The course marked a new milestone in the club's achievement. It was the first time a yacht club in Phuket had worked together with the Royal Thai Navy and the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand (YRAT) to bring a professionally run intensive sail training course to Thai youngsters.

To bolster the PYC fleet, additional Optimist dinghies were loaned to the club by the YRAT and the course was led by Thai National Optimist Champion, Jaray Tipsuk, supported by experienced instructors and Thai national sailors who flew in to teach the intensive programme. PYC provided all the logistics, including safety boats, as well as volunteers to administrate and assist with the programme.

The last two days of the course incorporated a mini-regatta, testing the skills acquired by the kids over the previous eight days.

Following the success of the intensive course, PYC is putting together a Sunday sail training programme to give the kids who completed the intensive beginners' course the chance to continue learning more about sailing. “Too often the skills gained on these courses are lost through lack of opportunity to continue,” said PYC Secretary, Katy Gooch, adding, “One of PYC's goals is to train local youngsters to enter the National and World Optimist Championships – and bring the trophies back to Phuket.”

For more info contact Jaray Tipsuk (Thai speaking) on 081 858 9345 or
Club Secretary, Katy Gooch (English speaking) on tel. 085 215 9185 or email phuketyachtclub@gmail.com or go to www.PhuketYachtClub.info

Sponsorship opportunities Inexpensive opportunities exist for local companies to support/sponsor PYC’s initiative in training local Thai kids to sail. These include sponsoring individual boats, training courses and Optimist regattas. As the photographs in this article demonstrate, media exposure of your brand can be significant. For more information contact Katy Gooch at phuketyachtclub@gmail.com