Open Canoe Sailing Group - The Classic Lakes Meet, July 2015

Oban, Kerrera, Seil, Luing 2015

Sailing On Ullswater 2015

Brixham sailing charity seeks mentor for office team

A BRIXHAM-based maritime heritage and sail training charity is looking for someone with broad business experience to advise and mentor its small office team on a voluntary basis. The Trinity Sailing Foundation's trustees are actively involved in overseeing the charity's work but believe the staff would benefit from four to eight hours of support per week from a person with a management background. Trinity owns and operates three historic sailing vessels, built locally on the River Dart. It is responsible for their preservation and uses them to carry out sail training for young people, many of them disadvantaged, and for enabling the general public to learn about traditional sailing in a hands-on environment. A Trinity spokesman said: "Someone with the right knowledge and experience could help the trustees greatly in developing our young and dedicated team." The trustees can be contacted by calling 01803 883355 or emailing team@trinitysailing.org.

Club in full sail after landing £40,000 to repair spit of land destroyed by winter gales.

Hykeham Sailing Club hosts affiliates Hykeham Sailability - sailing for disabled people - Lincoln and District Schools Sailing Association (sailing for eight schools); RAF Waddington Sailing Club; and the University of Lincoln Sailing Club. They all operate from the disused gravel lake beside the A46 near Lincoln. This is the longest stretch of inland water between the Humber and Rutland Water - and the only venue for sailing for a large area of central Lincolnshire. For some years now, a waterfront bank, protecting a spit of land, has been a concern. Members have spent many hours repairing it with railway sleepers, old oil pipes and concrete platforms. However, winter gales are destroying the defences and the spit is eroding. Professional contractors are now required to stabilise the bank. The loss of land from the spit would markedly affect the sailing activities - it is the only area for the rigging of boats and is fully used, especially when visiting clubs or regional/national events are scheduled. The spit also has a secondary function as the only place where an air ambulance can (and has) landed - the club is three-quarters of a mile from the nearest main road, down a country track. "Biffa Award funding will also be used to dredge near the spit, which will improve safety as this area currently is shallow with submerged rocks." Project manager John Collinge said: "We are so pleased to receive news of the Biffa Award grant. "It will allow us to repair an essential area of our waterfront, damaged by storms, enabling Hykeham Sailing Club to continue as the mid-Lincolnshire sailing centre. "The club provides facilities for family, recreational and competitive racing sailing plus runs courses for both sailing and rescue certificates. Hykeham Sailing Club treasurer John Peters said: "It was great to hear we had been awarded a Biffa Award grant of £41,737. "Part of our waterfront was in a poor state, we did not have the funds to adequately repair the waterfront yet the land behind it was essential for the clubs functioning. "Now we know we can rebuild the waterfront and the club can continue to look to the future with confidence." Biffa Award programme manager Gillian French said: "This lake is the only one of its kind for a considerable distance, and was in need of repair. "We are pleased to support this project, which is an excellent example of how the Landfill Communities Fund can help improve local recreational facilities for the community."

The Green Blue Launches University Sailing Sustainability Challenge 2015

University sailing clubs from across the UK are taking part in the first ever University Sailing Sustainability Challenge, set up by The Green Blue – a joint environment programme created by the Royal Yachting Association and British Marine. The challenge will see university sailing clubs competing to undertake a series of sustainable actions throughout the academic year in order to win prizes and demonstrate to the rest of the boating community how achievable sustainable boating can be. Sustainable actions include: ensuring their sailing venues have a Spill Kit available to clean up any accidental spills when boaters are handling oil and fuel, ensuring members use re-usable water bottles during training sessions and events to reduce waste, and making sure their boats, trailers and equipment are checked, cleaned and dried to minimise the spread of invasive non-native species around UK waters. The Green Blue has been delighted with the positive reception and enthusiasm from university sailing clubs wanting to get involved. The clubs who have already signed up to the challenge include Plymouth, Bournemouth, Southampton, Oxford, Manchester, York, Newcastle, Leeds, Glasgow and Strathclyde. Southampton University Sailing Club’s Commodore, Tom Harrison said: “As soon as we heard about The Green Blue’s new challenge we were very keen to get involved. “This is a great opportunity for our sailing club members to learn how to be more sustainable and show other boaters how it can be done. I strongly believe that our sport can do even more to be sustainable and ensure our sailing environment is clean and safe for generations to come.” Participating clubs have to complete three different award levels, Bronze, Silver and Gold, by 27 March 2016. Each award level has a number of sustainable actions that need to be actioned and evidenced in order to be entered into three prize draws: Gold Award: £500 prize draw Silver Award: £250 prize draw Bronze Award: £100 prize draw All three prize draw winners will be invited to attend the BUCS Team Racing Championships in April 2016 to be awarded their prizes and certificates for their effort and achievements. To find out more visit www.thegreenblue.org.uk

