Tectona Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 17:53:00 +0000

See our latest video about our National Lottery funding: https://youtu.be/KE2QB5nn63o

Tectona Trust exists to provide offshore sailing voyages for people in Recovery from addiction and mental health problems. Our Exeter University (2013) and Plymouth University (ongoing) research studies confirm that our voyages improve outcomes for our 'beneficiaries' – sometimes massively.

In the last 2 years this work has been supported by the Big Lottery Fund, to meet the costs of the voyages. Our other costs are minimal because our charity is run by Volunteers, and Tectona is loaned free of charge for the work.

Our research has clearly shown that the more we can involve our Recovery people pre- and post-voyage, the more they are able to sustain their Recovery. We have struggled to achieve this involvement recently because Tectona has been loaned to and operated by the Island Trust, who have needed to use the boat for their own charitable work for most of the year.

Now we are about to be operating independently (from 2^ndNovember) we will have the opportunity to set up a full programme of pre- and post-voyage activities for our Recovery voyagers. At last we will be able to say, "Yes please!" when they offer (as they so often do) to help us with the project as a pay-back for the great time they have had sailing Tectona.

We have been wondering how to fund this, and co-incidentally with all this going on, we have been invited to take part in the Big Lottery Fund Peoples Projects funding competition. See:

https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/the-peoples-projects

To take part in this, we have to submit a 3-minute video about what we do and how we might use this new lottery money – watch it here:

https://youtu.be/KE2QB5nn63o

Untitled Project

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This video is about Untitled Project

In the next few months we will be continuing to work closely with Plymouth Day Centre charity Hamoaze House – see: http://hamoazehouse.org.uk

More anon as this amazing opportunity unfolds in the weeks ahead!

We welcome your views on all this; please contact us using the blue panel on the left.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 17:20:00 +0000

VOYAGES CAN NOW BE BOOKED DIRECT.

TECTONA BEGINS INDEPENDENT OPERATION NEXT YEAR.

We're outward bound!

After 9 years of working with first Cremyll Sailing and then the Island Trust, we are thrilled to announce that Tectona will be operated by her own charity, the Tectona Trust, from November this year.

In the next few weeks we will be able to offer firm bookings for next season, through a not-for-profit Community Interest company we are setting up.

If you are interested in enquiring about a booking, don't delay – we already have some voyages pencilled in for the 2019 season.

Ben and Aidan will still be our skippers, and Tectona Trust will continue to operate the vessel to the highest standards. It is hoped that reduced admin costs will mean that more money will be available for maintaining her.

There will still be an emphasis on our Recovery voyages, but apart from that we plan to fashion the new operation around the needs of our whole range of 'clients' – Young People, Plymouth students, adults seeking the wonderful experience of sailing this charismatic old boat! So voyages might be for a day, a few days, a week (as previously), or - who knows - a longer period of time.

We plan to continue our sail-training research and other work with Plymouth University, and to go on working with Plymouth Medical School, the Shekinah Mission, Hamoaze House and Plymouth MIND. Also we will be developing relationships with new local organisations such as the Lynher Barge project – see www.tamarbarge.org.uk

Tamar Barge | Lynher 1896

www.tamarbarge.org.uk

Lynher was commissioned and built in 1896 to transport produce and post on the waterways, come with us on a unique experience transporting fresh produce from the Tamar Valley to Plymouth's fresh food markets.

We would like to thank our many supporters (you know who you are!) whose talent, good humour and support are our life-blood. 'Support' here means being there for the charity, sometimes to say "You're looking nackered – I'll order the T-shirts for you…" or some such actual offer of real help. You know that we couldn't do it without you.

So watch this space for more news, and if you want to find out about making a booking for next year, use the 'enter your email' button on the left further down this page.

We will respond to you by email within a day or so max.

Looking forward to a very exciting year!

Tectona Trust.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 16:37:00 +0000

VOYAGES CAN NOW BE BOOKED DIRECT.

TECTONA BEGINS INDEPENDENT OPERATION NEXT YEAR.

We're outward bound!

In the next few weeks we will be able to offer firm bookings for next season, through a not-for-profit Community Interest company we are setting up.

If you are interested in enquiring about a booking, don't delay – we already have some voyages pencilled in for the 2019 season.

Tamar Barge | Lynher 1896

www.tamarbarge.org.uk

So watch this space for more news, and if you want to find out about making a booking for next year, use the 'enter your email' button on the left further down this page.

We will respond to you by email within a day or so max.

Looking forward to a very exciting year!

Tectona Trust.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 16:30:00 +0000

VOYAGES CAN NOW BE BOOKED DIRECT.

TECTONA BEGINS INDEPENDENT OPERATION NEXT YEAR.

We're outward bound!

In the next few weeks we will be able to offer firm bookings for next season, through a not-for-profit Community Interest company we are setting up.

If you are interested in enquiring about a booking, don't delay – we already have some voyages pencilled in for the 2019 season.

So watch this space for more news, and if you want to find out about making a booking for next year, use the 'enter your email' button on the left further down this page.

We will respond to you by email within a day or so max.

Looking forward to a very exciting year!

