FAQ
Highland Spring HIHO 2013
Describe a typical Highland Spring HIHO day
A typical day during the event is as follows: wake up aboard you yacht on anchor and share breakfast in the cockpit with your fellow HIHOers. Competitors in the Highland Spring HIHO race will need to go ashore for the daily skippers meeting, then prepare for the days competition which starts at 11:00. More than likely the fleet will re-locate to a new island in the morning so you'll help sail the boat or just relax as the captain handles things. Lunch will be ashore on a beautiful beach. Afternoon activities might include swimming, snorkeling, kayaking windsurfing, or just relaxing… By late afternoon the fleet will have relocated to wherever we are spending the night. Dinner is served at 7:30pm so come ashore ready to eat and dance!
Is Highland Spring HIHO an all-inclusive event?
Yes, Highland Spring HIHO is an "all-inclusive" event in as far as your $1,895 entry covers accommodations, lunch and dinner each day, drinks with meals, parties each night, most activities, cruising tax, T-shirt & bag. Extra costs include drinks & snacks you might buy for your yacht, drinks you buy at night, certain activities such as scuba diving and airport transfers and departure tax.
Is the Highland Spring HIHO event fast-paced?
From time-to-time we get feedback that the Highland Spring HIHO event is fast-paced. Racing windsurfers in particular may sometimes feel like they are hustling to prepare their equipment all the time. It should be noted that we do cover a lot of ground and there are days when you might seem to rig, race, eat lunch, un-rig and then sail to a new island.
What is the YOLO Adventure One Design Class?
There is a big difference between the two classes of competition in the event. Racing class attracts a wide range of windsurfers from semi-pros like 2004 Champion Julien Quentel to h3 "weekend warriors". The best qualification for entering Racing is an ability to windsurf for over two hours and be able to tack & jibe. Cruising class is for advanced beginners and intermediate level windsurfers. Cruisers race less often than Racers and do not compete on the inter-island courses.
If I don’t like SUPing or windsurfing is this the wrong vacation for me?
While the roots of the Highland Spring HIHO event lie in windsurfing and there are now a lot of SUPers racing about 50% of the participants are non-competitors who join for the inter-island adventure itinerary. Yes, the race route and the event itinerary are closely intertwined and sometimes the pace may seem a little hectic, but the week-long inter-island route is second to none. Couple this with the fun activities and great parties and Highland Spring HIHO is a great vacation!
Describe life aboard the yachts.
The yacht element of the Highland Spring HIHO event just might be the best part. Living aboard a yacht is great! Hang out with friends in the cockpit, catch a nap or read on the bow trampoline or dive off for swim. Our yachts are provided by The Moorings, the World's largest charterboat company and are between 40 and 45ft. The cabins are roomy and include an en-suite bathroom. We handpick expert captains who are in charge so you can concentrate on enjoying your watersports vacation.
Will my non-windsurfing or SUPing partner be bored?
This is a tough one to answer, but let's just say that if sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, diving, kayaking or relaxing and visiting 12 different islands in a week can't keep someone occupied while you compete for a few hours each day, then no, Highland Spring HIHO isn't your vacation.
