Global marine distress signal company, WesCom Signal and Rescue, shows its support for UK sail training school, Sailing North East, by providing the organisation’s Bowman Corsair Ocean Racer, Black Diamond of Durham, with a full set of Pains Wessex emergency flares to ensure their crews are safe at sea.
Based in Hartlepool Marina in the North East of England, the RYA training centre specialises in enabling people from all backgrounds, ages and abilities to go sailing, often for the first time. With its iconic black hull, Black Diamond of Durham, takes young adults around the British Isles, across the North Sea and beyond, and provides them with the chance to compete in the prestigious, Tall Ship’s Race each year.
With such a wide variety of abilities on board, safety and enjoyment of the crew are of paramount importance at all times. In support of this, WesCom Signal and Rescue has donated a full set of Pains Wessex offshore pyrotechnic flares and a large polybottle for safe storage.
Calvyn Whitehand, Skipper of Black Diamond of Durham, explains, “Many of those who we welcome onto Black Diamond have never sailed on a boat before, so it is imperative they understand the importance of safety at sea. Before we set sail, we have an extensive safety briefing to cover all areas, including how to set off an emergency signal and how to dispose of out of date flares. We are extremely grateful to WesCom for their support; our focus is to provide people with hands on experience of the thrill of sailing, but we always believe that safety takes precedence above all else.”
WesCom Signal and Rescue is the world’s leading supplier of marine distress signals and is the parent company of Pains Wessex. Its brands have been helping to save lives for more than 100 years and are trusted for their reliability, high quality and consistent superiority by rescue services, navies, merchant ships and fishing fleets throughout the world.
Chris Feibusch, Director of Global Marketing and Communication for WesCom Signal and Rescue, says, “It is vital for those learning to sail that they understand the importance of safety at sea. Pyrotechnic flares, such as the set gifted to Sailing North East, are regulation and therefore it is essential that they are in date. As a vital component of the safety equipment inventory of any vessel, flares should be of the highest quality and it is paramount that everyone on board knows where they’re stored and how to use them. We are pleased to be able to support the education and development of so many sailors.”
For further information about WesCom Signal and Rescue, please visit: www.wescomsignal.com.
For more information about Sailing North East, please visit: www.sailingnortheast.co.uk.