Tectona Trust.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 13:58:00 +0000

13^thApril this year marked the 10th anniversary of the day Tectona left Port St Louis near Marseille at 0658 to return to the UK. Now back in British ownership again after a gap of 28 years, Tectona arrived in Plymouth on May 5th 2008 having spent about 2 weeks at sea and 1 week total in Portimao (S Portugal) and Vigo waiting for the weather.

We had to motor for many days, especially coming up the Portuguese coast and burned some 2000L of gasoil, which had to be bought at pump prices - about €1.20 a litre I seem to recall.

We were lucky that Martin Wenger was able to be our skipper. He had been the skipper and then project manager on Tectona for many years before she was laid up alongside in 2003. Another wonderful guy called Andy came along as supernumerary cook, but whenever we needed a hand on deck he was right there and thanks to his skill in the galley he probably made the most difference of anyone on board.

Most of the crew were RYA Yachtmasters, including one Instructor - Richard Williams from Exeter, who came with his daughter Emily. She was one of the pluckiest young people I've ever met; she was seasick for 90% of the 10 days she was on board, yet still stepped up to the line every time for her watches.

The best bit for me was the sail across Biscay. We had waited for the weather for 2-3 days in Vigo and the synoptic charts we could download via the SSB radio (using the audio output and a microphone) showed a depression heading in from mid-Atlantic, as they do! The local forecast suggested this was going to stop and head west again, and we didn't believe it until the second day, when we decided to go for it. We then had a fantastic broad reach (even on starboard tack!) for 3 days with a SE 4-5 breeze. The quiet power of Tectona as she reeled off the miles offshore was simply joyous.

There were 2 worst bits for me. One was on the first night out - everything very unfamiliar - when we had an unexpected gale in the Golfe de Lyon. We struggled to get the main reefed in the middle of the night. The gear was all very stiff and she then had a throat downhaul which broke one of its blocks, one of the few we had not serviced ('Who needs a downhaul on the throat?') The skipper who had in-depth knowledge of the rig, bravely climbed aloft and sorted it out. He was a tower of strength for the whole voyage.

Tectona revealed her sea keeping qualities to us that night, and in the morning we could sea the horrid pyramid-shaped waves in that notorious part of the Med!

The second one was arriving off Plymouth Breakwater to find I had forgotten to bring along a chart of the harbour - I thought I knew it like the back of my hand (probably most of us did!) but Martin was not amused.

Despite that we rapidly made it onto one of the big mooring buoys in the Cattewater and very soon had visitors and supporters on board who had known Tectona in years gone by.

This is a good time to say a huge Thank You to every one of the dozens of people who have been involved with the project, for all you have done for Tectona in the last 10 years - particularly right now to Chris whose expertise and commitment to the Trust and it's on-going contract issues has been truly remarkable. Thank you, one and all!

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 08:52:00 +0000

13^thApril marked the 10th anniversary of the day Tectona left Port St Louis near Marseille at 0658 to return to the UK. Now back in British ownership after a gap of 28 years Tectona arrived in Plymouth on May 5th having spent about 2 weeks at sea and 1 week total in Portimao (S Portugal) and Vigo waiting for the weather.

We had to motor for many days coming up the Portuguese coast and burned some 2000L of gasoil, which had to be bought at pump prices - about €1.20 a litre I seem to recall.

We were lucky to have Martin Wenger as our skipper, who had been the skipper and then project manager on Tectona for many years before she was laid up alongside in 2003. A wonderful guy called Andy came along as supernumerary cook, but whenever we needed a hand on deck he was right there and thanks to his skill in the galley he probably made the most difference of anyone on board.

Most of the crew were Yachtmasters, including one Instructor - Richard Williams from Exeter, who came with his daughter Emily. She was one of the pluckiest young people I've ever met; she was seasick for 90% of the 10 days she was on board, yet still stepped up to the line every time for her watches.

There were 2 worst bits for me. One was on the first night out - everything very unfamiliar - when we had an un-forecast gale in the Golfe de Lyon. We struggled to get the main reefed in the middle of the night. The gear was all very stiff and the throat downhaul (she then had) broke one of its blocks, one of the few we had not serviced ('Who needs a downhaul on the throat?'). The skipper who had in-depth knowledge of the rig, bravely climbed aloft and sorted it out. He was a tower of strength for the whole voyage.

Tectona revealed her sea keeping qualities to us that night, and in the morning we could see the horrid pyramid-shaped waves in that notorious part of the Med!

Despite that we rapidly made it onto one of the big mooring buoys in the Cattewater and soon were welcoming some of Tectona's old friends aboard, keen to renew their links with this remarkable old vessel.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 19:31:00 +0000

Teaching and Learning on a sail training boat.

Research always confirms (though to a greater or lesser degree) the positive transformative power of Sail Training (ST). We all know it works!

This is known to be due to various factors: Teamwork / Challenging activity / Living together in a small space / Power and beauty of the Sea / etc.

Yet the manner in which this comes about is less certain; the way Trainees learn from their Skippers and Mates has not been widely documented, but learn they certainly do. In fact the whole process of transformation can be seen as a learning process in the truest sense – learning new Knowledge, new Skills and new Attitudes. Perhaps the most telling is the latter, the Attitude to oneself. This has variously been described as self-esteem, resilience or (welcome back!) building character, and seems to be a pre-requisite to having a full and productive life.

