Displaying items by tag: BG Spirit

10th January 2015

New Lease Of Life For Record Breaking Offshore Yacht

#ClassicBoats - A Round the Island Race record holder left to rot at a Plymouth dock is set for a renewed lease of life on the open water, as the Plymouth Herald reports.

In her life as a racing yacht, the 72-foot Challenge Business 45 set a class record in the annual Isle of Man circumnavigation that still stands today, and was also victorious in the 2004/05 BT Global Challenge under the name BG Spirit.

But after sustaining damage to her mast and hull in a fall at a Plymouth boat yard three years ago, she was all but abandoned as repairs were thought to be too expensive.

That's where maritime businessman Brian Pogson comes into the picture, as he transported the yacht under her own steam to his Exeter boat yard for a survey - finding that the damage was localised to the impact zone and she was not beyond saving.

"I strongly felt that this stunning and well-built yacht was too good to scrap and that we could bring her back to life," said Pogson late last year.

The Plymouth Herald has more on the story HERE.

Published in Historic Boats

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About the Watersports Inclusion Games

The Watersports Inclusion Games are an award-winning event organised by Irish Sailing with partners from across the watersports sector, that enable people of all abilities from the physical, sensory, intellectual and learning spectrums to take to the water to participate in a wide range of water activities.

More than 250 people with physical, sensory, intellectual and learning disabilities typically take part in the weekend's events.

Participants will have the opportunity to try more sports than ever before, with an expanded range including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle-boarding, rowing, surfing, water skiing and powerboating all on offer.

The Games typically take place each August.

The organisers of the Games want to let people of all abilities know that there are multiple watersports available to them, and to encourage more people from all backgrounds to get involved and out on the water regardless of ability. They aim to highlight that any barriers faced by people with disabilities can be eliminated.

There are social, health and wellness benefits associated with sailing and all watersports. These include improved muscle strength and endurance, improved cardiovascular fitness and increased agility, enhanced spatial awareness, greater mental wellness through the balancing of serotonin levels and the lowering of stress levels, improved concentration and the forging of positive relationships.