353days to go

Latest News

Jul
21

33 Scottish Trainees are already counting down to The Tall Ships Races 2011
The Tall Ships Races 2011, presented by Szczecin, organised by Sail Training International, is exactly one year away from arriving in Lerwick and, already, 33 trainees from the participating Cruise in Company ports, between Greenock and Lerwick, have signed up to take part.
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Jul
21

One Year Until The Tall Ships Races 2011 - Lerwick
Organisers of The Tall Ships Races 2011 in Lerwick are excited it is now only one year until the Tall Ships arrive in Lerwick on 21st July 2011. Preparations are going well following a successful Sail Training International visit earlier in the year.
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Jun
15

Shetland Catch becomes Host Port Sponsor of The Tall Ships Races 2011- with 400 days to go!
Shetland Catch has become a Host Port Sponsor following the £12,000 cash sponsorship deal towards delivering The Tall Ships Races in July 2011.
>> Read full story

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Sail Training Shetland

Sail Training Shetland is a registered Scottish Charity and is a collaboration between The Swan Trust, Lerwick Port Authority and Shetland Tall Ships 2011 Ltd. The main objective of Sail Training Shetland is to further the development and education of young people between the ages of 15 and 25 through the adventure, challenge and experience of Sail Training.

What is Sail Training?

Sail Training Shetland has launched a dedicated website kindly sponsored by NB Communication, please visit www.sailtrainingshetland.com to find out more.

Sail training requires participants to confront many demanding challenges, both physical and emotional. It is an activity that inspires self-confidence and the acceptance of personal responsibility, promotes an acceptance of others whatever their social or cultural backgrounds, and develops a willingness to take controlled risks. For most who undertake sail training on Tall Ships it is a positive life-changing experience.

The Swan Trust

Sail training is an adventure activity for people of all ages and abilities. It includes instruction in all aspects of sailing but its purpose goes far, far beyond this. Sail training uses the experience of being at sea principally as a means to help people learn about themselves, discover hidden strengths and talents and understand the value of working as a team. In some programmes today it forms the setting for much wider aspects of education at sea.

How To Get Involved

If you like the idea of experiencing travel from a bygone age, to hear the creak of the rigging and watch huge square rigged sails billowing in the wind, then why not join a Tall Ship as a trainee crew member? If you’ve watched and loved the Onedin Line, Hornblower and Master and Commander then why not get on board and see for yourself what it was like to travel under sail?

Many people experience their first Tall Ship voyage while taking part in The Tall Ships Races, a key rule of which is that 50 percent of each vessel’s crew must be aged between 15 and 25 years old. No experience is necessary to become a trainee crew member - indeed many people taking part have never set foot on a boat of any kind before but once bitten they tend to come back time and time again for another Race.

There are several ways you can find a ship on which to take part in The Tall Ships Races or for any other voyage:

Visit our local sail training organisation www.sailtrainingshetland.com
Download our Sail Training Shetland postcard and poster
Contact Sail Training International to find out more about the vessels taking part from your own or any other country.
Contact us to ask about future voyages.
Visit At Sea Sail Training, who can help you find a voyage to suit your requirements and budget.
Visit The Swan Trust
Visit Tall Ship Friends, a charity whose aim it is to promote sail training on square rigged ships to help contribute to their further existence
Visit the Ocean Youth Trust

How Much Will It Cost?

There are some costs involved in participating in a sail training scheme. Lerwick Port Authority and Shetland Islands Council jointly supported a number of sail trainees from Shetland to take part in the 2008 and 2009 Tall Ships Races. Sponsorship initiatives have been developed to provide opportunities for young people to benefit from the sailing experience in 2010 in the build up to the major event in 2011. A personal contribution is also required.

The Tall Ships Races 2010

Sail Training Shetland are pleased to be able to offer fourteen sail training placements to take part in this years' Tall Ships Races, for young people between the ages of 15 - 25.

Trainees will sail onboard the Swan and Christian Radich during The Tall Ships Races between Kristiansand, Norway and Hartlepool, UK in August.

Grant funding and sponsorship has been received from The People’s Postcode Lottery, Lerwick Building Centre, DH Marine, Ocean Kinetics, Lerwick Port Authority and Shetland Island Council. Associate sponsors and supporters are Lerwick Community Council, the Merchant Navy Association of Shetland, Ian Manson (Bletty) Memorial Trust and NorthLink Ferries Ltd.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Ian Manson (Bletty) Memorial Trust

ASTO Small Ships Race 2009

Eight lucky young adults from Shetland, between the ages of 15 - 18, took part in the Association of Sail Training Organisations Small Ships' Race between Greenock and Belfast, on board Shetland's own sail training vessel the Swan during August 2009. More details on their adventure have been posted on http://www.sailtrainingshetland.com, on the Sail Training Shetland Bebo page and on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sail-Training-Shetland/337356034343