tall ships/ oyt

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owen

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my daughter aged 16 wants to go on a tall ships voyage. it may be that the timing of the voyages does not fit in with her holidays or they are full.I was wondering about the other boats run by the Ocean Youth Trust etc. Is the experience similar; has anyone a personal experience on them ?
thanks in advance
 
Dear Owen
The experience of sailing on a 20m ketch with a dozen other young people and 4 or 5 adults is significantly different from that of sailing a larger vessel with 30 odd trainees and a large staff complement. However the benefits that young people report are similar. (For chapter and verse go to the Sail Training International website and look under Research where you will find the report of the study we undertook with them during 2005-07).
If she wants to learn about sailing she would do better with OYT or a similar organisation but if she's desperate to furl a t'gallant in a rising gale she might find TSYT or similar more to her taste. I have sailed on a range of different sail training vessels and would say that it's all good, but which to choose depends on what you want from it really.

PM me if you want further comments.
 
Statsraad Lehmkuhl

Statsraad Lehmkuhl are based in Bergen and cruise around Europe, Tall Ships race etc. Not specifically youth training but an interesting international mix of ages on board. I've done a Bergen-Shetlan-Orkney trip and thoroughly enjoyed it. Took me a couple of goes before I had enough courage to go all the way to the top.
 
Have a look at the Association of Sea Training Organisations (ASTO) website at www.asto.org. ASTO is the umbrella organisation for UK sail training organisations. The members' page has details of over 30 organisations in UK that take young people (and older ones!) on offshore sail training voyages on more than 50 different sail training vessels. There are links to the members' own websites which contain voyage programme details and costs.
 
I know that the OYT boat Greater Manchester Challenge ( www.oytnw.org.uk ) is doing tall ships this year. I have sailed a lot on her and she is by far the nicest boat in the OYT fleet (ducks and runs for cover).

The most important thing about all the OYT boats is that they are small enough for everyone to be involved in everything, and I do mean everything. That makes for a very different experience from the bigger boats. I have seen the experience transform 100s of kids, the effect can be amazing and parents often ask how we achieved such enthusiasm (athough I believe the enthusiasm for washing-up fades after about 1 week). PM me if you want more information.
 
I've helped refit boats for, and sailed with, Ocean Youth Trust East and can agree with whipper_snapper. The boats are small enough for everyone to be involved, and probably give a far more raw experience than being on the tall ships.

if you want to know more you could try contact Barry Johnson who does a lot of organising for OYTEast (I think he's their chairman, though could be wrong). His contact details are on their website http://www.oyteast.org.uk/
 
I have personal experience of OYC as it then was and I can really reccommend it.
I sailed out of Gosport March '63 their first cruise, on Equinoxe, Gaff cutter, and learnt a lot. The cost then was £1 a day all found! It was a bit make do and mend but great fun not least the fitting out weekends in winter at Campers. I'm sure its still full of excitement, meeting a great group of lads & lasses.
 
Totally recommend OYT, my son has sailed with them and he really enjoyed the experience. The OYT has many branches throughout the UK. OYT Scotland have two boats, the newest is an ex BT challenge yacht and sails like a dream. I have used the OYT for all my practical training up to YM. Their staff are first class and are very experienced at helping youngsters get the best from their time onboard.


OYT Scotland
 
Like Double ender I sailed withOYC on Duet though. Gosport to Cowes with Jo Habens. Great experience and I now own a classic wooden boat and still get the same thrill as I did back then.
Try it and see. If it doesnt tick all your boxes then go on and try another way of sailing.
But keep trying.
 
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