Highs (and lows) of the seas for world sailing trip family

A couple who sold up and set off to sail around the world with their young daughter in tow have spoken about the highs and lows of life at sea. Kim Brown, her husband Simon and daughter Sienna (now aged five) set off from Aylesbury a year and a half ago. The family have encountered a number of obstacles along the way. Including vital boat parts breaking, challenging behaviour from their struggling-to-adjust daughter and navigating through force eight gales. Kim, who recently wrote on her Sailing Britican blog about their experiences sailing round Menorca, said: “The other day, while surviving through a swell - where the boat dramatically rocks back and forth while anchored- I felt a bit down and despondent. “It’s funny how things become normal after a certain amount of time and as humans we tend to look on the negative side of things after a while. “Last year I would have noticed the swell, told myself that it’s only temporary and just laid down while it took its toll, or I would have taken the dinghy to shore to seek stable land. “Nowadays I find swells as an inconvenience that slow me down. Instead of writing, cleaning or carrying on as usual. I have to change plans and just chill out. “I suppose that over time, even if you are living your dream, there are things that simply become normal and annoying.” But Kim says that the ability to travel anywhere in the world, following the sun to experience only the best weather and the wonderful people they have met along the way more than makes up for the challenges they often face. Kim also spoke about the triumphs and troubles of home-schooling little Sienna while aboard the yacht they have named Britican in homage to Simon’s Aylesbury roots and her own America heritage. She said: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about living on a boat it’s the concept of going with the flow. “I know that sounds cliché, but if you don’t go with the flow on a boat you are going to hate being on a boat!” She added: “Concerning flow, and Sienna’s education, I noticed that she had a huge capacity to learn whatever she was interested in, but failed to show an interest in basics like letters and reading. “I attempted to use a learn to read app on the iPad, to introduce sounds but Sienna became very discouraged because she couldn’t understand what was going on.” So Kim says she has studied other homeschooling programmes in books, on Youtube and online to find a better way of doing it. She said: “What I’ve done is create my own homeschooling method using a variety of resources. “The core that I started with comes from the Confessions of a Homeschooler website.” To find out more about the family’s trip, and for the latest updates on life at sea go to www.sailingbritican.com

Disabled yachtsman aims to sail solo around the world

Keith White is aiming to enter the record books as the first physically disabled person to sail non-stop and single-handed around the world. After losing the use of one arm in a motorway accident in 1991, he was the first disabled person to sail solo around the UK in 2005 and across the Atlantic in 2007. A solo circumnavigation will, he says, ‘complete the hattrick’. The challenge issure to test the limit of his own mental and physical capability. Currently berthed at Cowes Yacht Haven, he plans to set off next week, and hopes to be back in eight or nine months’ time. He is aiming to average 1,000 miles a week, and will take a southerly route around the great capes, although he plans to sail further north between the capes for milder weather. ‘I’m not racing, and I’d rather be safe and comfortable for the sake of a few days,’ he said. Keith’s boat, Marathon, a Feeling 1350, is only partly modified to accommodate Keith’s physical disability. Built for the BOC race in 1991, it has already been around the world twice. Weighing 20 tonnes, with a 9ft draft and 4.5 tonnes of lead in the keel, as well as two watertight bulkheads, it should be up to the task. Marathon is currently at Cowes Yacht Haven, where Cowes Town Waterfront Trust has donated a berth to help Keith realise his goal. Weather permitting, Keith will leave Cowes to head towards the Azores on 19 or 20 October. The journey is estimated to take 10 months, during which time Keith will sail alone, completely isolated from the outside world. As well as testing his own endurance, Keith is aiming to raise £15,000 for two good causes, Save The Children, and a foundation to build a replica of the Cutty Sark for under privileged children, which is a passion project for Keith. The project is self-funded, although Keith has been sponsored by Henri-Lloyd for his foul weather gear, by Cowes Yacht Haven for his pre-departure berth, and by North Sails / Sailcare in Cowes for the preparation of his sails. Keith said: ‘I’ve been putting all my efforts into preparing for this challenge since 2008. I’m going to be realising a big dream, especially if I can fundraise a significant amount for my chosen charities. I think the biggest challenge is going to come sailing around the South African coast, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. The bottom of South America is also known to be unpredictable.’ Keith’s children will be at home supporting him: ‘They’re nervous about me going, but they want me to live my dreams, so they support me in this, just as my late wife did for my Atlantic crossing. They’ll be glad when I’m back though.’ Keith isn’t afraid of the amount of time he will be spending alone on his boat. He added: ‘It sounds strange, but I’m looking forward to it. Sailing alone is he only time I ever get to read a book! I’m itching to get going now and I’m extremely grateful to Cowes Town Waterfront Trust for helping by donating a berthing space.’ Jon Pridham, managing director at Cowes Yacht Haven, said: ‘When we heard about Keith’s attempt to sail around the world unassisted, non-stop, we had to get involved. This is a huge feat even for a physically able sailor, but Keith also has to work around his disability. His attitude is a real inspiration.’ For more information about Keith White’s round the world challenge, visit his website http://singlehandedyachting.com/.

