Page 66 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

Sailing up the Irish coast on Exercise Baltimore Finn
Battalion Sailing
There are great opportunities for Ri eman to escape the hustle and bustle of land or the pressures of work by exploring the waters of Northern Ireland. Partic- ipation in sailing has grown steadily over the last year and the battalion bene ts from having a close relationship with Army Sailing Association (Northern Ireland) (ASA(NI)). There are two offshore yachts, a number of dinghies, power boats and paddleboards all based in Carrickfergus, and they have all been put to good use by Ri eman.
The Battalion has been able to organise a number of courses at the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) with several Ri emen having quali ed as RYA Competent Crew, Day Skippers or Powerboat Level 2. This will allow them to take the boats out by themselves. Of note, Colour Serjeant Slingsby has taken his power boating skills a step further and is a regular crew member of the River Lagan Rescue on Belfast Lough.
In the spring there was a trip across the Irish Sea to Scotland and in summer, just before the deployment to Iraq, a few Ri emen sailed the length of Ireland. The crew joined the yacht in Kinsale, in the south, and sailed it back to Carrickfergus stopping off at a couple of places along the way including Dublin
Bay. The trip was just over 240 miles which is a great achievement for a mostly novice crew. Later this year and into 2018, some Ri emen are setting their sights even further and will be joining the crew aboard a 72 foot yacht as it sails from the UK to Hawaii and back.
In 2018, after the Operation SHADER deployment, a number of sail training courses will be arranged to enable individuals the freedom to sail over the horizon and explore new coasts. Also planned are longer trips: to the Western Isles of Scotland, a circumnavigation of Ireland, and possibly entering the racing at Cork Week in August. The Battalion also hopes it will be able to send a team to next year’s Ri es Regatta. With the boats so close to Thiepval Barracks and the costs minimal the oppor- tunities are great and should not be missed. The boats are available to both serving personnel and their families and not exclusively to those based in Ireland. There is something for everyone.
Captain Andy Kuss, Quartermaster (Technical)
THERE ARE TWO OFFSHORE YACHTS, A NUMBER OF DINGHIES, POWER BOATS AND PADDLEBOARDS ALL BASED IN CARRICKFERGUS, AND THEY HAVE ALL BEEN PUT TO GOOD USE BY RIFLEMAN
64 SECOND BATTALION
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