‘Fair Winds and Following Seas’ to Stromness Sailing Club as they embark on new venture

It’s anchors up and away for the Stromness Sailing Club who have been awarded a grant of up to nearly £78k from the Council’s Community Development Fund (CDF).  

The grant – which is subject to a number of conditions – will be used by the Club towards the cost of building a boatshed, a boundary fence and purchasing a fleet of training/competition dinghies, equipment, gear and a training boat for those with limited mobility. The total project cost is £159,117. 

The dinghies can currently be purchased by the Club at a highly discounted rate, linked to the 2025 Island Games. 

Members of the CDF Sub-committee heard on Wednesday (28 August) that the Club has been operating out of two containers for the last 20 years resulting in inadequate storage, training and changing facilities.  

The report stated: “An award from the Community Development Fund has the opportunity to help lever a considerable amount of funding from sportscotland as regards discounted sailing dinghies purchased for the Orkney 2025 Island Games via the Royal Yacht Association Scotland, which was fully funded by sportscotland.  

“The lasting legacy of the Community Development Fund and in this case the Games will be that the Club will have infrastructure for meetings, training and taster sessions, boat maintenance, changing facilities and training sail dinghies to take the Club forward for up to three decades.  

“The project will see improvements to the Club area at the Point of Ness and promote and encourage sailing and other water sports to those of all ages and ability in the community.”  

The Club has over 48 members at present and aims to open the facilities to additional clubs and Stromness water users, including sea swimmers, a potential rowing club, and kayakers, creating a hub for the community to enjoy access to the sea. 

Stromness Sailing Club Commodore, Tony Miller, said: “We are delighted to have received the support of the Council for our project which is designed to create a lasting legacy by developing a new generation skilled in sailing, promoting lifelong benefits as well as leisure and sporting aspirations.  

“The Island Games 2025 is enabling us to secure some fantastic top of the range sailing equipment, the standard of which would have been unlikely otherwise. 

 “This major piece of the jigsaw sees our plans move a step closer to becoming a reality and continuing a long-held nautical history for the town.”