Sailing Scotland

Sail Scotland brings results for marine tourism

A REVAMPED Sail Scotland is delivering results for marine tourism, according to a survey just published. Sail Scotland, the national marketing organisation, is one of the core bodies behind the development of the National Marine Tourism Strategy – "Awakening the Giant". A new report highlights the progress made by Sail Scotland over the past two years including increased membership which has grown by over 30 per cent, bringing total membership to over 60 businesses, and revenue up by over 70 per cent. Supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Sail Scotland aims to attract more domestic and international sailing visitors to Scotland. Originally set up in 1994, Sail Scotland has seen a positive turnaround in the last two years since the appointment of chief executive Daniel Steel. Sail Scotland launched a new website earlier this year which forms a central part of its activity and includes information such as news about sailing in Scotland, tides, navigation and events. Mr Steel said: "We have fantastic members and a strong, committed industry board. "Over the past two years we have strengthened governance, grown revenue streams, built new strategic partnerships, created a new digital platform, and delivered international marketing campaigns generating over a million pounds of economic benefit to the Scottish economy. "We have just been voted as the best sailing destination in the world. "We will not be resting on our laurels though. We have big plans for the next few years as we bring the entire marine industry together to work with one voice to market Scotland globally." Ian Philp, development manager at HIE, added: "Funding from HIE has enhanced Sail Scotland. Having a well organised board and a chief executive who has produced great results has enabled the industry to have a louder voice. "It has also brought together a fragmented industry of small businesses and relevant organisations and opened up sailing in Scotland to an international audience as well as national." Last week, it was also announced that Scotland was voted the World’s Best Cruising Ground in the prestigious Sailing Today Awards – beating the warm weather destinations of Greece, Turkey, Canaries, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Blind sailor from Washington wins sailing silver medal at world championship

Blind sailor Chris Albert has brought home a silver medal after representing Britain in a racing world championship. The 49-year-old, who lost his sight in 2008, was part of a four-man GBR blind sailing crew, which competed at the Blind World Fleet Racing Championship in Chicago this month. He was sailing in the B3 class and was handling the mainsheet of the boat. The crew also included another visually-impaired sailor, who was at the helm, and two members who could see. They took part in a number of races, competing against teams from countries such as America, Canada and New Zealand, and came away with a silver medal overall. Team Great Britain also secured the Squadron Cup for their combined performance across all sections. Chris, of Washington, said he had suffered an injury before he set out for Chicago. On top of that, the sailing conditions were challenging during the competition. He added: “We spent the first day just trying to get used to the vessel - a Chicago Match Race Tom 28 boat. We had never sailed in it before. “And the weather conditions were very challenging. It was quite windy and there were 7ft waves washing through the boat. “The most difficult thing was to cope with the varying conditions and getting the communication right, especially in the strong winds when you can’t hear each other’s voice. “We put tactics in place to deal with different situations. “I’m absolutely over the moon that we won a silver medal as well as the Squadron Cup. We were up against tough competition with teams from around the world. “And considering the fact that I had a trapped nerve in my neck before the event, I think we didn’t do badly.” Chris, who used to work as an automotive and aerospace engineer, lost his sight as a result of diabetes. He had a number of laser treatments to try and stop the deterioration but to no avail. He is classed as severely visually impaired. However he did not let his condition stop him from taking up sailing. He bought his own boat and joined the South Shields Sailing Club around two years ago. Chris, who now works for South Tyneside Council and helps to educate children with sight or hearing problems about modern technology, wants to encourage youngsters to take up sport. He said: “I hope to inspire children to try different things and get them interested in sailing.”

