Ocean Youth Trust Ireland are canvassing for support to reinstate an all-Ireland sail training scheme of some form. Their only sail training vessel sank earlier this summer after hitting rocks off Ballycastle, leaving the organisation without a means to get people offshore.
Our online poll, which you can vote in (see poll left hand column of Afloat's home page) and results counter here, is guaging support for the concept.
Irish Sail Training has seen its fleet reduced from two well-known vessels, the Asgard II and OYTI's Lord Rank, to zero, with both boats being struck down by separate accidents and sinking. The government then decided to pocket the insurance money from the Asgard II's sinking rather than reinstate the service.
