Tall Ships Youth Trust makes vessels Covid-19 secure: ‘no test, no voyage’ scheme

The Tall Ships Youth Trust which supports vulnerable and disadvantaged children will soon get their yachts back out at sea.

It has fitted out vessels with curtains to be tucked into bunks, boats will undertake a rigorous boat defogging process after each voyage and crew will wear face masks when below deck and maintain social distancing where possible. No one will go ashore.

Plus, all participants will need to be tested at their local centre and send the charity the result three days prior to the start of the journey.

The charity’s chief executive officer, Richard Leaman, told the Portsmouth News that crew members will isolate from the Friday before a Monday departure.

“Sailing is not without risk and mitigating the risk of the virus is just another part of our risk assessment process.

“All the young people taking part will be tested on the Friday before the voyage and, along with the crew, will undergo a period of self-isolation across the weekend.

“Private transport will be arranged for youngsters to get to their departure points where they will have their temperature checked before boarding.

“Our medical adviser has said we have made it as low Covid risk as possible without a vaccine.”

Perspex screens have been erected below deck to mitigate the risk of infection.

The charity provides an opportunity for disadvantaged children, often from socially deprived backgrounds, to take part in sailing expeditions around the UK to help build confidence and develop new skills.

Leaman says it’s vital that young people are soon given the chance to do so once again.

“There has been a 42 per cent increase in young people experiencing mental health problems during lockdown, with a projection of 600,000 more young people facing unemployment,” he says.

Crew members will carry out a thorough disinfecting cleaning process during voyages.

“All the youth groups, pupil referral units and schools we speak to are desperate for their children to get out sailing. The need for us to give this life-changing experience has never been greater.”

The charity will sail over the winter as long as government guidelines allow. The yachts are adapted and it’s now just a case of ‘waiting for the green light’.

“Schools will be going back in September and youngsters will be mixing together and so we are hopeful of getting sailing as soon as possible,” Leaman told the Portsmouth News.