IN May 1997, The Mail reported that a local support group had pledged to raise the £3,000 needed to get a five-berth, 31ft yacht fit in Bermuda.
The plan was that the Elizabeth Cook would be used to take crews of adult volunteers and young people aged 12 to 18 from the Barrow area on sea trips as part of the Ocean Youth Club scheme.
The yacht was moored at the Roa Island Boat Club, having arrived from Hull by low-loader.
The Barrow project follows a visit to the town in 1996 by club yachts Francis Drake and Greater Manchester Challenge, when several young Barrows went to sea.
A steering committee of ten adult supporters was then set up to run a similar program based in the city.
President John Eaton said, “We come from all kinds of backgrounds and all kinds of skills. What we have in common is that we are all interested in sailing and enabling young people to make the most of their opportunities.
Money to pay for work on the Elizabeth Cook would be raised through charity fundraising events and sponsorship by local businesses.
Later that year, the Furness Ocean Youth Club support group received praise from the national charity Ocean Youth Club for being the most active in the North West.
The FOYCSG had recruited the youngsters from Barrow who had helped train the crew for a week-long sailing trip to the Isle of Man and Liverpool in September 1996.
Skipper Martin Cough said it had been one of the best trips of the year because the youngsters had been so well prepared by the support group.
He had organized training and team building activities for several weeks before the start of the trip.
In November 1997, the young crew members gave a presentation on their sailing week to the sponsors and to Irene Wilde, Governor of OYC North West and Steve Kane, the Regional Manager.
