This article is from page 28 of the 2009-03-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 28 JPG
THE NATIONAL Water Activity Centre at Killaloe is celebrating a new arrival this week.
In January the NWAC received an amazing piece of luck when a very kind benefactor decided to donate a yacht to the centre for the training of young people. The centre is used by scouts and sea-scouts from all over the mid-west.
The NWAC camp chief, secretary and quartermaster took a trip to Skibbereen, in County Cork, to see ‘An Ron’ in the flesh and plan how it could be transferred to Lough Derg.
After some discussion it was de- cided to have the boat transferred on a specialist low-loader with inbuilt crane. The boat was lifted on to the truck and An Ron started the long journey to the mid-west. After an overnight stop in Patrickswell, it was at Lough Derg marina for transfer to new waters.
The newly acquired vessel was transferred to the lake by crane and sling and An Ron was soon floating in Lough Derg.
An Ron made it’s maiden voyage in freshwater without a hitch and is now is moored at the NWAC, ready for eager young hands to learn how to crew a Sail vessel.
“When our benefactor offered us the boat, we thought he was giving us a row-boat so we were stunned when we realised what it actually was,” a spokesman for the centre said. “His own children had grown up and he wanted the boat to be put to good use teaching young people, so that was our good luck.”