So this is a pretty full-on educational demand being made on ST Skippers and Mates, and comes on top of their vital role in safety, seamanship, boat care, planning and general management of the voyage to give a happy outcome for all. Information from Sea Staff from a number of ST Organisations makes it very clear that Skippers and Mates are extremely expert in these techniques, having learned from their colleagues as they came up the ladder of ST jobs over the years. But many of them, more junior members particularly, would welcome some help in this challenging aspect of their career.

Indeed it is surprising that their career progress currently includes qualifying at the highest level in safety, seamanship, communications, meteorology, etc etc but not in Teaching and Learning. This is even more surprising when you consider the importance of this aspect of their work, and may account in part for the well-known phenomenon of Sea Staff moving away from ST due to 'burnout'. An industry which is content with a sizeable number of its practitioners eventually leaving because of emotional exhaustion needs to pause and think.

As a result of all the above and discussion with a large number of people in the job, Tectona Trust is proposing to put together a course – "An Educational Qualification for Sail Training Sea Staff" to enable people to:

· Be aware of and understand basic theories of teaching and learning, plus the dynamics of a small group.

· Understand the principles and practice of adult education and self-directed learning.

· Be able to identify learning needs and styles in voyage participants and adapt their teaching to be congruent with these.

· Appraise the range of potential causes for behavioural problems with individuals and groups on board and identify strategies to deal with them effectively.

· Be able to apply the above theoretical knowledge to real life ST teaching situations and make a formative assessment of their effectiveness.

As this moves forward, we'll post more info on this website, in the meantime it would be good to hear your views about this – you can make contact using the blue panel on the left.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 17:44:00 +0000

Teaching and Learning on a sail training boat.

Research always confirms (though to a greater or lesser degree) the positive transformative power of Sail Training (ST). We all know it works!

This is known to be due to various factors: Teamwork / Challenging activity / Living together in a small space / Power and beauty of the Sea / etc.

· Be aware of and understand basic theories of teaching and learning, plus the dynamics of a small group.

· Understand the principles and practice of adult education and self-directed learning.

· Be able to identify learning needs and styles in voyage participants and adapt their teaching to be congruent with these.

· Appraise the range of potential causes for behavioural problems with individuals and groups on board and identify strategies to deal with them effectively.

· Be able to apply the above theoretical knowledge to real life ST teaching situations and make a formative assessment of their effectiveness.

As this moves forward, we'll post more info on this website, in the meantime it would be good to hear your views about this – you can make contact using the blue panel on the right.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 07:23:00 +0000

Personal First.

The day has arrived. I'm up early, but then it had not been a very good night. It wasn't that I hadn't slept at all; I hadn't found myself wanting to get out of bed at 3 o'clock in the morning to make a cup of tea or read a book. But my sleeping mind had been restless, terrifyingly full of clinging to high ledges and finding myself naked in Tescos, threat and rejection dreams.

Once on my feet, thankfully all that cleared away and I could get on with the day. It was hard to know, never having done this before, what precautions to take. Certainly there is the sickness thing (so everyone had told me) so I had decided to eat 2 hours before I set off for Plymouth, a "good foundation for the day" my gran would have said.

I was lucky to have a lift, rather than struggling with buses on a Sunday. So once again there was time to think. OK I do have a tendency to be anxious, and this was for sure one of the biggest challenges of my life so far. The main thing was being close and physical with unfamiliar people. Would they accept me or would I feel like a complete outsider? Would they make me feel small, with their massive capability and huge experience? Would they even talk to me, and what kind of things should I say to them? There certainly is a special language about this stuff – would I know the right words?

Then there were certainly going to be physical expectations. This is something you can't delegate! So even more troubling was, would my body let me down? I thought I had planned the eating side of it OK, but I knew I was going to be using muscles I hardly knew were there, and the idea of drawing attention to myself was perhaps the worst thing of all.

Then again, supposing I got fed up or worn out before the others? You can't just say you're opting out or go and lie down for a bit! I thought of all the people I'd told about it, all those friends backing me up. Come to think of it, they would know exactly what I'd be going through right now – maybe even thinking about me. I didn't want to disappoint them that's for sure.

On the day everyone was completely friendly - good humoured, non-judgemental, supporting each other including me.

Looking back on it, it was actually those people who made it possible for me to do it at all. They obviously believed I could and told me I could, so I was damn well going to. And I did. Phew!

28 people, many of whom had never been on a boat before, sailed on Tectona Trust Recovery Voyages this year, and Roger successfully finished in the Plymouth 10k run on 8^th October. Over £1800 has been raised for the Tectona Trust. Huge thanks to you all!

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 06:54:00 +0000

Personal First.

On the day everyone was completely friendly - non-judgemental, a lot of laughs, supporting each other including me.

Looking back on it, it was actually those people who made it possible for me to do it at all. They obviously believed I could and told me I could, so I was damn well going to. And I did. Phew!

28 people, many of whom had never been on a boat before, sailed on Tectona Trust Recovery Voyages this year, and Roger successfully finished in the Plymouth 10k run on 8^th October. Over £1800 has been raised for the Tectona Trust and a huge Thank You to our supporters.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 17:59:00 +0000

ROGER'S CHARITY RUN!

