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Youth Fund grant report: Day Skipper & sailing ‘Excelsior’

Thomasina Mallett, aged 18 was awarded a Youth Fund grant by the East Coast OGA to complete her Day Skipper Course in order to take more responsibility aboard ‘Excelsior’. She has successfully completed the course and provides an illustrated article about her experiences.

Over the period of two months this summer, I had the incredible opportunity to complete my RYA Day Skipper theory followed by the practical course in Largs, Scotland, thanks to a grant from the East Coast OGA. The aim of taking the course was to improve my sailing skills, which I could then apply to traditional sailing boats such as ‘Excelsior’, a 1921 Lowestoft smack. 

The five-day Day Skipper course starting in Largs, visiting Tarbert, the Isle of Bute and Rhu, introduced me to skippering modern yachts, which I had little experience in. I was onboard ‘Perseus’, a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 1999, which uses winches for all the ropes and could be controlled fully from the cockpit, already a massive difference to traditional sailing vessels. However, the differences did not change how much I enjoyed the sailing! I had the chance to be responsible for pilotage, passage planning, and handling the boat, which I found thrilling. Each of the five trainees had a turn to be skipper for a small passage over the week. I was to oversee the night watch which was exciting as I had to interpret all the lights and enter a port I had never been to on top of all the other factors a skipper must be aware of.

When I rejoined ‘Excelsior’ as a volunteer deckhand a few days later, I felt more confident in my sailing abilities. I had previously sailed as a trainee on ‘Excelsior’, ‘Christian Radich’ and ‘Swan’ of Shetland, which are all traditional sailing vessels, but this was first time as crew on any sailing vessel. I supported the sail training onboard ‘Excelsior’ for day sails and week-long school trips, and the delivery leg for the beginning of Tall Ship Races 2025. With my newfound confidence in the basics, I was able to focus on the sail handling of a traditional boat and sail training. I started to predict sail changes for the wind and our route, becoming more proactive in my role, getting our trainees prepared to do different jobs. It helped me to go from following the instructions to giving the instructions. I was learning the why to what we must do to sail effectively, efficiently, and safely.

Thank you to the OGA for supporting me, I have taken away more than a qualification from this opportunity! I would like to continue my sailing journey by collecting more qualifications hopefully I become good enough to pass my Yacht Master eventually.

Words and photos: Thomasina Mallett