‘Dream’ of yacht race to St Kilda to become reality

IT is a test of endurance and skill in some of Britain’s most remote and treacherous waters. Organisers of an inaugural race to Scotland’s furthest flung archipelago are giving sailors the chance to make history by embarking on a sea route many view as “unattainable.” The St Kilda Challenge will see the first ever yacht race held from North Uist to the isolated island group and back again. Described as a “dream” event for maritime enthusiasts, the race will span a distance of around 100 nautical miles and cover the hazardous swells of the North Atlantic, not to mention potentially dangerous weather conditions. St Kilda was occupied for thousands of years, but unforgiving conditions on islands and the surrounding seas meant that it was depopulated 85 years ago. Now, those behind the new race home they can raise the profile of the islands while also fulfilling the “lifetime ambition” of ambitious sailors. The event, which will be staged in June next year, is being organised by Comann na Mara, the Society of the Sea, based in Lochmaddy, North Uist. The group’s chairman, Gus Macaulay, explained: “North Uist is the closest landfall to St Kilda, which is some 45 miles to the west. “For so many sailors, a journey to St Kilda is a long-held dream but many have seen it as unattainable, just something to plan in the long dark winters in the sure knowledge of never living it out. “However, we realised that, with a carefully crafted and organised race run by a committee of experts and supported by some key businesses and organisations, we could put in the structure to bring together a group of like-minded yachts people, potentially from all over the world, and run an exciting regatta to these mysterious islands on the outermost fringes of the United Kingdom.” Comann na Mara’s venture is being supported by ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne, the Scottish Sailing Institute, and governing body the Royal Yachting Association Scotland. The route will begin at Lochmaddy and it is expected it will take sailors around 24 hours to complete it, depending on the conditions. While the course is relatively short compared to other yacht races, Mr Macauley said it would present “significant challenges.” The race will be open to all but organisers are creating a qualifying criteria and safety standards for yachts and crews. The initiative is also being backed by the National Trust for Scotland, the conservation charity which owns St Kilda. Alexander Bennett, its general manager responsible for overseeing the islands, said he “envied” the opportunity being given to those who will have a chance to approach St Kilda by sail, “just as generations going back thousands of years would have seen it.” He said: “Not only is this a unique event that could only be staged in Scotland’s western approaches, it will help to highlight the UK’s only dual World Heritage Site, recognised for both its natural and cultural significance, in what will be the 30th anniversary of it receiving the former designation in 1986. “The term ‘national treasure’ is now overused, but that is exactly what St Kilda is, and we must continue to remind people of its importance if the support and recognition necessary for this special place’s long-term wellbeing is to be obtained. “This is exactly what the St Kilda Challenge will achieve, as well as being an amazing experience in its own right, and it is why we commend it.”

Steven’s sailing therapy

Bestselling author and former soldier, Steven McLaughlin, has just returned from his latest adventure – training with the sailing charity Turn to Starboard. The charity, based in Falmouth,helps former veterans of foreign wars readjust to civilian life by teaching them sailing techniques and tutoring them in the ways of the sea. A lot of former soldiers fall through the cracks when they return to civvy street and can have real problems adjusting, given the horrors they’ve seen and the traumas they’ve faced Lytham-based Steven said: “A lot of former soldiers fall through the cracks when they return to civvy street and can have real problems adjusting, given the horrors they’ve seen and the traumas they’ve faced. “They can also desperately miss the friendship of dear colleagues, some of whom are sadly no longer with us. “Turn to Starboard helps them get over that by introducing them to the comradeship and purpose of the sea, which is a great leveller and gives men their pride and self-esteem back, literally healing old wounds.” Turn to Starboard offers free sailing courses and professional training to former soldiers who feel they’d benefit from time at sea, with the only proviso being they must have served on an operational tour. The courses are taught by highly-qualified sailors and former soldiers who voluntarily give their time, teaching the Royal Yachting Association syllabus and sailing out of Falmouth Marina on a Bavaria 32ft cruising yacht. Steven plans to continue sailing and strongly encourages any former soldiers to get in touch with Turn to Starboard and begin their own journeys at sea.

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.”