After many years as a sofa spud, Roger has taken on the challenge of the Plymouth 10k run on Sunday 8^th October. He is doing this (as well as to thumb his nose to the people who said "You'll never do it") to raise money for the Tectona Trust's Recovery voyages. For him any kind of competitive activity is such a dodgy enterprise that, rather than 'sponsorship' by the mile (or Km, still pretty unlikely) he is asking for contributions to a Crowd Funding fund – see https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tectona Or if you prefer, the "DONATE" button on the right is more direct.

And thanks in advance for helping us!

END OF THE 2017 SEASON – ENGINE PROBLEMS...

We've had a good 2017 season with 3 Recovery voyages this year, 2 with people invited through the Shekinah mission in Plymouth and 1 from their counterpart in Torquay. It was a pity that Tectona was unable to complete the third week due to an engine problem. This turned out to be a very illusive and intermittent fault in the fuel system.

We are extremely grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for the £10,000 grant we received towards the voyage fees we pay to the Island Trust who operate Tectona, which added to the many much smaller (but no less valued) donations we have had this year. So, a big Thank You to people who buy lottery tickets!

The feedback from the voyages has been excellent, and perhaps most significantly we now have a number of people who are able to help us with the project as Volunteers – a sure sign of being in Strong Recovery. We are all getting together for a reunion soon, and it will be great to see everyone and share Tectona experiences. We will begin to plan for 2018…

Needless to say, having a reliable engine is vital for a sailing vessel. Tectona was one of the earliest sailing craft to have been built with an auxiliary engine, with the shaft emerging on the starboard quarter at an angle. In calm water this will push her along at a modest 6kn when the wind fails, and can help her sail toward the wind ('beating') when needed. However, in a heavy sea, this gets through a lot of fuel and progress is frustratingly slow – perhaps only 2.5 to 3 knots.

Manoeuvring Tectona when she is coming alongside or picking up a mooring is another time when the engine is extremely useful. In addition to the off-set prop, she is a deep-drafted boat with a lot of rigging to catch the wind, so even experts can need some extra help when turning her in a confined space. Often the dinghy and it's powerful outboard are needed as well.

But it is still a matter of pride for skippers to 'do it under sail', which really does need outstanding expertise, as well as a crew who have got beyond the raw novice stage. A well executed manoeuvre under sail alone must be one of the most satisfying experiences afloat, and something which seems rare in today's production yachts with their easy characteristics and bow-thrusters! Tectona was recently sailed off her anchor in the Helford River and came onto her mooring in the Cattewater some 12 hours later without the engine having been used at all. Satisfying stuff.

See you on 8^th!

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Sun, 17 Sep 2017 15:26:00 +0000

TECTONA'S VOYAGES OF RECOVERY, 2017.

It has always been thought that of the 2 challenges facing us (finding the money and finding the right people), the money was always going to be the hardest part.

This is mainly because "Tick this box if you are taking Recovery people offshore for an adventure sailing week in an old wooden gaffer" doesn't appear on grant application forms. Worse, the boxes that need to be ticked are often heart-sinkingly poorly aligned with every aspect of what we do.

Funding Bodies also place huge emphasis on our accounts, our 'outcomes' and how our Community Impact can be shown in an audit-like manner. In one application I was driven to put, "The small numbers involved and the rapidly changing lives of our 'clients' mean it is near impossible to give clear outcome figures. However, that does not stop us continuing to do this challenging work because we see the outcomes with our own eyes."

No, they didn't give us a grant either.

But everything changed when we had a positive response from the Big Lottery Fund. Our volunteer Fundraiser Jen and I (mainly Jen) filled in the usual endless form on-line, expecting to hear nothing for several weeks. Within a few days we had a clarification request, easily done, and within 6 weeks we heard that we had been given a £10,000 grant towards our Recovery Voyages. This along with the many smaller personal donations, plus £500 from the Plymouth Medical Foundation, meant that we really did have enough for the 3 weeks of Recovery voyages we needed to buy from The Island Trust (who operate Tectona) for this year.

So a big thank you to everyone who buys lottery tickets.

We have had some wonderful Recovery people on board this year, and the value of meeting together and getting to know each other before the voyages has been very clear. We are extremely grateful to the Plymouth and Torquay based Shekinah Mission for their enthusiastic support for the project – for example fundraising, recruitment and letting us use their premises.

Later this month there will be a reunion for the people who sailed this year. It will be great to see everyone again, including the 3 student doctors from Plymouth Medical School who sailed as part of their At Sea With Recovery module (Medical Humanities course).

Next year we plan, subject to agreement with the Island Trust, to host our pre-voyage meetings on board Tectona, and to hold a planned maintenance week with ex-Recovery Voyagers in late May.

Tectona is now completing her season with crews of Young People funded by the Island Trust, before heading into refit once again in mid-November.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 20:44:00 +0000

TECTONA'S VOYAGES OF RECOVERY, 2017.

It has always been thought that of the 2 challenges facing us (finding the money and finding the right people), the money was always going to be the hardest part.

No, they didn't give us a grant either.

So a big thank you to everyone who buys lottery tickets.

Next year we plan, subject to agreement with the Island Trust, to host our pre-voyage meetings on board Tectona, and to hold a planned maintenance week with ex-Recovery Voyagers in late May.

