- Bátar association -
experience the sea
the expedition as the only reality
Since day one, going to sea has not been an option – it’s in our DNA. At Bátar, theory doesn’t survive long against the reality of the ocean. We chose a radical path: learning by “Doing”.
build to sail
Nothing here comes out of a factory. Everything is made by our own hands, at the shipyard and at sea. No passengers on board: only crew. We pass on, we learn, we build together.
precision in every move
From rigging maintenance to manoeuvres on the open sea, we train for precision. Every adjustment is a hands-on lesson, passed on by those who sail.
heading for 2027
Every passage and every hour at the shipyard is a step towards our 2027 transatlantic crossing. You’re not just coming to sail; you’re joining a team charting its own course.
ready to come aboard? → join the crew.
- Bátar spirit -
overview
the sailing school
Since the very beginning, setting off on expeditions with our boats has been part of the association’s DNA. Crew members are trained mile after mile, refining their technique and their understanding of the ship.
Trust and responsibility are learning tools we value at the shipyard just as much as aboard the longships. Very quickly, you head out to sea, guided by those with more experience.
Learning by Doing and by Being part of it is our guiding principle. It’s by doing that you find the right moves and the right trim, and build visual cues and habits. Then repetition, rigour and practice lead to performance.
Aboard our longships, several instructors will pass on the lessons and techniques they have developed over their recent years of sailing. They, along with volunteers in training, will guide you and share their knowledge whatever your level.
Sharing, solidarity and collective effort are the watchwords on board, so that everyone can pool their skills and develop them.
from first steps to offshore
Anchoring: learning the basics
Vocabulary, safety manoeuvres, knots and finding your way around on board. From day one, you’re part of the manoeuvres. We don’t watch – we do.
GETTING TO GRIPS: Gaining autonomy
Understanding the wind, trimming the rig, moving from following to taking the initiative. You learn to read the boat so you no longer just follow orders, but anticipate what’s needed.
RESPONSIBILITY: Mastering command
For those aiming for the Transatlantic crossing: training as watch leader, first mate and captain. You are entrusted with the crew’s safety and the fate of the ship.
open to all levels
Our sessions are open to everyone. Mixed levels are our strength: beginners learn by example, experienced sailors improve by teaching. Here, the only thing that sets you apart is your eagerness to take part in the mission.
Since 2020, we have always taken novices on board. Many of us had never sailed a sailing boat before joining an expedition!
Theory and practice
On board, you’ll be immersed straight away in the world of sailing. Within the first few hours, you’ll be given a position, with a line in your hand.
There’s no better way to understand how the boat works than to get straight to practice and watch the sail fill. Alongside this, theory sessions will put your experience into words, helping you understand how the longship behaves, repeat the right moves and refine communication.
progression: from first steps to offshore
1. learning the basics (anchoring)
Training goals are tailored to each person, to the year’s schedule and to the objectives of each voyage.
First, it’s about mastering the vocabulary, learning your first knots, knowing where to stand on board, understanding the basics of how the boat works and training for a specific position.
Alongside this, everyone will practise safety and emergency manoeuvres.
Next, at their position, each crew member will need to become more autonomous in trimming the boat, reading the wind and understanding manoeuvres rather than simply carrying them out.
Later on, it will be essential to train for different positions on board.
Depending on personal goals and the level required, members can be trained as watch leader, first mate and captain.
our longships
A modern replica of Roskilde’s Skuldelev 6.
The Fyr is our hands-on training ground: 12 metres of timber, 1.5 tonnes and instant responsiveness. With 25 m² of sail, she forgives little but teaches everything. She needs a close-knit crew of 8 to 12. Here, every move on deck has a direct effect on the ship’s performance. She is the ideal machine for understanding how a longship works, from your first knot to offshore manoeuvres.
The 2027 challenge.
Orkan isn’t a boat, it’s a laboratory. Born of two years of participatory boatbuilding, she blends ancestral plans with cutting-edge engineering to go for one title: the fastest longship in the world. Her 28 metres and 184 m² of sail demand perfect unity from 15 to 30 crew. Designed for hostile seas and speed, she is the beating heart of our expedition towards the 2027 Transatlantic.
OUR EXPEDITIONS IN EUROPE
Since 2020, we have sailed across Scandinavia and the Mediterranean to test our boats, learn to handle them, and discover – then excel at – square-rig sailing. Our expeditions have proven the strength, precision and performance of these boats designed 1,000 years ago.
To preserve and pass on longship sailing techniques and trim, we have covered hundreds of miles and trained dozens of aspiring sailors. On board, close-knit crews, stories to tell and unexpected passions were born.
For many, a dream come true.
- making a dream come true -
crossing oceans
On the way home from the 2020 expedition, the urge was already there: build bigger to go further. To where the horizon is nothing but ocean.
In 2025, Orkan is completed. After two years of participatory boatbuilding in Toulouse, she is launched at the Radoub dry docks.
In 2026, her crew sails her from Sète to Brittany on a six-week expedition.
In 2027, she will sail to New York via Greenland with the crew selected in 2026.
- Bátar spirit -
training
levels
Training sessions are open to all levels, and each day brings together people discovering sailing or this type of rig and those looking to improve or train for other positions on board.
Each outing is adapted to the make-up of the crew, the weather conditions and everyone’s training needs.
how the day runs
After a welcome and a group briefing, the day alternates between theory and a trip out to sea during which you will practise various manoeuvres.
In Sète, bridge opening times limit our access to the sea, and the day’s schedule is planned accordingly. Meet at the boat at 9 am. The day ends at 7:30 pm, once we have passed the last bridges.
- Bátar spirit -
training
levels
Training sessions are open to all levels, and each day brings together people discovering sailing or this type of rig and those looking to improve or train for other positions on board.
Each outing is adapted to the make-up of the crew, the weather conditions and everyone’s training needs.
how the day runs
After a welcome and a group briefing, the day alternates between theory and a trip out to sea during which you will practise various manoeuvres.
In Sète, bridge opening times limit our access to the sea, and the day’s schedule is planned accordingly. Meet at the boat at 9 am. The day ends at 7:30 pm, once we have passed the last bridges.
- Bátar spirit -
Crossing schedule and commitment
5 months of availability
We meet in early February on the Brittany coast, in the port we will set sail from. Intensive training with the selected crew begins in February. From that date until we reach the American continent, we need your full-time commitment for 5 months. The selected crew will be fed and housed near our departure base so they can devote themselves fully to training. For 2 months, the crew will prepare physically, technically and as a team for the departure. The goal: to build true crew cohesion and synergy – the kind that makes the greatest adventures at sea possible.
In mid-April, Orkan leaves her home port and puts to sea, escorted by the finest boats. She sets course for Scotland. In early May, the great crossing begins. The expedition will take 30 to 45 days, depending on weather windows. At the end of June, Orkan will cut through American waters to reach New York. Once the celebrations are over, a week of laying-up will be needed to carry out maintenance work before leaving her until the next adventure.
