East Antrim Boat Club Mid-Week Sessions off to a tremendous re-start

Michael Ferguson 'on stage' at East Antrim Boat Club © Eddie Cameron

East Antrim Boat Club's acclaimed Mid-Week Sessions - a series of nautical themed talks, presentations and other stuff - got off to a tremendous re-start on Wednesday 4th September when the guest speaker, IMOCA 60 pro-sailor Michael Ferguson, attracted a 'full house' at the Larne Lough based club.

A captivated audience listened to both Michael's journey from his early days of sailing at Ballyholme YC, through a successful period of Laser2 racing and his determined approach to getting onto the 'professional' sailor circuit. Accompanied by a slick PowerPoint presentation he opened up on the technical aspects of the IMOCA 60 class [of yacht] with hair-raising tales of extreme sailing, spectacular breakages (of boats and, body) through to, for example, his five seasons of skippering Artemis, and finally his current project; co-skippering Ariel2 (formally Aviva).

Following an extended Q&A session, Michael Ferguson announced that he was off on the next day's flight to Finland, to collect and deliver Ariel2 to Le Harve in preparation for the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre, a 67-boat-fleet dash across the Atlantic to Brazil. Follow Ariel2 on AIS marine traffic.

The next Mid-Week Session at EABC is Wednesday 18th September with RYA-NI Chairman and Clipper veteran, Jackie Patton. Info line: 07809 691585.