Sailing area · Madeira
Cabin Charter on Madeira
Cabin charter on Madeira means: you book a berth (your sleeping place on board), and a skipper sails with you along the steep coast of the flower island, across to the sandy beach of Porto Santo and to the uninhabited Ilhas Desertas. The trips mainly take place in winter. You don't need a sailing licence for this.
Updated: 28 October 2026 · Redaktion toernfinder.de
from 8 providers compared
The essentials at a glance
Season
October to March
Duration
Usually one week, also two weeks
Most common departure ports
Quinta do Lorde at the eastern tip of Madeira
Requirements
No sailing licence required
Week-long trip per person
mostly 530–630 €
Current sailing trips on Madeira
Here you'll see a changing selection of current trips starting on Madeira or Porto Santo, from week-long trips around Madeira to sail training. Use the buttons to narrow the list by trip type. Almost all trips depart from Quinta do Lorde marina. Your enquiry goes directly to the provider, and you also book directly with them.
Last minute: Madeira trips in the next 30 days
- 31.10.Madeira archipelago round trip – Porto Santo and Madeira from the waterfrom Quinta do Lorde · 8 daysfrom 595 €
- 07.11.Madeira – Tenerife – Gran Canaria, the short ocean passagefrom Quinta do Lorde · 8 daysfrom 795 €
- 12.11.Offshore sailing voyage from Madeira to Cape Verde – 1,000 nautical miles of pure ocean experiencefrom Machico · 11 daysfrom 3,000 €
- 14.11.Sailing trip around the Madeira – Archipelago, an unforgettable adventurefrom Quinta do Lorde · 8 daysfrom 630 €
- 14.11.Madeira Archipelago SY AVALON – only 1 berth leftfrom Quinta do Lorde · 8 daysfrom 630 €
- 21.11.Sailing trip around the Madeira – Archipelago, an unforgettable adventurefrom Quinta do Lorde · 8 daysfrom 630 €
How cabin charter on Madeira works
With cabin charter on Madeira you book a place on board, not the whole boat. The skipper plans the route, leads the boat and bears the responsibility; you're part of the crew.
Each berth is allocated individually, so you can also book on your own. Most trips last a week and begin and end at Quinta do Lorde marina near Caniçal. Typical destinations are the south coast with Funchal, the neighbouring island of Porto Santo and the Ilhas Desertas. Because Madeira has hardly any sheltered bays, the boat usually lies in a marina in the evening.
Sailing holidays on Madeira: wind and sea
The north-east trade wind usually blows over Madeira. At the eastern tip near Ponta de São Lourenço and in the west it is accelerated by the mountains, whilst on the south coast there's a large wind shadow with calm water. On the passages to Porto Santo and the Desertas the Atlantic swell is present; the skipper chooses a suitable day for this. Anyone wanting to sail to Madeira with their own boat will find marinas, anchorages and wind information in the article Madeira by sailing boat.
Törnfinder data
Madeira in numbers
Analysed: all Madeira trips published on Törnfinder. As at: 28.10.2026.
Most common departure ports
- 1Quinta do Lorde50 trips
- 2Porto Santo3 trips
- 3Machico1 trip
- 4Funchal1 trip
82 %of trips last 7–8 days
82 %are round trips, start and finish in the same port
9 %take place on a traditional sailing vessel
4different departure ports
4countries visited, most often Portugal and Spain
120 nmcovered by a typical week-long trip
As of 28.10.2026: Törnfinder lists around 60 Madeira trips from 8 providers. 82 % last 7–8 days and 82 % are round trips with the same start and end port. Most trips start in Quinta do Lorde, Porto Santo and Machico, and most departures are in January and December. A week-long trip usually costs 530–630 € per person. Most Madeira trips last a week, start at Quinta do Lorde and end there again. The dates run between October and March.
How these figures are calculated
The analysis covers all trips published on Törnfinder with departure harbour on Madeira or Porto Santo (by harbour coordinates) and start date from today onwards; the figures are recalculated twice daily. Prices are the providers' quoted rates per person; offers for a whole yacht with skipper, calculated per boat, are not included in the price figures. "Usually" denotes the middle half of offers; the cheapest and most expensive quarters are excluded. Departure harbour counts as the starting harbour named in the listing; a round trip is one with the same departure and destination harbour. The texts on this page are written and checked by the toernfinder.de editorial team.
