Farewell Dave Sully – A True Boleh Hero

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It is with great sadness that we say farewell to Dave Sully whose death at the age of 86 marks the passing of one of Boleh’s true heroes. He was a key player in Roger Angel’s earlier rescue and restoration of Boleh in the 1980’s and part of her history thereafter.  His booklet, ‘Arising from the Ashes’, recording Roger’s restoration and their subsequent adventures on passage to the Mediterranean, is a cracking read and can be seen here

For the Boleh Team, struggling to restore Boleh over 20 years later, Dave was an inspiration, a huge and constant supporter, and a friend.  Dave’s involvement with the Boleh Trust since its foundation in 2009 has been ‘hands on’, keeping us in touch with the Angel family, helping research past history, and contributing News articles for our website – most recently in April this year.  It was fitting that Dave met HRH The Princess Royal last November (pictured}, receiving the recognition he so richly deserved for his service to Boleh.

Dave’s son-in-law, Geraint Williams, told us Dave’s funeral was low key as many contemporaries had pre-deceased him or were unable to attend. Technology, however, enabled the Service to be live streamed to friends and family across the globe; his own tribute can be seen by looking at Remembering Dave.  In response to our condolences Geraint said: “Many thanks for the Trust’s kind words for Dave, he really cherished his association with the whole Boleh Project. Our visit last year for HRH’s commissioning of Boleh and meeting all those involved and seeing at first hand the hard work to keep the precious vessel afloat was a very special highlight for him”.

Farewell Dave, our thoughts are with your family.  You helped save Boleh for future generations and we will not forget you.

Boleh Joins ‘Brilliant’ ASTO Race

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Last month Boleh joined other sail training vessels in the ASTO annual Small Ships Race, held in the Solent and run by them under rules which require half the crews to be under 25.  Boleh’s youth crew (pictured) were cadets Brandon and Issy (Devon ACF) and Eryn and Kieron both with RONA Project experience. Competitors assembled at Cowes the weekend of 6 October with a real buzz on the Quay where lots of wonderful vessels – Boleh turned many heads! – were flying their colours and sending a great vibe around the Race village.

 

The Race started on Saturday in a Force 6 and, with Skipper Richard Metcalfe and Mate Craig Coupe, Boleh set off downwind with one reef and smaller genoa for a cracking start, crossing the line bang on the gun.  Later the wind died down, the new large genoa was hoisted and Boleh worked her way slowly upwind and tide until the time allowance expired.  At the well attended prize giving we were very pleased to get 3rd out of our class.  On Sunday the crew planned Boleh’s return to Haslar and the weekend provided some great sailing for all onboard.

Eryn Larnder wrote afterwards “Thanks for a brilliant weekend and providing me with some brilliant memories. I really do hope I can get the chance to sail Boleh again and really get to grips with her!”  We will certainly do our best to provide that, and we are very grateful to all those who make such experiences available for young people.  So a big thank you to our volunteer Skippers and Mates, to the Boleh support team and to our generous donors, most recently the Swire Charitable Trust who have again shown confidence in our work with a 3-year commitment to contribute to our core costs.

Generous GARMIN Gift For Boleh

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We are delighted to report that electronics giant GARMIN whose products ‘deliver innovative GPS technology across diverse markets, including marine, aviation, fitness and outdoor recreation’ has generously donated a new suite of Navionics for Boleh.  The partnership approach between GARMIN and the Boleh Trust also involves GARMIN using Boleh for 6 days of corporate team-building over the next 2 years.  Their cutting edge technology will improve safety and operational efficiency, as well as providing enhanced teaching material for Boleh’s crew – instruction now includes bottom scanning with the sonar screen to verify navigation near wrecks.

For the technically minded, Boleh now has a 12” touchscreen Plotter (GPSMAP 1223) displayed in the cockpit locker. This is the ‘heart’ of the new system, linked to a 5” touchscreen at the Chart Table (TD50, only just released) which displays selected data including motor controls and charts.  There is also a new VHF radio (VHF215i) linked to a full function handset (GHS11i) sited alongside the Plotter.  All this is supported by the AIS Transponder transmitting Boleh’s data and providing other vessel tracking, together with associated sensors for wind, heading, etc.

