Rio Paralympics: Helena Lucas named on GB sailing team

Paralympic sailing champion Helena Lucas has been named as the first member of the Great Britain team for Rio 2016. The Southampton sailor, who turns 40 on Wednesday, is the first confirmed athlete on either the Olympic or Paralympic team. It will be a third Games for Lucas, who competes in the one-person 2.4mR keelboat event. "It's amazing that I'm the first athlete to be selected," she said. Lucas, who was born without thumbs and has limited movement in her arms, beat Megan Pascoe to the sole GB slot in the class. In 2012, she won gold in London to become the first GB sailor to win a Paralympic medal since the sport became a full part of the Games programme in 2000. "It's a massive relief to know I'm going to Rio and have the opportunity to defend my gold medal," she added. "It's a huge privilege, but also it means we can really focus on preparing for Rio and the specifics of the venue. Helena Lucas facts In 2006, Helena stood in for Shirley Robertson to helm in the Olympic class Yngling at the first Beijing Olympic Test Event, winning silver alongside Annie Lush and Lucy MacGregor. She made her Paralympic debut in Beijing in 2008, finishing in 7th place. She was the only woman competing in the 2.4mR class at the 2012 Paralympics and beat her nearest rival by nine points. "London was an amazing experience but no sailor has yet managed to defend their Paralympic title. It would be amazing to be the first sailor to be able to do that, so that's the drive and the goal for Rio." Lucas has been in superb form this year and is the only GB athlete in her class to have secured podium places in the Royal Yachting Association's (RYA) four qualification events, including silver at the 2014 IFDS World Championships and bronze in the 2.4mR Open World Championships. Her selection comes with sailing missing out on being part of the programme for the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo. Sailing team leader and RYA Olympic manager Stephen Park said: "By selecting at this early stage it allows us to focus our attentions on optimising Helena's performance and the specific challenges of Rio itself, which is a very difficult venue in sailing terms, while at the same time harnessing Megan's undoubted talent to aid the British team's medal-winning prospects across the Paralympic classes." GB has qualified a further five slots for athletes to compete in the Skud-18 and the Sonar class in Rio and competition for places in those classes will continue over the coming months.

