After a summer holiday packed with incident and adventure for Scaramouche and her new crew, pupils and staff return to the Academy for the start of the Autumn Term.  Mr Holt puts on his other hat as Head of Sixth Form, he returns to school to welcome the new Sixth Form and to celebrate a superb set of A-Level and BTEC results with Year 13.  Pupils return and try to remember where they put school shoes, (if they still fit!), books, school tie and the rest of their uniform.  It is pretty similar for staff!

Scaramouche is left in Poole during the week and is now used only at the weekends by the school.  The plan is to use her in a combination of roles.  As a straightforward training boat, preparing for races, training the crew, with each race a milestone on the way to Fastnet.  For racing and regattas.  On other weekends she will be used to give those sailors who have been working their way through dinghy training their opportunity to sail a thoroughbred racing yacht.  For particular groups Scaramouche will be an opportunity for challenging inner-city students in a situation entirely outside their “comfort zone”.

Of course, the work goes on to put right problems caused by the last three years when she has been standing in the open.  Every trip has allowed us to identify another minor niggle to be resolved and every chance is taken to involve the pupils in this repair and maintenance programme.  Lots of hard work has now been accomplished and Scaramouche is now properly equipped and Coded.  Now we need to pay for it all!!