Friday November 19, 2010 Published in National
The Cook Islands Yacht Squadron (CIYS) and the Department of National Human Resources Development (DNHRD) have offered to cover course expenses for three local sailors who head for New Zealand to complete an Ocean Yacht Master’s certificate.
CIYS and DNHRD are joining forces to send Nick Henry, Peia Patai and Tetini Pekepo to Auckland for two-and-a-half weeks.
There they will take a course to become qualified Ocean Yacht Masters – all are at present certified to skipper a vessel within 150 nautical miles of a harbour, but this certificate will allow them to skipper a vessel anywhere.
Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp will be joining them to complete his Yacht Master’s Offshore certificate.
CIYS is comprised of people who own yachts registered with Maritime Cook Islands.
Committee chair and CEO of Maritime Cook Islands Glenn Armstrong estimates that about 86 yachts are Cook Islands registered – ranging from small crafts to a yacht worth US$60 million.
CIYS’s elected committee consists of Armstrong, patron Captain Don Silk, commodore Jack Cooper, vice commodore Alan Sefton and rear commodore Moeroa Mamanu-Matheson, and its objective is to promote yachting in the Cook Islands and the registration of yachts here in the Cooks.
“We think it’s a very good use of our funds to support the development of voyaging in the Cook Islands,” CIYS committee chair and CEO of Maritime Cook Islands Glenn Armstrong said.
Ian Karika on behalf of the Cook Islands Voyaging Society expressed his gratitude to CIYS and to DNHRD.
“Thank you very much on behalf of the crew and the Voyaging Society and the vaka – this last step in certification will enable us to have masters of our vessel to take us to any international destination,” he said. “It’s very timely and very necessary and important for our future and what we’re trying to do as the CIVS.
In photo
CIYS secretary Katrina Brown (left) and CIYS vice commodore Moeroa Mamanu-Matheson (right) present CIVS president Ian Karika (second from left) and local sailor Nick Henry (third from left) with a cheque.
source: http://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/item/28455-skippers-supported
