After a blessing by the local vicar, Rev Nick Law, the 30’ sailing yacht Flamingo was launched at high tide from Weir Quay, Bere Alston, last Wednesday in front of staff and students from Chelfham Senior School and the tradesmen who have re-furbished her over the winter at Weir Quay Boatyard.

The boat was bought by the school last October to provide outside learning opportunities, skills training and challenging experiences for its 120 students.  Chelfham Senior School, near Bere Alston, is a residential special school for teenagers with complex learning difficulties.  “We thought it was crazy to be based right by this beautiful River Tamar and not give our pupils the chance to enjoy it and learn from the experience” said Andy Young, the teacher in charge.  “I believe that sailing will help our students with balance, co-ordination, self-esteem, confidence and teamwork, as well as learning about the water and being in the great outdoors.”

Andy Young found the boat in a neglected state on the Suffolk coast a year ago and approached Weir Quay Boatyard with a view to using its expertise to re-furbish her and operate the boat from the Yard’s moorings on the Tamar.  With the support of the Yard and the School authorities in the bag, Andy arranged for the yacht to be transported to Weir Quay last October. 

“We were delighted to be asked to be involved”, said Mike Hooton, the proprietor of Weir Quay Boatyard, “nowadays the River is a very underused resource and we are passionate about sailing, of course.  Everyone living here should be given the opportunity to use the River and what better leisure and learning activity can there be in this environmentally sensitive age”.

Members of the school and Boatyard tradesmen have worked together to get Flamingo ready for the water.  “Although structurally sound, she had been left untouched and unloved for 5 years and almost all systems and all equipment have had to be renewed or re-furbished”, said Andy Young, “but we always viewed the process of doing her up as important as the fun of sailing her.”

Andy was full of appreciation for the Weir Quay team, especially Spencer Hamlyn (marine engineer), Saul Thomas and Adam Hocking (shipwrights), Steve Heale (painter) and the Yard’s sub-contractors Allspars for the new standing rigging.  They were all there to see the boat launched by Mike Hooton and boatman Owen Etherington, after the pressure of work to complete on time.

“It’s a great privilege to have our own yacht”, said Andy Young, who is also an RYA trained Yacht Master, “now it’s up to us to make sure we make the best of the opportunity”.  The school plans to take 2 or 3 students out each time on Flamingo, starting with small trips within the Plymouth breakwater and Tamar estuaries and then for longer coastal voyages to nearby ports and villages.