RYA Scotland MalinWaters Clipper Cruise 

The RYA Scotland MalinWaters Clipper Cruise was a great success!

Helping the RYA Scotland team to generate interest in this event were four ambassadors in Scotland and Northern Ireland – David Hill, Gillian Bruce, Robin MacLean in Scotland, and Bob Harper in Northern Ireland. They all put considerable time and effort into pounding pontoons to speak to boat owners and encourage them to take part. The ambassadors were augmented by a Project Manager, Kevin Singleton, based in Scotland, and a Project Co-ordinator, Ivor Neill, based in Northern Ireland. Kevin and Ivor were tireless in their efforts to promote the cruise, to build relations with all the partners involved with this event. We would like to extend a big thank you to all of them for their much needed help in getting the cruise off the ground!

Our sincere thanks also go to the following people and organisations for their help with berthing: Carolyn Elder - Largs Yacht Haven, John McTaggart - Campbeltown Berthing Company, John Morton – Ballycastle Marina, the Harbourmaster in Portrush and Paul Bryson and the Derry Port team who arranged berthing in Greencastle and in Derry itself.

RYA Scotland had several goals behind our bid for this event; to provide support to the cruising fraternity, to build the confidence of participants to encourage future cruises across to Ireland, to raise awareness of the boating tourism opportunities, and to create relationships with a wide range of partners to support cruising activities. From the feedback we have received before, during and after event, even from those who were unable to take part, we think the event was a great opportunity and successfully achieved the goals set out.

We will be sending out a feedback survey to all of the skippers of the boat very shortly and will also be posting a link to the survey here on our website. After lots of interest, we are now looking into the possiblility of running another cruise to Ireland in 2013 so your feedback on this event would be much appreciated for future plans!