The Commodore of the South Coast Offshore Racing Association believes there are yachts "out there waiting for budding enthusiasts to give them a second or third chance" and which could be used to encourage the next generation of young sailors into cruiser racing.
"There are many boats lying idle, young people could get together to buy a boat, work on it as a project and get out sailing – another one to add to the fleet," says
Johanna Murphy.
It's an idea suggesting how boats not being used, seen in boatyards and on moorings. could be brought into the sport through the interest and encouragement of young sailors. As I've said, I believe in giving young sailors the opportunity to move into cruisers. On my own Sigma 33, Scribbler, this is the policy and has been quite successful. It is encouraging to see young sailors putting into effect, with natural ability, the training they've received in clubs and sailing schools.
Tom MacSweeney's Sigma 33, Scribbler Photo: Bob Bateman
Twenty-year-old George Radley Junior from Cobh is my Podcast guest this week. Son of Johanna and well-known George Radley, he has brought a Sadler 25, Creamy Beam, into the Cove Sailing Club fleet. While a new boat to the fleet, it's an older boat, in reality, one which he acquired for not a lot of money, but with a lot of work as part of a sales deal and which required refurbishment. He outlines how this was done.
George Jr. has put into practice what his mother suggested as a way of getting more young sailors into cruiser racing. Of his crew of three, two are aged 21 and the other, like him, 20 years old. He tells me that it's better on a cruiser than being "wet and cold" in dinghies, which he has also sailed and that there haven't been any bad days afloat.
It's a Podcast to lift the spirits, hearing the enthusiasm of young sailing.
Listen to the Podcast below