Tectona is now completing her season with crews of Young People funded by the Island Trust, before heading into refit once again in mid-November.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 18:52:00 +0000

TECTONA'S VOYAGES OF RECOVERY, 2017.

It has always been thought that of the 2 challenges facing us (finding the money and finding the right people), the money was always going to be the hardest part.

No, they didn't give us a grant either.

So a big thank you to everyone who buys lottery tickets.

Next year we plan, subject to agreement with the Island Trust, to host our pre-voyage meetings on board Tectona, and to hold a planned maintenance week with ex-Recovery Voyagers in late May.

Tectona is now completing her season with crews of Young People funded by the Island Trust, before heading into refit once again in mid-November.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 16:59:00 +0000

JUST ANOTHER RECOVERY VOYAGE...

There are several key moments in each Recovery Voyage. Certainly one is the first time we go out fund-raising together. This year we did a busking session on the Barbican in Plymouth which may not have raised a huge amount of cash - perhaps £100 - toward the £6000 cost of the voyage, but raised our profile thanks to the quality of the music and of course the T shirts. It was also surprisingly good to meet some "members of the general public" in other words people like you and me, who were really interested in the work Tectona Trust does. Of course many people's lives have been touched by the curse of street drugs and here we are proclaiming something that really works to help people on their Recovery journey.

At the end of the voyage receiving feedback is also a heart-warming moment. Here's what one person recently said in their written comments:

How was your voyage?

Absolute opportunity to [go to] sea like on ocean waves. Good with bad weather - not an option [to avoid it], well kitted out. Crew and sailors all got on very well as a team. Also meal times. Got to talk to others [starting from] no knowledge of each other. Made new friends... which I hope to keep in touch with, along with our recovery.

What was the best bit?

Jumping off side of yacht, although wasn't going to do it. All very good trying to gain as much knowledge as possible, steering, navigating, sails. BBQ on beach with guitars. Seeing the dolphins swimming alongside. Sea-lion in Dartmouth Bay.

What was the worst bit of your voyage?

It was not the worst but lack of confidence steering the late night voyage. Also night (1st) when wet and windy and RNLI being called - they work hard at their rescue services.*

*One of the crew had an acute and potentially serious medical problem. We were very grateful to HM Coastguard and the RNLI for a rapid and effective response, taking them to an ambulance ashore. Fortunately, hospital tests were OK.

Use 3 words to describe your trip...

Experience. Group-work. Co-operation within crew/sailors.

What would you change about the trip for next time?

Nothing, very good. Weather less wet, but we cannot control that. Having a good group of people in strong recovery who can help one another.

What did you think of the crew?

The crew were excellent, shown us what to do... very exciting, and peaceful. Time to reflect on ourselves.

As you can see, one constant is the praise given to the 'crew' - the professional Sea Staff of Skipper Ben, Mate (on this voyage) Peta and 2nd Mate Dan. Last month we had a remarkable afternoon when we were joined by Capt. Roger Motte, Extra Master Mariner, seen here on deck with Ben. Roger had himself been the Skipper in 1964, and earlier that afternoon he had taken over manoeuvring Tectona with consummate ease after a gap of, well quite a while.

People speak of the 'Tectona factor' and if there is such a thing, it needs a crew like ours to actually make it happen - we couldn't do it without you!

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 14:46:00 +0000

" A RECOVERY VOIYAGE ON BOARD THE TECTONA.

There are a lot of things that help with people's Recovery. Some are just different, most are challenging, some are exciting.

Something which is challenging, exciting, seriously different and huge FUN is:

ADVENTURE SAILING ON BOARD THE TECTONA!

Over the last 7 years TECTONA has been taking Recovery people to sea on coastal voyages lasting 6 days. They start and end in Plymouth.

HERE'S WHAT THE RECOVERY PEOPLE SAY:

"The voyage opened my eyes to what can be achieved in my new life."

"The voyage helped me conquer some of my fears, like talking with strangers around the dinner table, easily getting on with people I'd never met before."

"I found an inner serenity at sea on Tectona which has changed my life."

YOU WILL

Sail this powerful, heavy, safe, old sailing ship across the sea out of sight of land.

Enjoy the thrill of the ship powering through the waves, driven by the wind!

Experience the wonder of steering the ship under the stars.

Help with every aspect of the voyage - planning, navigation, heaving up the anchor, hoisting the massive sails, keeping watch, using the radar, cooking for everyone and keeping the ship clean, rowing the dinghy and many more.

You will be able to sunbathe (with luck!), to fish, to swim and to fully enjoy the sea environment guided by our expert and good humoured Sea Staff!

YOU NEED

To be abstinent from all 'substances' / alcohol / addiction-related script medications. This is our one fixed rule. You will be tested.

To be in strong recovery. What does that mean? You will know.

To fundraise towards the cost of your voyage – up to £500 per person.

To explain or write a piece about how the voyage will be valuable to you.

To come along to the pre-voyage group meetings, to meet your fellow-voyagers.

There are a lot of things that help with your Recovery. This one gives you new confidence, and… REALLY WORKS FOR YOU. "

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 12:12:00 +0000

NEW SEASON NOW UNDER WAY!

Above – Tectona under mizzen steaming from the Cattewater, soon after storm Katie. (Photo – Chris Rowsell).

