ABC Lives Project Sends Second Container of Donated Boats to St Vincent & the Grenadines
by Jenny Trumble 18 Mar 02:59 AEDT
ABC Lives Project: Loading complete © SVG Sailing
Following the success of the 2023 donated boats container, led by Tony Bishop at Queen Mary Sailing Club (QMSC), the St Vincent & the Grenadines Sailing Association (SVGSA) has taken a significant step forward.
With support from World Sailing and Olympic Solidarity, SVGSA has developed a roadmap to establish a high-performance sailing center on St Vincent, the main island of this multi-island nation. However, to make this vision a reality, more equipment was needed.
Who better to turn to than the extraordinary Tony Bishop?
Despite his already demanding workload, Tony launched a nationwide campaign, ABC Lives (Abandoned Boats Change Lives), rallying clubs and sailors across the UK to donate boats, equipment, and windsurfers. QMSC became the central collection point, receiving donations from as far as Cumbria and Gateshead. On Friday, 14th March, the latest container was locked, loaded, and set sail for St Vincent.
A Collective Effort of Generosity
Key figures in this initiative include:
- Tony Bishop (QMSC) - the mastermind behind ABC Lives.
- Andy & Nicki Thorne (Kestrel Shipping) - their King's Award-winning logistics company, known for its strong social conscience, provided generous support.
- Claudia Baba - who worked tirelessly to organize the finer details of the shipping and was present for the final loading.
From South Shields to Poole, the sailing community came together:
- Keith at Delph SC rallied his club in the cold off-season to find abandoned boats, and Myles Ripley from Cumbria donated his own boat.
- Dave & Di Broadbent (Poole) donated a Hobie 17 - and even offered to travel to St Vincent to teach local kids how to rig and sail it. And windsurfer Matt Eeles threw in some windsurf and kite surf equipment.
- Keith & James (Spinnaker SC) with the power of persuasion, passed on a donated boat to ABC Lives.
- Christine Fair (South Shields) who kindly donated spare Laser spars and parts.
- Kate (Island Barn SC) secured the donation of "Celestine," a beloved Laser.
- The Gebhard family (Trident UK) contributed a rare Zoom 8—young sailors can't wait to see if it lives up to its name!
Making It Work
Some boats needed parts, and once again, the community stepped up. A random conversation with Nick from Aztec Sails saw him reached out to Holt Marine, and together they generously provided essential equipment at great value.
ABC Lives even attracted the support of Andy Kerr, whose widely respected YouTube sailing tutorials have helped countless sailors, including the Vincy sailors, master racing rules and tactics. His upcoming video on Rule 18 is highly anticipated by SVGSA's young competitors.
Windsurfing & the Junior Olympics 2025
With the 2025 Junior Olympics in Senegal featuring windsurfing as the only sailing class, SVGSA sought donated boards to help local sailors train for qualification. The windsurfing community responded enthusiastically, ensuring young Vincentian athletes now have a chance to compete on the international stage.
The Final Push
When the time came to load the container, an incredible team made it happen:
- Tony Bishop and his hard-working team at QMSC tested their strength loading the container.
- Martin Ince (SVG) and James Bassett, Martin's son-in-law, who was kindly "volunteered".
- Nathan (Swan Bespoke Furniture) - built such high-quality boat racks that they might just be left in place permanently!
- Pippa Jubb (Sailboat Deliveries) - provided invaluable advice on the logistics of moving boats around the UK.
Join the Movement
The St Vincent & the Grenadines Sailing Association may be small, but its ambitions are enormous. Now, with more boats, boards, and equipment, young sailors in this micro-nation have the tools to develop their skills and chase their dreams.
If you're a race coach willing to donate time and expertise to help these passionate young sailors, please get in touch.
#ABCLives - Because Abandoned Boats Can Change Lives