Sailing on Madeira: the islands at a glance
Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal in the Atlantic, around 500 nautical miles south-west of Lisbon. The archipelago includes the main island of Madeira, the smaller island of Porto Santo to the north-east and the uninhabited Ilhas Desertas to the south-east.
The main island is steep and volcanic; the coast drops away sharply. Marinas exist at Quinta do Lorde, Funchal and Calheta, as well as on Porto Santo. The tides amount to up to around two metres. Payment is in euros.
Eastern tip and Quinta do Lorde
Marina Quinta do Lorde lies near Caniçal, close to Ponta de São Lourenço, a barren peninsula at the eastern tip. It is the departure point for almost all Madeira trips published here. More in the profile Marina Quinta do Lorde.
South coast and Funchal
On the south coast lie Funchal, the capital with its old town and market, and further west Calheta. Here in the lee of the mountains it is usually calm, ideal for relaxed sailing days.
Porto Santo and the Ilhas Desertas
Porto Santo lies around 25 nautical miles northeast of Quinta do Lorde, with a long, bright sandy beach that does not exist on Madeira. The Desertas to the southeast are a nature reserve with one of the last colonies of monk seals in the Atlantic; a permit is required to visit. Dolphins are often seen along the way.
Madeira ashore
Ashore, Madeira is known for its walking trails along the levadas, the old irrigation channels, and for the laurel forest, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The many flowers have given the island the name Flower Island.
Planning a trip to Madeira yourself
For the route, cruising guides, nautical charts and the harbour profiles in the sailing magazineare helpful. The official sea weather forecast for Madeira is issued by the Portuguese weather service IPMA . Marinas should be enquired about in advance during the winter season.
Departure for sailing trips to Madeira
Almost all of the Madeira trips published here start at Marina Quinta do Lorde on the eastern tip of the island.
Quinta do Lorde, MadeiraMost frequent departure, around 15 minutes from the airportHarbour profile →
Individual trips depart from Porto Santo or Funchal.
Best time to travel for sailing holidays in Madeira
Sailing trips to Madeira take place between October and March. It is then 19 to 24 degrees warm during the day, the water is 19 to 23 degrees, and the island is quieter than in summer. In October and November the water is at its warmest.
In winter, low-pressure systems occasionally pass through with rain and stronger winds, so the skipper plans the passages according to the weather forecast. In summer, many providers sail in other areas.
| Month | Air temperature by day | Water | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 24 °C | 23 °C | Season start, warmest water |
| November | 22 °C | 22 °C | Mild, first rainy days |
| December | 20 °C | 20 °C | Christmas lights in Funchal, New Year's Eve fireworks |
| January | 19 °C | 19 °C | Most start dates, fresh evenings |
| February | 19 °C | 19 °C | Clear visibility, carnival in Funchal |
| Mar. | 20 °C | 18 °C | Last winter trips, coolest water |
Guide values for Funchal: mean daily maximum values according to wetter.com, water temperature according to meerestemperatur.de. Individual years vary.
When the trips start
The Madeira trips start between October and March, most frequently in January.
13
Jan11
Feb10
Mar0
Apr0
May0
Jun0
Jul0
Aug0
Sep1
Oct9
Nov11
DecAll Madeira sailing trips published on Törnfinder for the next twelve months. As of: 28.10.2026.
Madeira sailing trips: one week, two weeks or sail training?
Most trips to Madeira last one week and run from Quinta do Lorde to the neighbouring islands and back. There are also trips of ten to fourteen days and sail training trips.
MOST COMMON
Week-long trip
7–8 days · from Quinta do Lorde
One week is enough for Porto Santo, the Desertas and a detour to the south coast with Funchal.
mostly 530–630 €
View week-long trips →
Two-week trip
10–15 days
More time for Madeira and Porto Santo or for a longer passage, perhaps towards the Canary Islands.
usually 1,450–1,700 €
View longer trips →
Sail training
usually one week
Practical training for the Sportküstenschifferschein (SKS) in winter: manoeuvres, navigation and harbour manoeuvres with Atlantic swell.
usually 780–1,600 €
View sail training trips →
Prices per person from current listings, excluding offers for a private yacht charter with skipper. As at: 28.10.2026.
What does a sailing trip on Madeira cost?