Ben Ainslie Racing teams up with Siemens PLM Software

In June 2017, the Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) team will join several other sailing clubs from across the world to compete in the 35th America’s Cup race in Bermuda in a bid to take the title from current champions Team Oracle USA. Led by British Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie, the UK team will sail in a 62ft wing-sailed AC62 catamaran designed to ‘fly’ above the water on hydrofoils at speeds near 50mph. Building a boat for such a demanding race is challenging. “Unlike most sports competitions which are held according to a fixed schedule, the America’s Cup takes place whenever a qualified yacht club challenges the current trophy holders – this means there could be one year between the races, or there could be a decade,” explains Andy Claughton, technical director at BAR. “The uncertainty surrounding the next race means that we only have one chance to get it right.” In addition, competitors are prohibited from sailing their boats until 150 days before the event, which means that BAR’s 22-strong engineering team will need to largely rely on 3D virtual modelling technology to design and optimise the boat’s structure and onboard operating systems. BAR has teamed up with Siemens PLM Software UK, and its professional services partner Majenta PLM, to leverage its product lifecycle management, NX, Teamcenter and Femap software to design, simulate, test and refine the boat’s structure and onboard systems before manufacturing it. BAR will have access to any new software updates and Siemens’ engineering expertise for at least three years. According to Claughton, this will offer multiple benefits. “Ideally, we want to spend as long as possible on the design phase to ensure that each component is optimised and that the boat will perform well in a variety of different scenarios before we finalise its structure,” he explains. “The beauty of the NX system is that we can quickly go from a paper sketch to a fully functional virtual 3D model that can be extensively fine-tuned and reworked.” Fundamentally, using the NX software will enable BAR to create the basic 3D structure of the boat, capture the dimensions and then link all of the different components using parametric modelling techniques. “This will allow us to experiment with the shape, size, thickness or weight of different individual components and be confident that each time we make an alteration – such as increasing the width of the hull – all of the other components will be updated in real time,” says Claughton, explaining that this will ensure the team always has access to a fully functional 3D representation of the boat. “Without these parametric capabilities, we would need to manually restart the whole design process every time we wanted to alter a component, which would waste time, resources and money.” Meanwhile, Siemens’ Femap software will be used to perform finite element analyses, allowing the engineering team to identify how they can improve the overall structure and aerodynamic performance of the boat. For example, they can pinpoint the components that need to be strengthened, or those that need to be lightweighted to increase balance. “Working with 3D models allows us to create computational fluid dynamics simulations to test how the boat will flow through the water and how it will perform in different sailing conditions,” says Claughton, adding that this will help the sailing team to train for different eventualities. Using simulation software will also help BAR to accelerate the final manufacturing processes. “Ideally, we want to be able to make the final race boat in as short a timeframe as possible because this will give us the maximum amount of time to fine-tune the structure of the boat,” explains Claughton. “NX allows us to simulate various manufacturing processes and accurately calculate how long it will take to build the final boat. Not only will this assist with planning our production schedule and meet our deadlines, it will also enable us to find ways to optimise these processes.” BAR has already used the NX system to build and launch its first 45ft prototype boat, and to mould the material for the second test boat, which it aims to debut in mid-2015. “We will continue to refine the structure of these boats and by the end of this year, we expect to make a lot of the major decisions about the final design of the AC62 competition boat.” While the BAR team has a long way to go before it finalises the AC62 boat, Claughton is confident that the America’s Cup trophy is well within BAR’s grasp. “Siemens’ software will enable us to design an aerodynamic boat that will perform well in various sailing conditions and we have a strong, talented sailing team – of course we will win!”

New home proves to be a vital lifeline for Walsall sailing club

A SAILING club that gives disabled people the skills to navigate the water has been handed a lifeline after moving into a new home in Walsall for the first time in 15 years. Walsall Sailability has moved five miles from its former base of Sneyd reservoir to The Swag, in Barns Lane, Aldridge, following affiliation to Aldridge Sailing Club. The move comes after Walsall Council – who ran the club as part of their outdoor adventure service – tabled a move to close the service among plans to save £97,000. Although bosses later removed the proposal from planned cuts, leaders at Walsall Sailability, which was formed back in 2000 as the Sneyd Sailability Group, decided it was time for the group to make the move to Aldridge Sailing Club (SC). It comes after club principal Jeff Moore also retired from his role of outdoor pursuit officer for Walsall Council's sports and leisure team. Mr Moore will continue to run Walsall Sailability with the help of Philippa Bryan, Royal Yachting Association (RYA) senior instructor and parents of young people with disabilities who have sailed or sail with the group. The group is now looking to attract further funding, participants and volunteers to support activities on offer, with an open day held this weekend. "Sailing is one of the few sports where people of all abilities really can take part alongside each other on a level playing field," said Mr Moore. "The affiliation to Aldridge SC is the way forward for the group in the long-term both in terms of the further opportunities Walsall Sailability can offer to sailors staying involved in the sport into the future and promoting true social inclusion. "The group is self sufficient with families owning their own specially-adapted access dinghies and powerboats, while we are working with Aldridge to secure funding to invest in facilities to accommodate people with disabilities on a regular basis." Andy Jukes, principal of Aldridge SC, has welcomed the move. He added: "We are really pleased to have the opportunity to support Walsall Sailability and welcome them to Barns Lane. "It is great our club facilities will be used more widely, and going forwards we aim to continue the development of the club to promote sailing for all in the community." Residents of all abilities, ages and backgrounds are invited to see what sailing has to offer when Aldridge SC with Walsall Sailability hosts its free annual open day on Saturday (April 25). There will then be another opportunity for newcomers to also have a go at no cost on Sunday, May 10 as part of the national RYA Push The Boat Out event. "The open day and 'Push The Boat Out' event will demonstrate that getting into sailing really is simple, fun and open to anyone and everyone," added Mr Jukes. Aldridge club members will give visitors the chance to get out on the water and sample sailing at both events. Walsall Sailability will also supply adapted boats for families with disabled children or disabled adults within the family to try sailing. Visitors can also enjoy a ride in a powerboat at both events. The events run from 11am to 4pm and visitors are asked to bring warm clothes, soft soled shoes and a waterproof. To find out more, visit www.aldridgesc.org.uk

