The Tall Ships Youth Trust is looking for experienced sailors to sail as Volunteer Crew on board their new fleet of 72ft Challenger Yachts. The Trust, more well known for their 200ft brigs STAVROS S NIARCHOS and PRINCE WILLIAM, rely on Volunteer Crew to support the Permanent Crew on their sail training voyages that take over 4,000 people a year to sea.

The Trust purchased four ’round the word’ yachts at the end of 2007 to bolster their sail training fleet. All four yachts are now operating as sail training vessels and are sailing in the UK and Mediterranean, with all four sailing together to circumnavigating the British Isles in the summer.

Tim Law, Operations Director for the Trust, said “Crewing our Challenger yachts is fantastic fun, and with a busy programme of voyages throughout the summer we need more Volunteer Crew to help us onboard. We are looking for people aged 18-65 with a good level of experience of sailing large yachts, who enjoy calmly and patiently sharing their sailing knowledge”.

Volunteers sail as Watch Leaders, Mates and Skippers, depending on level of experience, and voyages can last from 5 – 10 days over weekends and during the week. Familiarisation training is provided and there are plenty of opportunities available over the summer. Volunteers only have to pay a nominal charge to cover food and all volunteers sail to pass on their knowledge to the next generation of young sailors.

Tim Law continued “Our Challenger Fleet is proving to be very successful. Our voyage programme includes Cowes Week, Round the Island Race, Round Britain Challenge and the Tall Ships Race to Madeira. There are lots of opportunities to get involved and experience day sailing to ocean-going racing. I really would encourage anyone who sails big boats to give volunteering on the Challengers a go”.

For more information see www.tallships.org/www.tallships.org> or call Tall Ships on 023 9283 2055 for an application form.