Double sixes for Arran Junior Sailing Club
Arran Junior Sailing Club (AJSC) secured six additional dingy instructors and six new sailing dingies recently after completing a major funding campaign and hosting an instructor training and assessment course.
The timely boost to the club resources were in place as the well-established club resumed teaching students for the summer season.
AJSC chair, Gavin Cameron, co-ordinated the project, securing funding from five different bodies to purchase the new fleet. Gavin explained the new Laser Pico sailing dingies offer significant improvements - all carrying battened mainsails and jib sails with jib halyards.
North Ayrshire Ventures Trust paid for two of the new dingies and Lighthouse Board charity, Trinity House, bought one. Also purchasing a boat was Arran Community Council’s community fund, which is distributing £25,000 awarded to Arran by the Scottish Power Renewables’ Beinn an Tuirc Windfarm community benefit fund. AJSC purchased a fifth boat using club funds, with the last being paid for by Arran Trust.
The maiden voyage for the fleet of Picos was during the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) dingy instructor course. RYA trainer, Rhys Gorman, spent a 50-hour-week putting the aspirant instructors through their paces, saying: “You have a phenomenal sailing area here on Arran.”
As the dingy instructor assessment drew to a close, Tom Tracey was on hand to deliver a cheque for £4,200 from Arran Trust to the youngest new instructors, Alec Fraser and Rosie McNamara. Currently sixth year students at Arran High School, they have been members of AJSC since they were P7 pupils. They were delighted to receive the cheque, to have the new fleet and to have qualified as dingy instructors.
Rosie said: “I really enjoyed the course, learning how to teach. Now I am looking forward to being able to employ my new skills with the junior sailors.”
“I’m really happy that our new students will be able to use these beautiful new boats generously provided by the Arran Trust and others” added Alec.
Also qualifying as instructors were Arran’s Andrew Rigby, Jon Green and Matthew Fletcher, along with west coast RYA regional representative, Laura Cowan. Laura praised AJSC as one of the best clubs on the west coast, with an amazing sailing area, top facilities at Arran Yacht Club, and fantastic boats.
Jon said: “It was the best week of the year so far for sailing. I had a fantastic time and learned lots of new skills for teaching, and I am really excited to be teaching our new and existing members over the coming term.”
Anyone P7-age and older who would like to join AJSC can contact Gavin Cameron at AJSC@arranyachtclub.co.uk
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