Free taster sailing sessions at Rutland Water for people and children with disabilities

Organisers of a sailing project for people with disabilities are staging an open day tomorrow (Saturday) at Rutland Water. The event hosted by Rutland Sailability will give people with all types of disability and of all ages the opportunity try sailing free of charge. The event is part of a nationwide Push the Boat Out initiative being organised by the Royal Yachting Association, A spokeswoman for Rutland Sailability said: “The event has been organised to encourage people with disabilities to try sailing. “It is a chance to have a sailing taster session at the club free of charge.” Sessions will be conducted by fully qualified instructors in specially modified boats with the last session starting at 2.30pm. To book a session or to learn more about the sailing opportunities the club provides, contact Rutland Sailability on 01778 590338. Rutland Sailability was founded 20 years ago and is a recipient of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Its members sail on Thursdays between 10am and 3pm, and (during the sailing season) on Saturdays between 9.30am and 12.30pm.

Yachtsman badly burned in boat explosion near Oban

A yachtsman managed to row himself to safety after being badly burned in an explosion aboard his boat last night. Oban Lifeboat launched to reports of an explosion aboard a yacht anchored in Puilladobhrain, Seil Island. During an evening meeting at the station, the lifeboat received a launch request from Stornoway Coastguard to locate and assess a yacht at anchor in Puilladobhrain. It was understood that the owner had been involved in an explosion aboard the vessel, a 20ft yacht named Zulu Hunter. A spokesman for the lifeboat said: “Fortunately, the lone yachtsman had managed to escape the vessel and row himself ashore, where he was able to make his own way to Oban hospital. He was later transferred to hospital in Glasgow suffering from burns. “Oban Lifeboat arrived on scene at 9.25pm to discover the windows and hatch blown out of the vessel. With the only person on board accounted for, the decision was taken to tow the vessel back to Oban where it could be more securely berthed. “The volunteer crew departed the scene at 21.45 and took the yacht under tow and, by 10.28pm, the vessel was safely berthed in Oban.” A spokesman for Stornoway Coastguard said: “We believe it was a gas explosion.”

Teenager to help other young cancer survivors take sailing trips

A teenager from Rayne who beat a rare form of cancer has completed yacht sailing training so he can help other young survivors. Sam Dore, 18, spent March with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, learning how to take young people sailing. The former Notley High School pupil benefited from the trips himself when he was diagnosed with Nasophyaryngeal Carcinoma aged 13. He beat the cancer- in the cavity behind his nose and throat - with a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. During his recovery the Trust took him sailing around the Solent with 20 other children. He said: "I first came on a trip in 2011 and have sailed with the Trust for four years since then. “I wanted to be able to give back to the Trust, and show the young people coming on trips for the first time how much fun sailing is." The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust was launched in 2003 to give young people in recovery from cancer the chance to rebuild their confidence through sailing.

Lifeboat tows grounded yacht from Oban Bay

Oban Lifeboat launched last night to a yacht aground on the Corran Ledge in Oban Bay. The lifeboat was requested by Stornoway Coastguard at 8.20pm after the 40ft vessel that had experienced engine problems entering Oban Bay. With a dying wind, the vessel was unable to make way under sail and drifted onto the Corran Ledge. The volunteer crew arrived quickly on scene and attached a tow line. Once it was established that there was no damage, the yacht was pulled clear to the safety of Oban Marina. Fortunately the yacht had drifted aground slowly, so the grounding of the vessel was minimal, making for a relatively easy recovery on a dropping tide.

