ORTAC

Biography

Ortac is a Contessa 43 built by Jeremy Rogers’ yard in Lymington in 1979.  Of the only fifteen Contessa 43s built, one was the top-scoring boat in the 1977 Admiral’s Cup, including the Fastnet Race. Another sister yacht competed in the 1981 Whitbread Round The World Race, making it the smallest yacht ever to have competed in this legendary race, now known as the (Volvo) Ocean Race. Ortac has been raced much less but still as fast and seaworthy.

Since being purchased by the current owners in 2020, Ortac has been sailed around the UK and Ireland, crewed by 15–19-year-olds. In 2023, she completed a circumnavigation of Ireland in two weeks before returning to her current base in the Clyde.

Sail Training voyage programmes last from two days to over two weeks. The longer programs include extended multi-day/night passages, while the shorter programs provide an introduction to sailing and the boat with limited night sailing in relatively sheltered waters. For example, the shorter programs have included a two-day exploration of the Clyde, while a longer voyage included sailing from Poole to the Clyde. The shorter programs are designed to develop familiarity and confidence in sailing the boat, work as a team, learn new skills, and are a prerequisite for those wishing to undertake a longer voyage without previous sailing experience.