Our heartfelt thanks to GARMIN and to Trustee and Volunteer Skipper, Nigel Craine for master-minding this very generous arrangement.

Boleh’s Wonderful Time For Young Carers

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A very rewarding part of Boleh’s Summer programme was the week giving young carers a break from the challenges faced in their daily lives.  Youth Action Wiltshire organised day sails in Boleh for these brave young people and, led by Volunteer Skipper William Barker-Wyatt and Mate Craig Palmer, they were able to benefit fully (picture) from the ‘Can-do’  experience.

William and Craig received very positive feedback and already there are talks of next year’s programme.  Commenting on the week Niki Andrews, Senior Wiltshire Young Carers Service Coordinator said “The young people had a wonderful time.  Thank you for making this amazing opportunity an experience that I am sure the young people will never forget.”

Our thanks to Wiltshire charity, The Samuel William Farmer Trust who generously funded these sails, to Youth Action Wiltshire and, of course, to our Volunteers who make all this happen.

Local Charity Supports Boleh’s Portland Schools Programme

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Boleh’s month long Portland schools programme was again an unqualified success this year.  So we’re very happy to report that funding is already coming in for her participation in next year’s  ‘Rod Shipley Sail for a Fiver’ scheme.  We are very grateful to the Dorchester based Alice Ellen Cooper Dean Charitable Foundation – which focusses particularly on Dorset and West Hampshire – for their generous donation towards the costs of our 2024 Portland deployment.  Picture shows young trainees from this year’s Dorset schools programme learning the benefits of teamwork on Boleh’s foredeck.

Sapper Veteran Reunited With ‘Can Do’ Boleh

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Boleh’s longstanding link with the Royal Engineers (the ‘Sappers’) took another step forward recently when 93 year old former Sapper officer, Colin Brown, was finally reunited with Boleh.  Colin served with the Army in Malaya from 1948 to 1951 and, as a keen sailor, became very interested when he heard about the Boleh adventure.  On return to the UK he named his first house after the saying “Boleh” (‘can do’ in Malay) and then saw the vessel in Salcombe and bought the ‘Boleh’ book in the early 1960’s.  Two year’s ago Colin’s son contacted us, as his father was trying to reconnect with Boleh.

Despite Covid delays, and with the help of the Boleh team, this has finally been achieved – picture shows Colin alongside Boleh, flanked by son Ian with wife Felicity and daughter Claire.  Ian told us his father was most impressed with the fittings and quality of the finishes, and to see the Royal Engineers badge in the saloon.  He reread the book before his visit and has talked of nothing else since, spending last week hunting through old photographs to find a picture of Boleh he took in Salcombe.  Ian added “My father did reprimand me following the visit saying everyone was pronouncing “Boleh” incorrectly. It should be pronounced “BULEH” (meaning not just ‘Can Do’ but a more positive – yes I ‘Can Do’).”  Thank you Colin, we will take that onboard!

Learning with Boleh

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We are often asked what the young people we sail ‘actually’ gain from their Boleh experience? So we passed the question on to our Lead Skipper and volunteer, Richard Metcalfe who recently led a Solent cruise with a group of Army Cadets.  Describing the cruise as ‘a great success’  with ‘all cadets stating how much they enjoyed it and that they had gained a lot from it’, Richard went on to reel off the range of Learning Outcomes achieved during the week.

Here is Richard’s list – somewhat reordered for coherence (!):

  • dangers of being at sea, man overboard drills
  • knots, ropes, cleats, sheets, sail trim, sail raising, lowering, flaking and stowage, topping lifts, reefing
  • traditional navigation (pictured), pilotage, compass fixes/plotting, basic collision regulations, tides
  • steering with the tiller, safe use of winches, mooring lines, securing alongside, anchoring
  • use of dinghy, rowing, electric outboard motor, lifting bridle
  • food preparation, stowage, vessel cleaning
  • life at sea in a sailing vessel, close living, cooperation, team work, social skills

Thanks Richard and thank you Boleh.