More Scots taking to the water

Scotland's love affair with messing about in boats continues with more of us than ever casting off on waterways across the land, according to authoritative new research welcomed by tourism bosses. They predict big things for aquatic activity this summer. The Watersports Participation Survey has found that some 287,000 adults in Scotland or 6.9 per cent of the population, took to the water by way of one or more of 12 mainstream boating activities including sailing in dinghies and yachts, water skiing and canal boating. Meanwhile those involved in other watersports activity last year, from surfing to angling and leisure sub-aqua diving, stands at over one million or 24.5 per cent of local adults. These figures reflect a considerable rise in participation in Scotland, an increase of 2.4 per cent and 7.1 per cent from 2013 respectively, according to the consortium of leading marine bodies who conduct the survey.Some pursuits are more popular than others. With 152,000 people in Scotland taking to the water in a canoe the participation rate in canoeing north of the border at 3.6 per cent has risen above the UK average (3.1 per cent) for 2014. Other boating activities to see a rise in local popularity are canal boating and power boating with increases of 0.6 per cent and 0.3 per cent from 2013 respectively. More than 1.2 million boats are owned by households in the UK, an increase to 1,214,154 in 2012-14, from 1,163,726 in 2011-13. In Scotland 49,872 households owned one or more boats in 2014, of which at least 23,564 canoes/kayaks were owned by local residents. Meanwhile across the UK there are also significant increases with female participation in 'any boating activity' continues a steady increase since 2010 and is now at 6.2 per cent, the joint top highest with 2007 since the study began in 2002. Amongst those over 55 participation has been steadily increasing since 2011 and it is now at its highest volume since the survey began; the volume increase since 2002 stands at 66 per cent. For the 16-34 and 35-54 age groups, participation rates have remained fairly stable over the past six years. There is also a breakdown of figures for the casual participants who go out on the water fewer than six times a year and the committed enthusiast who is out more often. There has been a shift with a slight fall in 'casuals' and a corresponding rise in the proportion of 'enthusiasts' returning closer to previously seen levels at 77%. Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said: "With thousands of miles of stunning coastline, beautiful canals, rivers and lochs and hundreds of islands ready to be explored, Scotland really is the perfect destination for watersports. "It's great to see that more people are taking to the water, especially as Scotland's sailing industry is worth an estimated £101 million a year and supports 2700 jobs across the country. In October, our VisitScotland Growth Fund supported Sail Scotland's Sailing to Success campaign with a £22,500 grant and we're hoping this will inspire even more people to get outdoors and get involved in all the many exciting and interesting water activities across every single beautiful region of Scotland. It certainly looks as though watersports are set to make a big splash in the tourism industry this summer!" Howard Pridding, Chief Executive of British Marine Federation said: "The figures for the number of people participating in boating and watersports are encouraging but there's also plenty of room for growth. Getting out on the water is a hugely enjoyable pastime whether you're a casual participant or much more of an enthusiast, and the marine industry is in great shape to provide plenty of opportunities to enable this." The Watersports Participation Survey is conducted annually by a consortium of leading marine bodies including British Marine Federation (BMF), RYA (Royal Yachting Association), Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), British Canoeing (BC) and Marine Management Organisation (MMO).

Sailing Club looking for new members

Loch Ard Sailing Club is situated in a delightful quiet loch on the south edge of the Trossachs. It is a friendly club, offering relaxed weekend racing, social sailing, and a number of social activities throughout the season, which begins 
on April 12. The club’s aim is for 
members to enjoy the location, relax, and ‘mess about in boats’. There are club boats available to borrow for those who don’t own a boat. New members are always welcome. For more information go to www.lochardsc.org.uk/contacts

Potters Bar's Kristina Cartwight-Riley completes Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust Graduate Volunteer Training

