Any yachtsman that has cruised UK waters for any length of time will have come across large sail training vessels, packed to the gunwhales with lively youngsters. Craig Burton from ASTO talks to a few sail trainers to discover why they do what they do.

SAIL TRAINING changes lives. This bold statement is backed up by numerous research projects, most recently the University of Edinburgh’s ‘Characteristics and Value of the Sail Training Experience’ which showed that by far the largest effect on individuals was the building of confidence.

James Boyce is one individual who has made the journey to becoming a sail trainer. James was no stranger to sailing, having sailed dinghies as a youngster, but never really considered it as a career. It was James’ sister Suzanne who would become the catalyst to change his life.

Suzanne sailed as a volunteer for the Ocean Youth Trust (OYT) Scotland and out of the blue booked James on a week’s sail training course. James was 24 years old and soon became hooked by this life-changing adventure. Going back to his day job as a customer services manager for a supermarket was never going to be the same again. His plan had been to return to university to do a post grad course, but instead James returned to OYT Scotland as a volunteer, sailing more and more.

It was Nick Fleming, the CEO of OYT Scotland who convinced James to give up work and sail with OYT Scotland full time, during which time he qualified as Bosun and Watch Leader, before taking the Skippership Scheme, an intensive nine month training programme run by ASTO.

Now, at the age of 26, James is sailing with OYT North West and in 2008 is the proud skipper of Greater Manchester Challenge.

In those short two years since his first sail training voyage James has achieved a lot. Now as an ambassador for sail training, James is mentoring three young aspiring sailors who are also on the same life path that James took.

James is of course loyal to OYT North West as a result of his experience and he has committed to stay there for the next two years helping others to experience sail training first hand, before moving on to his next goal, which will be sailing Tall Ships.

James explains how his life has changed: ‘During this journey, my goal was to complete the Skippership Development Scheme, which I did, but now there are many other goals ahead of me. The satisfaction of seeing other young individuals embark on the same journey as I did is one thing, but to be able to help them realise their new goals really inspires me. Today I have no idea where the journey will end, but one thing is for sure; it would have been remarkably different if I had stayed in my previous job.’

COMPLETELY HOOKED

Jenny Mellows was 14 when she started dinghy sailing. Not long afterwards, she experienced sail training with OYT North East in Newcastle and was, in her words, ‘completely hooked’. In order to continue sailing Jenny volunteered and helped out at OYT North East, all through her university studies and right up to graduation. At the back of Jenny’s mind she always knew she would continue sailing in some shape or form, but to what extent was as yet unclear.