The winter has been memorable. This was the one where we needed dry, calm weather for the recaulking of the main deck to be done. Tectona had been covered over with a white plastic shrink-wrap cocoon supported by a structure of polythene tubes above and held down by webbing strips under the keel. Within days the severe weather kicked in (seemingly for an uninterrupted spell of 8 or 10 weeks!), the structure was starting to collapse and the webbing strips to chafe through. Emergency repairs were made by the firm providing it, and when they were not there by the crew. Astonishingly it was still standing by the end of the operation in February, but there had been several major leaks needing areas of the new caulking to be raked out and started again. The surge coming up the river was spectacular, and Tectona's appetite for scrap tyres as fenders became gluttonous, though for some reason I was always greeted by smiles at the local tyre fitters…

Thankfully March has been benign and although there is still some cosmetic stuff to do, Tectona is in fine fettle at the start of a well-booked season with the Island Trust. This is entirely due to the go-the-extra-mile hard work of Ben (Skipper), Heather (1^st Mate) and Dan (2^nd Mate), considerably aided by Becca (Skipper of Moosk), Hannah (Mate of Pegasus), Aidan (Mate of Moosk) and Craig (Skipper of Pegasus) who has recently joined the Island Trust team. Project management deserves a blog of its own, but in a word nothing would have happened without the sympathetic but highly effective oversight of Tom Walker, IT's Ops Manager. We also greatly valued the skill, commitment and thoroughly enjoyed the humour of Jim the shipwright who led (and actually did the lion's share of) the caulking operation.

This year there will be fewer Recovery voyages. Phoenix Futures, our partner charity for the last 7 years, has had to pull out due to the financial situation. This has affected them severely, with such a reduction in the viability of residential rehab that they are closing their Hampshire residential unit. This was their first residential in the UK, the unit we worked most closely with over the years, and where we held pre-voyage workshops attended by our medical students. We are thankful to Phoenix for their formative part in developing our work with Recovery people. Our non-Phoenix voyages, especially with Plymouth service-users, will continue and are planned to expand over the next year or so.

So as she sets out on the new season, we thank especially Dick and Judy Lloyd and the Island Trust for their continued staunch support of a remarkable old lady – TECTONA !

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 11:19:00 +0000

NEW SEASON NOW UNDER WAY!

Above – Tectona under mizzen steaming from the Cattewater. (Photo – Chris Rowsell).

The winter has been memorable. This was the one where we needed dry, calm weather for the recaulking of the main deck to be done. Tectona had been covered over with a white plastic shrink-wrap cocoon supported by a structure of polythene tubes above and held down by webbing strips under the keel. Within days the severe weather kicked in (seemingly for an uninterrupted spell of 8 or 10 weeks!) the structure was starting to collapse and the webbing strips to chafe through. Emergency repairs were made by the firm providing it, and when they were not there by the crew. Astonishingly is was still standing by the end of the operation in February, but there had been several major leaks needing areas of the new caulking to be raked out and started again. Tectona's appetite for scrap tyres as fenders became gluttonous, but for some reason I was always greeted by smiles at the local tyre fitters…

Thankfully March has been benign and although there is still some cosmetic stuff to do, Tectona is in fine fettle at the start of a well-booked season with the Island Trust. This is entirely due to the go-the-extra-mile hard work of Ben (Skipper), Heather (1^st Mate) and Dan (2^nd Mate), considerably aided by Becca (Skipper of Moosk), Hannah (Mate of Pegasus), Aidan (Mate of Moosk) and Craig (Skipper of Pegasus) who has recently joined the Island Trust team. Project management deserves a blog of its own, but in a word nothing would have happened without the sympathetic but effective oversight of Tom Walker, IT's Ops Manager. We also greatly valued the skill, commitment and thoroughly enjoyed the humour of Jim the shipwright who led (and actually did the lion's share of) the caulking operation.

So as she sets out on the new season, we thank especially Dick and Judy Lloyd and the Island Trust for their continued staunch support of a remarkable old lady – TECTONA !

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 17:57:00 +0000

END OF A VERY SUCCESSFUL 2015 FOR TECTONA, WINTER REFIT IN FULL SWING (in spite of the weather…).

Skipper Ben, Mate Becca and Bosun Dan – the Island Trust sea staff who operate Tectona – should be congratulated on a season which had no safety issues, in spite of some adventurous moments and challenging voyages around the UK coast and the Scilly Isles.

Tectona has sailed for 28 weeks, for 22 of which she was crewed by disadvantaged young people (aged16-25) through the Island Trust and for 5 weeks by people in Recovery from addiction, arranged by the Tectona Trust. Three of the latter were with a crew from our partner charity Phoenix Futures residential units; Sheffield, the Wirral and Southampton. The latter voyage included two medical students from the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth, as part of their 'At Sea With Recovery' module. As in previous years the students' feedback in the months following their voyage has been very positive. They found the experience personally challenging but very enjoyable, and commented that their work with patients (especially those with addiction issues) had changed and become more relaxed as a result of the trip. The final week making the total of 28 was with Plymouth care-leaver students. This was jointly funded by the University, by the Swarthmore Trust, by Dr Andrew Eccleston and by Tectona Trust.