An 18-year-old braved the elements to spend three weeks sailing with a charity. Kristina Cartwright-Riley, from Potters Bar, took part in the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust graduate volunteer training last month. Along with 13 others, she braved the weather on the Solent to complete the RYA Competent Crew Course and find out what it takes to be a volunteer with the charity. She will return to volunteer on trips over the summer. Kristina first sailed with the Trust after she finished treatment at the University College London Hospital in April 2009 for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. She said: "The Trust has given me so much confidence, I want to be able to help give other young people that opportunity to make new friends and rebuild their confidence." To find out more about the charity, visit http://www.ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org

Summer long race brings sailing boost to West Highlands

A huge boost to the west coast ports is on the horizon from a new summer long series of yacht races. A group of sailing clubs have pooled resourses to organise this bunite for a big event. The West Highland Offshore Series is Scotland’s only season-long passage race sailing championship. The new event for Scottish keelboat racing sailors gets underway in June and spans across the summer into September. It will call in at some of the most idyllic west coast ports including Oban, Gairloch, Kyle of Lochalsh, Plockton and Portree. The series will collect results from nine races and use the five best results for each boat to derive a winning yacht for the season. The event, in its first year, has been planned for a number of years and is being administered by Skye Sailing Club with support from Oban Sailing Club, Glencoe Boat Club, Plockton Small Boat Club and Gairloch Boat Club. The top three boats will receive prizes sponsored by the award-winning Duisdale House Hotel in Sleat, Isle of Skye. These include a weekend break with dinner and meals for runners-up. Series co-ordinator Ian McKay said: “We are fortunate that the owners of the Duisdale are keen sailors themselves, and when they heard about the concept of the West Highland Offshore Series they instantly jumped onboard to help. “When you remember that there is no fee to enter this championship, it’s a fantastic return to competitors for just taking part.” The first race in the series is the Oban to Glencoe passage race on June 5. The event will be an annual feeder race to the Glencoe Regatta which is held on Saturday June 6. On June 19 the race is titled Midsummer in the Minch, an overnight race from Portree to Gairloch via the Shiant Isles. Gairloch Boat Club Big Boat Race takes place on June 27 and will involve racing around buoys and islands from Gairloch. The Round Mull Race from Oban takes place on July 3, 4, and 5. It will be Over the Sea to Skye on July 11 with boats racing from Kyle of Lochalsh to Portree. The following day the fleet will race from Portree to Kyleakin. On July 25 the Round Raasay Pursuit starts and finishes in Portree. The Frithard Trophy will be competed for on August 1. The event is Plockton’s keelboat race and part of the village’s regatta fortnight. The final event will take place at a date to be confirmed in September. The last Gasp Trophy will involve a day of round the cans racing in Churchton Bay, Raasay, in front of Raasay House.

