time to relax, time for adventures, small-group activities, and spending time together like a big happy gay family.
Where do most of the guys come from?
All of our trips attract an extremely international group of guys – Dutchies, Frenchies, Italians, Swiss, Scandinavians, British, American, Canadian, Australian, and Kiwi’s from New Zealand. We also sometimes get some Lebanese guys, and some South American guys.
Our guest-book gives a good indication of all the different places that our guests come from.
How naked are the naked cruises – is everyone naked all of the time?
Some guys strip off and get naked as soon as we leave port, and they don’t put any clothes on until we come back into port. Some guys like their swim-briefs on for tan-lines, but these usually come off pretty quickly after a few sundowners.
Is it just about being naked on board the yacht, or do you visit nude beaches as well?
We definitely drop anchor at pretty much all of the nude beaches in the area that we’re visiting. Our favourite places – where the Saltyboys have become well-known over the years – are Jerolim nudist island in Croatia, Lokrum of Dubrovnik, Ramatuelle on the Cote d’Azur, Isle du Levant in France, Elia beach on Mykonos, Cupecoy and Orient Beach on Saint Martin, Es Trenc on Mallorca, and Chiringay on Ibiza.
Our skippers have a knack for finding cruisey nude beaches and those perfect, secluded beaches where we can all run around butt naked.
How sexual is are the naked cruises?
Our sailing trips are mainly social, but social doesn’t mean non-sexual. It really all depends on the vibes of the individuals – sometimes things happen just between two guys, and sometimes more guys join in. It’s just like in every-day life, I guess – you either have that kind of click with someone or you don’t.
For us, sailing naked is all about feeling totally free. We want our guests to feel free – if guys want to get playful and have some fun while we’re sailing, we’re not there to break anything up. However, we do make sure that everyone is feeling comfortable. Our boats are big enough that guys who are having some fun aren’t necessarily on top of everyone else.
How far in advance do I need to book?
Usually, all of our trips book out about six months in advance. Sometimes we can add another yacht or catamaran to the flotilla, so occasionally we’re able to increase capacity on a popular trip.
Immerse yourself in the world of naked sailing
A few I wouldn’t mind sailing away with…..
Great idea for a vacation. Nice pics.
Said my piece once – not going to bother saying anything else AT LENGTH. Sex sells. Society is obsessed with youth – it’s an obsession on steroids in queer society. Not going to pick through pics looking for slightly less than great bodies or trying to pick out ages. It’s annoying but it is what it is. It’s a business for Saltyboys and I’m guessing there’s likely, or should be, a marketing fee for Daily Squirt which I definitely don’t deny them in the slightest – actually more ticked that the first time this was brought up late last year (by Joey, I think) – something as straightforward as what I just said wasn’t Gareth’s answer.
Well, actually, I was looking through these pics for “slightly less than great bodies” and to “pick out ages,” and this set is SLIGHTLY better. The second picture–the first group shot–does look like some of the guys aren’t “hot, young model studs” (or “stud models” if you prefer) and some of the guys in a few of the others do show some variety, and, yes, when you’re advertising, the tendency (especially in LGBT-directed advertising) is for “hot” and “young.”
My point, though, is when you’re advertising yourself as “all sorts of guys – all shapes, sizes, colours, and a great mixture of personalities and characters” and then end it with “that’s what makes it interesting and so much fun,” you really SHOULD be showing that “fun” IN the pictures you’re using. And when you further advertise that patrons/clientele are “anywhere between 22 and 55” and emphazie “with most guys in their 30s and 40s,” then maybe show off that age range.
I mean, if I read this advertising and decided to book a vacation based off the pics, I’d probably be REALLY disappointed if I ended up on a cruise where the vast majority of my fellow travelers were a bunch of pasty-white, grossly overweight guys who were just as disappointed as I was with the “look” of my cruise mates (and the few hot young studs were sticking together for fear of being hit on by the “geezers”). It’s sort of like the old “Three’s Company” gag where Furley comes back early from his “fun-filled singles’ cruise” because the only other “fun-filled singles” on board were middle-aged men like himself.
Of course, it is tough to tell peoples’ ages in pictures (for all I know, the guys in most of these pictures could be at least 40) but would it really hurt their bookings if they showed ALL “shapes, sizes and colours” where you could actually see them?
Hi guys, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I haven’t been on a Saltyboys trip, so I can’t shed any light on whether these photos – which have been provided by Saltyboys – are an accurate representation of their guests. It’s a fair point that it would be good to always show a diversity of guys in the articles we feature. We’ll continue to try and improve on that. Gareth.
That’s it exactly Joey. That’s what I’ve thought we’ve been discussing in these comments. It’s the mixed messaging. I wouldn’t really notice it – let alone comment upon it, if it weren’t for the message in the text. Actually, it’s possible, without a lot of reading anything into the text, to see that the text and it’s marketing message is geared to a 35+ demographic (number picked at random – could have said 30+ or 40+). Not wanting to offend anybody by suggesting parameters – age or weight or physical condition or anything wise – but I’m not suggesting going from one extreme to the other – just edging the presentation closer to the reality of the product you’re marketing and it’s likely consumers. I don’t know the “Three’s Company” reference you made Joey, but it’s a great analogy.
Marketing is a great topic for debate, there a lot more to be said on this – as it’s used to attract the “pink dollar” and in general. Apologies if you’re feeling picked on Gareth – I realize you’re in a tough position. When I said “ticked” in my first comment, that’s what I meant: not pissed, angry, furious etc.
Nice to look at, fun to imagine.
no weinnies in this shoot
True! Sorry about that… 😉 Gareth.
what to hell was the point of this set in the first place
Hi there, thanks for the question. We’re trying out a few travel articles on Daily Squirt. The aim is that they should still be sexy, and fit the overall sex-positive vibe of Daily Squirt, but we’re trying to bring you a bit more than just porn photos. I thought a gay naked sailing trip might be something that Daily Squirt readers could be interested in. Gareth.
Nice “travelogue.”
Looks like it would be fun
Freedom of being naked on high seas on the beaches.
Great idea….I wonder if they will be doing this in the solent.lol
Definitely not at this time of year… 😉 Gareth.
I go to nude beaches which are great just to be free and easy. Never thought of a nude sailing vacation. Great idea. Where do i sign up and can they come!!
Just not my “cup of tea.” I get enough sex at home and when I travel, I like to go sight seeing — not of bods. To each his own.
I get sunburned in 3 hours or so on my boat. What would naked all day bring….ack!