The final two Recovery weeks were crewed by groups from Birmingham and from Plymouth. We all felt the latter was quite an achievement; known as Sailing Through Recovery, the 12 people did not come from a residential unit but rather are participants in the community rehab projects in the city. They had seen the Voyage advertised and were recruited by our three Voyage Champions - Anna, Patricia and Allen. These guys had a significant task to achieve, because people participating in Recovery voyages have to be in the 'right place' and in strong recovery, to use the jargon. And of course they have to be abstinent – our one unbreakable rule – and will be drug-tested on the day they come on board. However, once we were finally all on board Tectona, it soon became clear that these were brilliant people and our week was one of the best Recovery voyages ever.

So this totals up to approx 300 people who benefitted from being at sea in Tectona this year. All these voyages we hope to repeat in 2016 with new groups of participants. But before we get to that, Tectona is currently going through her most major winter refit since she was restored to sail training in Plymouth in 2009.

The main deck is being re-caulked, a labour intensive process, starting with the masts being hoisted out by a crane. The mainmast, seen in the picture, weighs about a tonne but the crane needed to lift 1.6 tonnes to get it free from Tectona's keel!

She was then covered over in shrink-wrap by Peninsula Marine (formerly Dicky B Marine) to keep the deck dry. Jimmy the shipwright then started work in earnest – the gaps between the deck planks are cleaned out, removing the old oakum material which had been forced in during the original laying of the deck by Toms' yard in Polruan in 2008. Once the gaps ('seams') are clean and dry, fresh oakum is prepared into a twisted rope which is then hammered into the seams to make them waterproof. This is a very skilful business! The final process is 'paying' them: accurately pouring molten pitch into the gaps on top of the oakum to seal the seams.

We are very indebted to the people who have been volunteering and helping us with this work. This has been organised by the Voyage Champions for 'Sailing Through Recovery' in Plymouth, once again showing their huge commitment to the project. We can't thank you enough.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 17:28:00 +0000

END OF A VERY SUCCESSFUL 2015 FOR TECTONA, WINTER REFIT IN FULL SWING (in spite of the weather…).

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 11:08:00 +0000

2015 PLYMOUTH RECOVERY VOYAGE TAKING SHAPE!

Thanks to our amazing Donors.

It's ironic that Tectona, very much a Plymouth vessel, has so far not done a Recovery voyage for Plymouth people. Our 27 Recovery voyages to date have been crewed by clients and ex-clients of our partner charity Phoenix Futures who very regrettably do not have a unit in the South West.

Thanks to three remarkable people - our Plymouth Voyage Champions - we are now poised to remedy this. In September there will be the 2015 Plymouth Recovery Voyage, and we feel confident this will make a big difference to 12 people getting over addiction. Our figures with Phoenix show an increase in completion of treatment from 46% to over 80% in Tectona voyagers. Our 2015 crew members are chosen because they are making good progress on their personal Recovery journey, and they are all 100% abstinent - no exceptions to this rule.

As you can see from the photos, fundraising has started in earnest!

The way the finances work is that Tectona, loaned free of charge to the Island Trust, is bought back for the week. We are very happy with this standing arrangement, though at first look is sounds strange to have to pay to use your own boat! But this is the best way of running these voyages because of one crucial factor. As is quoted elsewhere on this website; "There's a lot more to a Recovery voyage than simply putting people on a boat for a week."

Firstly there's the boat herself. We believe that a massively rigged traditional sailing boat is the best platform for this activity - the sensation of power in the rig and the whole vessel surging through the seas is something unforgettable. Once you achieve it! But to get there the anchor will need 10 people to raise it, the mainsail will need 6 people to hoist it. The pleasure and satisfaction of getting her going is huge, but then so of course is the maintenance bill.

Crucial is what happens on board. Back in the day, the Bosun would stand at the front and bark orders, expecting to be obeyed without question. Eventually tasks would be done to his satisfaction and the main feeling among the crew was relief. Today we (at least at the Island Trust) do things differently. By considering each crew member to be an individual - someone with strengths and weaknesses like ourselves - we start from the standpoint that this is going to be fun. The resulting interactions on deck, whilst not always relaxed (we have a boat to sail!) are however friendly, supportive and good humoured. To achieve this requires a high level of experience and skill among the Skipper, Mate and Bosun (2nd Mate). And this is where the biggest cost of the operation kicks in - salaries and other support for our wonderful dedicated sea staff team.

So, given the quality of what they do, it is a pleasure to rent our own boat back for these voyages! We are eternally grateful to our donors and benefactors - the high profile individuals, charitable trusts and dozens of people at supermarket checkouts (you know who you are!) - for enabling us to do this quality job.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 10:41:00 +0000

2015 PLYMOUTH RECOVERY VOYAGE TAKING SHAPE!

As you can see from the photos, fundraising has started in earnest!

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 10:05:00 +0000

2015 PLYMOUTH RECOVERY VOYAGE TAKING SHAPE!

Thanks to our wonderful donors.

It's ironic that Tectona, very much a Plymouth vessel, has to date not done a Recovery voyage exclusively for Plymouth people. Our 27 Recovery voyages to date have been crewed by clients and ex-clients of Phoenix Futures, our partner charity, who very regrettably do not have a unit in the South West.

