Belfast Lough Sailability, Carrickfergus Marina, 3 Quayside, Carrickfergus, County Antrim, BT38 8BJ. Email: belfastloughsailabilityni@gmail.com Website: www.belfastloughsailability.com Belfast Lough Sailability 2018 Spring Newsletter Welcome to Belfast Lough Sailability Spring 2018 Newsletter. We look forward to the coming season and we are very grateful for the dedication shown over the winter months by everyone. The preparation is complete and now for some summer fun. Looking Back From Our Chair, Paul Bunting Last summer was a huge success and jam packed with activities. In June we had over 350 people out on the water at the Belfast Maritime Festival and we worked a busy schedule for Belfast City Council through a Try Sailing event. We hosted the President s Cup & the Irish National Hansa Championships in August and managed to do this alongside our usual Wednesday evening sessions and summer group visits. We ve been able to celebrate successes with our volunteers being recognised by RYANI & Belfast City Council. Our fundraisers have been working tirelessly in the background and have enjoyed success. We would sincerely like to thank all our funders, supporters and friends for ensuring Belfast Lough Sailability can provide our water based activities for everyone. We ended the year with a bit of a party and quiz on Saturday 16 th Dec and held our AGM and Volunteer Recognition Dinner & Awards in March. It was great to see such a great turn out at both. Let me finish by once again saying a huge Thank You to all of you and here s to a successful 2018 season. Page 1 of 7
TALL SHIPS and SAILING AWARDS Last year two young people from Belfast Lough Sailability gained awards at Belfast City Hall. Ewan McComb and Rudi Sommerville (both 15 years old) accepted their awards from the Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Sonia Copeland following a sumptuous buffet, speeches and a very entertaining video aboard the Tall Ship Maybe on which the training and voyages took place. Ewan completed the trainee Crew Experience from 24-26 April 2017 and Rudi achieved the Youth Exchanges Award, specifically Sea Change a youth exchange with 53 other young people from Ireland and the UK from 24 July to 3 September 2017. On receiving his award, Rudi said, This was one of the best experiences of my life and I would do it again a hundred times over. From the moment you board the ship you are responsible as part of the team for cooking cleaning and sailing. Nothing happens unless the team pulls together! Page 2 of 7
Push the Boat Out Saturday 13 th May was our Push the Boat Out event, run in partnership with RYANI (Active Clubs programme) & Sea Cadets from TS Warrior, Carrickfergus. The rather poor weather did dampen the air but not our enthusiasm. We had around 2 dozen people out on the water. Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival Over the weekend of 16 th to 18 th June BLS was invited to provide boating opportunities in and around the Port of Belfast Marina and Donegall Quay Basin. This proved to be a very popular activity, showcasing all that is good at BLS to a wide audience. Page 3 of 7
Launch of Invincible June 27 saw the official launch of a new power craft at Belfast Lough Sailability (BLS) based in Carrickfergus. Invincible is an Asso Prestige 630 Pro rescue rib, a 6.3m long with a 150 HP outboard engine. She was given the usual send-off by Angela Hendra M.B.E., Vice-Chairperson of Disability Sport NI. Representatives from Disability Sport NI, the Department for Communities, Sport NI, and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and the RYANI enjoyed a trip out into the Lough to see what Invincible can do. The President s Cup & Irish Hansa National Championships The President s Cup weekend, which ran over the weekend of 12 th and 13 th Aug 2017 was a roaring success. Although Team Munster sailed off with the President's Cup, Team Ulster finished runners up. Page 4 of 7
An early start on Saturday gave us a great day of President's Cup & Hansa Championship racing within sight of comfy seats on shore. Saturday evening saw a great hog roast & rabbit food dinner in the boatshed, followed by 'Zolene & ALS Band' and late bar licence. Sunday morning was lacking in wind and we'd a delayed start but once the breeze picked up it was another day of great competition on the lough, followed by the prize giving and BBQ. Our thanks to Deputy Mayor M&EA BC and our sponsors for presenting prizes and their support. Congratulations to our own Elizabeth Black & Hugo Crawford who were runners-up in the Hansa Championship and top Ulster boat overall. Martyn Quinn & Brian Courtney were 3rd in the Hansa Championship, while Louis Summerville & Paul Green finished top in the Hansa Championship whilst not counting towards the President's Cup. Page 5 of 7
November 2017 BLS s Colin DeFleury Receives RYANI Instructor of the Year Award Senior Sailing Instructor, Colin DeFleury was awarded the RYANI Instructor of the Year at an awards ceremony held at Malone House on 24 th November 2017. Well done Colin. Citizens Day @ Titanic Belfast On Sunday 14 th January 2018 over 34 community groups from across Belfast enjoyed a day out at leading tourist attraction, Titanic Belfast, as part of its NI Citizens Day. Page 6 of 7
RUNNERS UP FOR TEAM AWARD RYA SAILABILITY CONFERENCE 17 FEB 2018 WYBOSTON Belfast Lough Sailability was delighted to receive another award at the National Sailability Conference in Wyboston, Cambridgeshire on 17 February 2018. This time they were runners up for the Team Award, which was won by Able to Sail in Scotland. Start of the 2018 Season for BLS BLS opens its doors for the new season on Wednesday 18 th April 2018, having prepared both volunteers and boats for the coming season. Most importantly, boating skills have been practised to ensure safe sessions are enjoyed by all. Page 7 of 7