Sail Training Shetland Seeks Trainees to Join Swan on "Adventure Sail North"

Sail Training Shetland is offering an exciting new sailing adventure aboard Swan as part of Shetland Boat Week 2020: Exploring Coasts and Waters. Comprising an 11-night journey, “Adventure Sail North” starts in Ullapool on 22 July and the final day at Lerwick on Sunday 2 August includes celebrations to kick off Shetland Boat Week 2020.

The new adventure forms part of a yearlong programme of events and activities celebrating Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters and will shine a spotlight on getting young people out onto the water to enjoy these elements of our landscape and community.

The placements onboard Swan are open to anyone aged 15 – 25 years and no prior sailing experience is necessary. Sail trainees will cruise up through Scotland’s North West Coast on the way to Shetland, with stopovers at Orkney and/or Fair Isle weather permitting. To add challenge and interest to the trip, Swan will berth or anchor at locations around Shetland for onshore adventure activities, such as canoeing, coasteering, dinghy sailing and a special crew mixer social event for all participants.

Sail Training Shetland is also offering the chance to experience the internationally acclaimed Tall Ships Races on a 14-night voyage from A Coruńa, Spain to Dunkirk, France. Two placements are available for Race 3 which starts 24 July 2020, onboard the Dutch registered three masted schooner, Gulden Leeuw, which forms part of an Erasmus + European exchange programme, giving trainees international crew exchange opportunities, while also providing all the excitement of host port celebrations including the famous crew parade, a crew party, many concerts, games and impressive fireworks.

Tommy Allan, Vice-chair of Swan Trust said: “We are proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Sail Training Shetland, providing these invaluable opportunities for young people. Sail training is an adventure activity which includes instruction in all aspects of sailing, but its purpose goes far beyond this. It uses the experience of being at sea to help young people learn about themselves and to discover hidden strengths and talents.”

Sail Training Shetland chairman, Peter Campbell, said ‘We hope the experiences on offer will inspire young people to get out on the water and enjoy the adventure that a personal challenge such a sail training offers. Not only are we offering a unique sailing experience around Scotland’s coastline but also the chance to participate in an international festival. It is a highlight for us to be collaborating with Shetland Boat Week and we look forward to the launch of this event when our trainees arrive back in Lerwick on 2 August’.

Application forms are now available and the closing date is Friday 27 March 2020.

You can find out more about Sail Training Shetland here

If you are not aged 15-25, you can still learn to sail Swan, check out our upcoming trips.