Plaid sailing in Scotland

With spectacular scenery and great facilities, it's understandable why some boat owners spend their entire boating lifetime without leaving the cool waters Scotland's west coast. There are three distinct cruising areas when sailing Scotland's west coast: the sheltered deep waters of The Firth of Clyde, the Sound of Islay and Point of Ardnamurchan, the most westerly point of mainland United Kingdom. SAILING THE FIRTH OF CLYDE Encompasses about 600 square miles of navigable water, the Firth of Clyde is the one closest to major population centres and is a sailor's dream with numerous anchorages, harbours and marinas. There are several charter companies operating in the area. Our trip started in the Kyles of Bute, where we made use of the free moorings provided by local hotels. To the north lies the entrance to the Crinan Canal at Ardrishaig. The canal was built more than 100 years ago and featured in the humorous Para Handy novels; it is used almost exclusively by pleasure craft. Being more adventurous, we made the passage around the Mull, which gave us spectacular views of the rugged landscape. We stopped in sheltered Campbeltown to enjoy a meal ashore with friends in the Ardsheil Hotel: good food and a whisky bar with an eye-watering choice of single malts. SOUND OF ISLAY A passage of 40 miles took us to the Sound of Islay and the option of a stop on the Isle of Jura where wildlife lovers can watch dolphins, sharks and gannets diving for fish. Our route took us to Oban, locally called the gateway to the Highlands. Marina facilities, swing moorings for visitors and a major bustling town offer shopping, hotels, pubs, restaurants and supermarkets. Oban Distillery in the town centre produces some fine malt whiskies, and there are tours of how their liquor is made. Twenty miles away at the outer end of the Sound of Mull lies Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, a real yachting centre and a site for watching white-tailed sea eagles. POINT OF ARDNAMURCHAN The most westerly point of mainland United Kingdom, the sailing in this area tends to be more rugged. Whales and dolphins are regular visitors, and seabirds are abundant. Loch Torridon was a standout - a place with few facilities but spectacular beauty. A few miles further north is Loch Gairloch with its well-loved Badachro Inn. Good food, drinks and banter aplenty are all on offer. The evenings are light in summer, so this can be a pleasant way of rounding off a good day's sail. Loch Ewe offers a choice of anchorages and access to the Inverewe Gardens – a stunning 20-hectare subtropical estate set on the peninsula - well worth a visit. Decent shelter on the mainland lies at Lochinver, a major fishing port, with a small pontoon facility for yachts. On a clear day the hills behind Stornoway, 35 miles away, are visible from Lochinver and certainly makes for easy navigation if making your way to the Isle of Harris and Lewis. We spent several days here enjoying the slower pace of life. Stornoway is the main port for air and sea connections to the Lewis region. A tour of the island gives a fascinating insight into the region's history. The standing stones at Callanish, reputed to be more than 5000 years old, and a traditional stone black house we visit, reflects its days as a Viking settlement. There are many ways of enjoying the delights of Scotland's sailing paradise, including the numerous bare boat charter companies vying with fully crewed cruise boats, often of exceptionally high quality. Skippers of bare boat charters have access to excellent local cruising guides and pilots to help plan a trip– whether that means ending every day with a trip ashore to vibrant nightlife, or enjoying the sunset from the cockpit of your boat, perhaps with a glass of something local to hand. SAILING IN SCOTLAND The west coast of Scotland's sailing area lies between 54 and 60 degrees north. Warmed by the Atlantic Gulf Stream, temperatures during the sailing season of May to September are in the range of 15 to 25°C. Weather can be quite varied with the occasional gale blowing through, but the prevailing westerly winds are of a more usable strength. The sailing day can be as long as you like by midsummer it is dark for only three or four hours and in the extreme north it is often light enough to read a book in the cockpit at 2am. Although many places offer visitors moorings at a modest fee, anchoring is necessary for some of the more isolated spots

Sail the Wight and help Age UK

SAILORS have been invited to help make this year’s Sail the Wight, in aid of Age UK Isle of Wight, the biggest ever. East Cowes Sailing Club, in conjunction with the Westerly Owners’ Association, has extended an invitation to join the sponsored charity race and cruise around the Island on Saturday, June 6. Sail the Wight has so far raised over £30,000 for deserving local charities, and organisers hope this year’s event will be one of the biggest yet. Two classes start from the iconic Royal Yacht Squadron line and the third from the line off East Cowes Sailing Club. The full Sail the Wight "east-about" circumnavigation race and cruise for two classes of yacht is roughly 55 nautical miles. The shorter course takes in roughly 12 nautical miles of the Solent. Following on from a good day’s sailing all skippers, crews, family and friends are invited to East Cowes Sailing Club for an evening celebration and awards presentation with bar, barbecue and music. East Cowes Sailing Club commodore Dave Casson said: "While I anticipate a great day on the water, whether racing or cruising in company, the main objective of Sail the Wight is to raise as much money as possible for Age UK Isle of Wight through entry fees and by individual boats and crews obtaining sponsorship." Entry, and sponsorship forms are available to download from www.sailthewight.org.uk or on (01983) 525282. Entry is £20 per boat.