A week-long trip to Madeira usually costs 530–630 € per person, with a day on board costing around 80 € on average. The exact amount depends mainly on the boat, duration and type of trip.
| Trip duration | Price per person (usually) | per day | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7–9 days, week-long trip | 530–630 € | around 80 € | 47 |
| 10–15 days | 1,450–1,700 € | around 130 € | 8 |
"Usually" means: the middle half of all offers falls within this range; the cheapest and most expensive quarters are not included. Click on the duration to see the corresponding trips.
In addition to the trip price, there is usually the flight to Funchal, the transfer to the marina and the kitty. What is included in the price is stated in the trip description; what typically goes into the kitty is explained in the article Kitty on a sailing trip.
What's included in the price and what goes into the crew kitty
Included in the trip price
- Your bunk on board
- The vessel
- The skipper
Usually via the crew kitty
- Food
- Hafengeld
- Diesel
On some vessels, catering is already included in the price.
What exactly is included is stated in the respective trip description.
Do I need a sailing licence for a sailing trip on Madeira?
No. As crew you don't need a sailing licence, because it's not you but the skipper who commands the vessel.
A boating licence is only required by whoever is skippering the boat. Those who want to gain practical experience in winter will find sail training for the Sportküstenschifferschein (SKS) and Mile building. Among the Madeira trips published here, sail training trips are the second most common type of trip, currently with 5 dates. Courses and theory seminars can be found under Courses & Seminars.
What should you pack for a trip to Madeira?
For Madeira in winter, pack in layers: light clothing for sunny days, warm things and oilskins for evenings and passages.
- Oilskins or a waterproof sailing jacket, plus a warm mid-layer.
- Jumper, long trousers and hat for evenings and night passages.
- Sun protection, cap and sunglasses with a retaining strap.
- Boat shoes with light, non-slip soles and sturdy shoes if you want to go hiking ashore.
- Seasickness remedy for the passages across the Atlantic.
- Identity card or passport; Madeira belongs to Portugal and to the Schengen Area. A soft bag fits into any bunk.
Other Atlantic sailing areas
From Madeira it is not far to the Canary Islands, and many yachts pass by on their way to the Caribbean.
Frequently asked questions about cabin charter on Madeira
Here you will find brief answers to the questions that most frequently come up before a sailing trip to Madeira.
Where can I book a sailing trip on Madeira?
Most easily via portals where providers advertise their trips so you can compare dates, boats and prices. On Törnfinder you send your enquiry directly to the provider, who confirms your place and enters into the contract with you. Törnfinder itself is not an organiser.
What does a sailing trip on Madeira cost?
A week-long trip to Madeira usually costs 530–630 € per person. In addition there is the flight to Funchal, the kitty for provisions and berths, and the transfer to the marina.
When is the best time to go sailing on Madeira?
The trips on Törnfinder take place between October and March. The weather is mild at 19 to 24 degrees, the water is around 19 to 23 degrees, and there are fewer holidaymakers on the island than in summer. In winter there can be occasional rainy days and stronger winds.
How far is it from Madeira to Porto Santo?
From Marina Quinta do Lorde at the eastern tip of Madeira it is about 25 nautical miles to Porto Santo, a good day's sail. Porto Santo has a kilometres-long sandy beach and a marina.
Can you anchor well on Madeira?
Only in a few places. Madeira has a steep coast with deep water and hardly any sheltered bays, so boats usually berth in marinas such as Quinta do Lorde, Funchal or Calheta. Calm anchorages are found mainly on the south side of Ponta de São Lourenço and off Porto Santo. For the Ilhas Desertas, a nature reserve, you need a permit.
Is sailing on Madeira suitable for beginners?
As crew, yes, because the skipper plans the passages according to wind and sea. But the sailing area is the Atlantic: the swell is higher than in the Mediterranean, and at the island headlands the trade wind can strengthen considerably. Seasickness remedies belong in your luggage.
Can I join a trip on my own?
Yes. With cabin charter you book an individual berth; the provider allocates the remaining places to other crew members.
Do I need a sailing licence for a sailing trip on Madeira?
No, not as crew. The skipper commands the vessel. Only those who want to charter and command a yacht themselves need a boating licence.
Madeira or Canary Islands: which is better for sailing?
Both are winter sailing areas in the Atlantic. The Canaries have more islands and harbours within reach; Madeira is smaller, greener and quieter, with Porto Santo and the Desertas as destinations. Between Madeira and the Canaries lie around 250 nautical miles, which some trips sail as a delivery passage.
Find current sailing trips to Madeira
Use the filter to narrow down by vessel type, trip type and dates, and send your enquiry directly to the provider.