Student who could not walk to spend a year at sea sailing around the world

Three years ago, student Ana Downer-Duprey could not walk. A car crash had shattered her body and she had certainly never set foot on a yacht; yet this afternoon, the 22-year-old, from Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, will sail away from St Katherine’s dock in London to spend a year on the high seas. Ms Downer-Duprey is one of the youngest crew members ever to have attempted the challenge of the biennial Clipper race, in which a dozen yachts sail 40,000 miles in a circumnavigation of the globe. The vast majority of those taking part in the race, which has eight stages, opt to complete just a part of it. But she is going all the way round. After the first stage ends in a month in Brazil, the race takes in South Africa, Australia, Vietnam, China, the US, Panama, Northern Ireland and the Netherlands. The finish is in London next July. Ms Downer-Duprey is one of many taking part who have never sailed before. To say she’s had a rough few years would be an understatement: her plan had been to study sports coaching at university but four years ago she fell during a rugby-training session, leaving her with a brain injury and left leg paralysed for six weeks. She dropped out of college and suffered from depression. Less than 18 months later, during a trip to see her father in Trinidad, she was involved in a car accident. “I had multiple fractures to my hip, broke my pubis, shattered my shoulder and I hit my head again,” she said. “I went back to forgetting things and was in a state of confusion; my confidence went again.” She has come a long way since then. “Physically I’m pretty good, although I still get some pains from the breaks especially,” she said. “The thing that really affects me most is the brain trauma; I still get confused and sometimes have a bit of trouble understanding what people say. My short-term memory is not great She found a job at the River Café restaurant in London and was slowly getting her life back when a poster she saw on her way to work one day prompted her to give up her job and move back in with her mother in Gloucestershire. “I just saw an advertisement on the Underground and it said something like: ‘Adventure of your life’ and ‘no experience necessary’, and that’s what really got me, because I have no experience. I called up straight away.” The “experience of a lifetime” does not come cheap; it costs £49,500 to do the whole route. In Ms Downer-Duprey’s case, her father has lent her the money, which she plans to pay back over the next five years. She stepped on to a yacht for the first time a few months ago. “I loved the boat, it looked amazing ... I was a bit in awe of it,” she said. Since then she has completed four levels of training, encompassing everything from how to tie knots to sea-survival skills, yacht maintenance and racing tactics. “It’s been a very steep learning curve; I have had to learn everything very quickly.” There were low points, particularly when the crew were practising the watch system they will use at sea. They work in shifts, spending a few hours on deck throughout the night. “I got so tired and was thinking ‘What am I doing?’ I’m getting tired, I have no personal time,” she said. But Ms Downer-Duprey managed to pull herself together, partly motivated by the money she wants to raise for charity during her trip. “I said to myself: ‘You’re doing this, you’re going round the world – go for it’.” She is one of 21 crew who will be on the Visit Seattle yacht, skippered by Huw Fernie. For all the training, the fact remains that she is still very much a rank amateur. The longest she has spent at sea has been six nights and the furthest she has sailed has been from England to France. “It’s going to be intense. It’ll be good and it’ll be bad; it’ll be an experience,” she said. “My biggest fear is probably personal injury, because of my history, and that I won’t be able to continue with the race because something happens.” Missing her friends and family is another concern. “I’m not too worried because I think my team will support me. I know them really well and get on with them really well, and feel like I have got a big support system on board,” she added. The Clipper Round the World Race, which began in 1996, is bigger than ever this year: about 700 crew from 44 countries are taking part. It is also the “longest around the planet”, according to its founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first sailor to make a single-handed, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe. “The race has always attracted a high proportion of novices, who are not necessarily into sailing but looking for an adventure far removed from the comforts of everyday life,” he said. “About 40 per cent of the crew members have never set foot on a sailboat before.” Selling the dream of ocean adventure has proven profitable for Sir Robin. His company, Clipper Ventures plc, has more than £23m in assets, including more than £2.5m in cash, and made more than a million in profit last year, its latest accounts reveal. But money is not the motivation for those who take part. As far as Ms Downer-Duprey is concerned, the race is about recovery. “I think it’s going to be life-changing for me. I’ve had quite a low confidence and feeling of self-worth since the accident,” she said. “Going round the world, and sailing, and really having to know myself, I think I’m going to come back with the self-confidence that I should have had originally. “And then I’ll feel really good about myself, because I will have accomplished something.”

'Ladies wanted' to enjoy some relaxed sailing in the Bay with Torbay Royal Yacht Club

THE LADIES of Royal Torbay Yacht Club have started weekly sailing evenings with the aim of introducing more women into the world of sailing. Organiser Julia Waddington said: "The idea is to get as many women out on the water as possible in an enjoyable, fun and friendly way. "We don't plan on doing any racing, there are no exams to pass or tests to revise for, we just have several lovely boats and keen female skippers looking to share their love of being on the water. "It's informal, and there will be no shouting on board. "There is no need to commit to each session, so even if you just come along for one sail we're sure you'll love it so much you'll want to come again." The first evening sail took place on Monday, August 3, and ladies will be able to enjoy regular Monday events, beginning at 4pm, right into September. There are plans for ladies to meet in the winter, too. "We are also thinking of how we can get together throughout the winter and still keep up our fitness – so that we can be ready for next year's sailing season," said Waddington. "All women are welcome – whether experienced or complete novices – and all they need to bring is warm clothes, soft non-slip shoes and a waterproof top. "They do have to be members of RTYC for insurance reasons – but there are substantial membership discounts available currently. The cost per session is just £10 to cover fuel costs, repairs and a kitty for an end-of-season night out. For more information, please email organisers at carolineaisher@hotmail.com or Jules.waddington@btinternet.com.