Urgent sea staff vacancies:
We are in desperate need of first mates for 2nd – 6th May, 9th – 13th May, 6th – 11th June, 12th – 17th June and 24th – 28th June. Please email me, phone me on 07986 354697 or call Wolf on 07771 771864. We really need to find people for these spaces ASAP!
Owing to a cancellation, we also need a third mate for 2nd – 6th May. This berth would be suitable for a qualified 3rd mate (or even a 2nd mate), but could also be used for an assessment for a new member of sea staff. If you think you might be suitable, please call me or Wolf for a chat.
Voyage change
The voyage planned for the weekend 30th April – 1 May has been cancelled. John Laing will be in harbour in Southampton. If you could come and do some odd jobs on board, let us know; or if you are new prospective sea staff, client or crew, there might be an opportunity for you to look around the boat and meet some people – but please call the boat on 07990 518915 to arrange a convenient time.
Latest voyage news
A short trip last weekend for Steve Lacey’s youth group from Dorset. We sailed from Southampton to Cowes late on Friday night; on Saturday we started by sailing east, to an anchorage in Sandown Bay, and then sailed west again for a night in Yarmouth. Shore leave on Sunday morning was followed by a sunny sail back to Southampton.
All but one member of the group had sailed with us last year; this time, they apparently told Steve, it was “better than Thorpe Park”. They may be one of the few groups in history ever to make Wolf blush; but they were particularly sorry not to see Craig again, as he started their last trip before succumbing to illness, but was on leave this week, and he was clearly a member of sea staff who had made a big impression.
Despite finding the voyage quite demanding, the group all said they would sail again, but would have preferred more wind and bigger waves!
Among the sea staff, is was good to see Julia Davies again – she first sailed as crew with this group a couple of years ago, and was now sailing with them again as third mate. And Cathy Lacey, Steve’s wife, passed her third mate’s assessment on this voyage and should make rapid progress provided she doesn’t make use of her day job in the Royal Navy to aid Craig’s ambitions about installing hi-tech weaponry on John Laing’s foredeck.
On Monday we were joined by a new group, the XL Club for Boys, Chichester Youth Wing, Chichester High School for Boys. The club provides an alternative curriculum for those who find academic work difficult. They had visited the boat before, so the sea staff knew they were expecting a lively and high-spirited group. The boys all claimed to be “really up for the trip” – and they were. As a result, John Laing did her first cross-Channel trip of the season (for comparison, it was actually June before we achieved this last year). People were pretty seasick on the way across, and bosun Gizmo came of age as a member of sea staff by being introduced to the delights of cleaning other people’s vomit off all available surfaces.
Things improved, however, and the next day they did a day sail out of Cherbourg in order to practise some sail training. Wolf says that they did between 40 and 60 tacks, and when asked if they would now like to learn to gybe, they said they were “too tired.” Wolf then pointed out that they would need to gybe to get back again…..
The return Channel crossing went smoothly (and no-one was sick). All the crew achieved their RYA Start Yachting certificates. Wolf says that they were all really challenged by the voyage – but that they rose to it. And the group leader complimented all the sea staff: skipper Wolf; first mate Graeme Cole (thanks for stepping in at short notice); second mate Mark Boggis; third mate Andy Shuttleworth (who made good progress towards becoming a second mate); particular congratulations to Special K, who passed her second mate’s assessment; and Gizmo the bosun, who is making rapid progress towards and even beyond third mate standard but unfortunately can’t actually be signed off until her 18th birthday at the end of this year.
Future crew bookings
For information on latest vacancies, bursary funding and the 2006 programme, please contact the office on 0870 241 2252, or email office@oytsouth.org.
The 2006 programme is also available on the website at www.oytsouth.org.
Sea staff bookings
Apart from the urgent vacancies above, I still have some spaces at all levels later in the season – please email me or call me on 07986 354697.
And don’t forget the adult familiarisation voyage from 12-16 September, and the mates’ training weekend 16-18 September – berths still available.
Dates for your diaries
This weekend (23rd / 24th April) is a maintenance weekend in Ocean Village, Southampton – please call Wolf on 07771 771864 if you can come and give us a hand.
Saturday 14th May: Open Day on board John Laing – all welcome but please make an appointment via the office.
Thurs 30th June – Sun 3rd July: IFOS, the International Festival of the Sea, in Portsmouth: volunteers needed on the OYT South stand for all four days, and to show visitors around John Laing on Thursday and Friday, before she sets sail for Waterford.
10th and 11th September: More John Laing Open Days.
Friday 16th Sept: OYT South annual dinner, Royal Southern YC, Hamble, held jointly with two local children’s hospices.
16th – 25th September: Southampton Boat Show: volunteers needed for the OYT South stand.
For more information or to put you name down for any of these events, contact the office on 0870 241 2252, office@oytsouth.org.