News

This year’s URV (Unit Review) took place on Friday 15th June 2012. This was a visit from the District Officer Lt Cdr (SCC) R. Knight RNR and the Deputy District Officer Lt (SCC) R. Ryder RNR. They reviewed the unit activities and data collected throughout the year to assess how well the unit has performed.

2012 sees the 70th Anniversary of Dunstable Sea Cadets. On Saturday 9th June there was a well attended disco held at St Mary’s Church social club to celebrate this event. Many past cadets and staff joined the current unit to celebrate 70 years. Thanks to Gary Hobbs for the catering.

POC Sam Mason first started sailing in 2005 whilst living in the Sultanate of Oman with his parents and sisters. He started out on Hobbie Cat 16’s and after 3 months entered the National youth championships in Oman and came 2^nd being beaten by just 1 point.  During his time in Oman Sam helped teach the first intake of Oman Sail, a programme set up to bring back the Omani heritage of the sea, this programme was set up and backed by the Sultan himself, the first intake included Mohsin Al Busaidi who in 2009 became the first Arab to sail around the world nonstop and Ahmed Al Mamori who competed in every leg of the Clipper 2010 round the world race. Sam moved back to the UK in 2007 where he joined Dunstable Sea Cadets where he continued his love for sailing.

In early 2010 through the SCC training programme he gained is RYA dingy Instructors qualification and put this into effect with his unit to help teach the other cadets sailing. He also was selected for the SCC offshore racing squad with TS Rebel. The excellent facilities and training given by TS Rebel and the support of the Officers and staff at Dunstable Sea Cadets enabled Sam and 5 other cadet complete their Keel Boat instructors course and in doing so set them all up as the youngest Instructors in the world. Along with this they gained their Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold award and are waiting for their date to go to the palace.

In 2011 after finishing a summer season of instructing at Willen Lake in Milton Keynes, Sam was invited to spend a couple of months with Oman Sail to assist in teaching sailing on Farr 30’s, he was put in charge of a boat containing novice sailors for the Royal Navy of Oman, where in the local regatta they came a creditable 3^rd. Sam was offered a spot on a Dubai boat for his first offshore race from Muscat to Mussandam his boat won the race beating 4 all pro teams.

It was at this point the Oman Sail Coach Alistair Moore (son-in-law of the late Sir Peter Blake) noticed the talent Sam had, he made a call to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club in Auckland and suggested that if Sam applied to their Academy they should offer him a position, Alistair told Sam to apply which he did and within four hours came the reply that he was accepted and invited to join the programme on the 5^th of May this year which is four days after his 18^th birthday. The programme is about intensive sailing and has produced most of New Zealand top sailors including their Americas cup teams. It is also about learning different aspects of sailing such as sail making, but ultimately it’s about gaining experience in racing. The programme last for two years and after completion Sam is expected to be a full time professional sailor his ambition is to compete in the Volvo Ocean race and in the Americas Cup.

Currently Sam is Back in Oman on Team RAK of the UAE, it is the only non professional crew taking part in the Sailing Arabia the Tour which is a 7 leg tour race around the Gulf States Starting in Bahrain and finishing in Muscat on the 27^th February. There are 9 boats in the race and skippers include French Olympian Daniel Souben and his all French crew, Robin Elsy from the Artemis Academy, Dee Caffari Record breaking round the world yachtswomen. Bertand Pace 2010 and 2011 champion of the Tour de France a la voile, on which the Arabian tour is based on. Finally leading French sailor Cidrec Poulingy. On legs 1 and 2 Team RAK came 9^th but on Leg 3 came a creditable 6^th. 

A great day today in London at the Royal Albert Hall. Joining the Royal British Legion for their annual Festival of Remembrance, what a honor to go. Many thanks to the Leighton Buzzard branch of the Royal British Legion.