Thanks to three remarkable people - our Voyage Champions - we are now poised to remedy this. In September there will be the 2015 Plymouth Recovery Voyage!

The way the finances work is that Tectona, loaned to the Island Trust, is bought back for the week. We are very happy with this standing arrangement, though at first look is sounds strange to have to pay to use your own boat! But this is the best way of running these voyages because of one crucial factor. As is quoted elsewhere on this website; "There's a lot more to a Recovery voyage than simply putting people on a boat for a week."

What happens on board is crucial. Back in the day, the Bosun would stand at the front and bark orders, expecting to be obeyed without question. Eventually tasks would be done to his satisfaction and the main feeling among the crew was relief. Today we (thanks to the Island Trust) do things differently. By considering each crew member to be an individual - someone with strengths and weaknesses like ourselves - we start from the standpoint that this is going to be fun. The resulting interactions on deck, whilst not always relaxed (we have a boat to sail!) are however friendly, supportive and good humoured. To achieve this requires a high level of experience and skill among the Skipper, Mate and Bosun (2nd Mate). And this is where the biggest cost of the operation kicks in - salaries and other support for our wonderful and dedicated sea staff team.

So, given the quality of what they do, it is a pleasure to rent our own boat back for these voyages. We are eternally grateful to our donors and benefactors - the high profile individuals, charitable trusts and dozens of people at supermarket checkouts (you know who you are!) - for enabling us to do this quality job.

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 09:40:00 +0000

TECTONA RECEIVES THE ELEANOR CREEKE AWARD, AT THE EDDYSTONE CHARITY PURSUIT – FOR 'SPIRIT OF THE EVENT'.

It was a blustery day after a wet and blowy night for the Eddystone Charity Pursuit on June 13^th. The event was a huge success with more money raised in sponsorship for charities than ever before; over £92,000. It was followed by an agreeable evening at Plymouth Marine Aquarium where there were many recipients of prizes and additional cash for nominated charities.

One such was The Island Trust which received £1962 for the two teams of 3 boats entered: Pegasus, Syzygy and Tectona; and Nooka, Araminter of Hythe and Good Hope.

As usual the skippers' briefing had emphasised that this is not a race, but an event to raise money for charities and where everyone should have a good time. Sportsmanship was expected to be of the old-fashioned kind and winning not a major priority.

The outbound course lay predictably to windward with a slightly lumpy sea and initially grey skies, so the concept of a 'good time' had to be kept firmly in mind for both the slower boats and those whose crews were unaccustomed to the conditions.

Tectona fitted within the first of these categories, and after 3 or 4 hours beating into the chop, Skipper Ben wisely decided to tack for home, when a sparkling broad reach (the sun had appeared by now) brought the ketch to the quiet of Cawsand Bay for lunch.

Good Hope was also well aware of the ethos of the day, and discomfort among the crew began to be felt after a couple of hours bashing into the short seas. Skipper Roger decided to invoke the spirit of the day by heaving-to so that the heads could be used, but it soon became clear that the time had come to assert 'good time' over 'good thrash to windward' and we retired and broad reached into Cawsand where we too dropped the hook after speaking Tectona. Our crew included two of the Voyage Champions for the Plymouth Recovery Voyage scheduled on Tectona in Seprember, who were delightful and enthusiastic despite the choppy conditions.

The Eleanor Creeke prize was announced at the end of the prizegiving. "For a boat who always turns up, but would need a full gale to ever win…"

The Tectona sea staff received a rapturous welcome from the room for this richly deserved accolade; one member of the Island Trust staff was even standing on his chair…

noreply@blogger.com (Tectona Blog) — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 09:40:00 +0000

TECTONA RECEIVES THE ELEANOR CREEKE AWARD, AT THE EDDYSTONE CHARITY PURSUIT – FOR 'SPIRIT OF THE EVENT'.

One such was The Island Trust which received £350 for the two teams of 3 boats entered: Pegasus, Syzygy and Tectona; and Nooka, Araminter of Hythe and Good Hope.

The outbound course lay predictably to windward with a lumpy sea and initially grey skies, so the concept of a 'good time' had to be kept firmly in mind for both the slower boats and those whose crews were unaccustomed to the conditions.

Tectona fitted within the first of these categories, and after 3 or 4 hours beating into the chop, Skipper Ben wisely and humanely decided to tack for home, when a sparkling broad reach (the sun had appeared by now) brought the ketch to the quiet of Cawsand Bay for lunch.

Good Hope was also well aware of the ethos of the day, and discomfort among the crew began to be felt after a couple of hours bashing into the short seas. Skipper Roger decided to invoke the spirit of the day by heaving-to so that the heads could be used, but it soon became clear that the time had come to assert 'good time' over 'good thrash to windward' and we retired and broad reached into Cawsand where we also dropped the hook after speaking Tectona. Our crew included two of the Voyage Champions for the Plymouth Recovery Voyage scheduled on Tectona in Seprember, who were delightful and enthusiastic despite the choppy conditions.

The Eleanor Creeke prize was announced at the end of the prizegiving. "For a boat who always turns up, but would need a full gale to ever win…"

The Tectona sea staff received a rapturous welcome from the room for this richly deserved accolade; one member of the Island Trust staff was even standing on his chair…