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Adventures Offshore |
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NewsThe latest news and newsletter from Adventures Offshore... 'Tolken' Friday 28th October 2011 It's the last week in October and on Sunday the boats will be decommissioned. The masts will be unstepped and all the gear will be removed and taken back to our workshop on Mersea Island. But before that happens there will be one more sailing. This evening two boat crews of our volunteer Afterguard will board for an intensive training weekend. Among them will be a number of new recruits undergoing their assessment sails, prior to joining our trainee mates scheme. The weather forecast for Harwich looks good. 16 - 17 degrees, sunny periods and 12-13 mph breezes from the sou-sou-west. We'll have an opportunity to give Ocean Scout and Offshore Scout one more sea trial, to see if there are any late additions to the four page list of routine jobs making up the annual refit schedule for each boat. At the moment the rest of the programme is a closely guarded secret, but we know there will be extra exercises at boat handling in close confines. Docking and mooring. There may be a chance to fly some of the less familiar sails, the mizzen staysail and perhaps the cruising chute. We know we need practise with that one, because one of them is already under repair at the sailmakers. On Saturday evening, to celebrate another successful season, we plan a meal ashore at one of the east coast's excellent Marina restaurants. These training events are especially important for us. There are nearly sixty volunteer Skippers and Mates on the scheme, spread all over the country, from Huddersfield in the North to Cornwall in the West. All give their time freely, but there's also a big financial commitment too. Afterguard pay all their own travelling expenses as well as the cost of courses and examination fees. They're expected to sail at least three weekend voyages a season and to turn up for three winter weekends to refit the boats. There are very few opportunities for nearly twenty of us to sail together and we really look forward to them. On only one other occasion during the year do we all to come together as a cohesive group. In March we hold our AGM and training weekend. There will be talks and demonstrations dealing with updates and improvements to the boats. There will be the chance for all to have a say on how the scheme is run, to put forward suggestions for improving the way we do things. But above all we'll be there to foster the spirit of service and co-operation which has seen Adventures Offshore through more than forty seasons, taking young sailors out for proper adventures on proper sailing yachts. The season may be over, but the planning and organising goes on, already we are taking bookings for next season's weekend sailings. We may not be doing the Tall Ships Races in 2012, but five of the twelve Summer Cruises are already fully booked. If you've not yet booked your passage, go to our 'Availability' page for all sailing vacancies. We look forward to welcoming you aboard in Olympic year.
"Logbook" - the Adventures Offshore newsletter
"Logbook" Archive May 2006 Part 1 May 2006 Part 2
Last updated 27/01/2012 |
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