Boleh Thrills For Army Cadet Force

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This month Devon Army Cadets (ACF) have again been making the most of Boleh for their Summer ‘Camp’.  Two groups of cadets explored the Western Solent under the guidance of Skippers Craig Coupe and Richard Metcalfe and Mate Andy Pritchard.  Boleh’s cruise included visits to Yarmouth, Lymington, the Beaulieu River, Newtown Harbour, and Cowes and was not without excitements: very changeable weather, an unexpected and rapid electric motor replacement (thank you David Hadfield), and a seal playing hide and seek under the dinghy. The success of the fortnight is captured in extracts from Cadet Oscar’s report:

The Boleh expedition was an amazing and unique opportunity. Our group did 83 nm and I learned so much about sailing and general maritime knowledge. I’d never been sailing before and at first it was shocking and scary with slanting to one side and lots of different things going on at once.  But I got used to it and it was thrilling.  The Boleh crew were awesome and supportive and showed a great interest. It felt like a small family. The food was also great and us cadets cooked most nights and the food was quite delicious – even the adults can back me up on this.  Thank you so much to everyone who gave me this opportunity and experience.”

Next month the ACF will again be chasing their Boleh thrills when Cadets from South West Group cross the Channel with Richard and Craig.  We are very grateful to our volunteers and our funders who make these expeditions possible.

‘Fantastic’ Boleh Delivers For Portland Schools

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We are delighted to report Boleh’s recent Portland deployment was a fantastic success!  With glorious weather, not a single day of the Chesil Sailing Trust’s (CST) 4 week ‘Sail for a Fiver’ programme for local schools was missed. The Boleh Team of Craig Coupe, Edwin Blenkinsopp, Ant Atkinson-Willes, Stuart Tait and local Volunteers John Tweed and Peter Steel, delivered what one student described as ‘my best day ever’ to 84 young people and 17 adult supporting staff.  A huge thank you for their efforts.

The programme also included a day sail to thank CST Trustees for their generous support.  CST Trustee Steven Moatt later emailed Craig to say: ‘Just wanted to say thanks for the opportunity to sail on Boleh. A fantastic boat, very interesting history and I can see the valued experience it offers young people.’  Picture shows Dorset Studio School students celebrating their day at sea.  Other schools to benefit from the programme were Wey Valley, Atlantic, All Saints and Budmouth Academies, and the Dorchester Learning Centre.  We are very grateful to the Pineapple Youth Trust and to the Rod Shipley Memorial Fund for making this happen.

Nuffield Trust Funds Boleh’s Armed Forces Recovery Programme

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We are very proud to be involved again in the recovery programme for wounded, injured and sick members of the Armed Services.  Last year Boleh sailed members of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines and this year we have been privileged to include serving members of the Army and the Royal Air Force.  We are also delighted to report that we have received a further generous grant from the Nuffield Trust for the Forces of the Crown, part of which will be used to fund this tri-Service recovery programme..

So far this year Boleh has run 2 x 5 day recovery sailing courses – often in brisk weather; a third course is programmed for the autumn.  Brilliantly organised by RN Recovery Manager, Angie Cheal and delivered by our Volunteer Skippers and Mates led by Ops Director, Craig Coupe (pictured instructing), these have been judged a resounding success.  Without exception, Course feedback has described the positive impact of their Boleh time and praised the ‘amazing’ care, patience and understanding of the Boleh team.  We are very grateful to our Volunteers and to the Nuffield Trust for achieving this outcome.

The Nuffield Trust grant will also enable Boleh to continue delivering adventurous and exciting sailing for the Armed Forces and their families.  This will include sailing Service children from Portsmouth and Gosport schools, supporting the Portsmouth Veterans Outreach programme, delivering a fortnight’s cruise for Devon Army Cadets, and introducing young people in the Military Mentors programme to life at sea.  Our heartfelt thanks to the Nuffield Trust for the generosity they have shown.