A charity yachting organisation that was originally planning to sail from Scotland to Northern Ireland to save competition costs at Bangor Town Regatta this June has had its transport costs covered.
Murray McDonald, skipper of the Hunter 707 Autism on the Water, will now travel by ferry across the North Channel from Cairnryan in Scotland to Larne without charge.
With the original plan to sail across but with weather conditions being unknown for that time of year, it was decided to look into safer options of travel. Royal Ulster Yacht Club has worked with the charity to assist AOTW with transport to the event in A courier will transport the boat from Inverkip to Cairnryan.
AOTW Chairman and founder Murray said "this generosity from P&O is overwhelming and I cannot thank them enough. It is a big commitment for us to undertake this event because our boat is so small. We are pleased to have had so much help from P&O and the support of RUYC. We really are so very excited to be taking part in the regatta and we are planning to run a competition during the event with a prize of funding towards a sailing activity for an Autistic child based in the Bangor and Belfast area".
As Afloat previously reported, AOTW will compete in IRC Class 3. Murray McDonald, who is also autistic, will skipper the Hunter 707 with a well-drilled crew. The team’s main priority is to raise awareness of autism, but Murray hopes that a race win can be possibly achieved giving the right weather conditions.
