New Chapter as Scaramouche Passes the Baton
Greig City Academy replaces its iconic yacht with a modern boat to reach more young sailors.
Since 2016, the yacht Scaramouche has been an icon of youth achievement and diversity in sailing. Greig City Academy students sailed her to complete the first UK state school Fastnet in 2017, repeating the feat in 2019. Her distinctive white hull and red stripe is a familiar sight on the Solent and beyond.
We’re immensely grateful to everyone who has supported and encouraged us in everything that Scaramouche has achieved. It’s been an amazing team effort.
Now the pioneering GCA programme is beginning a new chapter. Originally built for the Admiral’s Cup, the 45ft Scaramouche is a demanding boat that needs expert crew and specialist maintenance. When a supporter made the incredibly generous gift of a modern 34ft Beneteau First 10 to the school, it prompted a difficult decision: after careful consideration, GCA has decided to sell the original and rename the new boat Scaramouche 2 in her memory and dress her in the same livery.
Easier to sail with large groups and cheaper to run, Scaramouche 2 will allow the school to run more sailing days, introduce younger students to offshore sailing, deliver RYA courses and continue offshore racing. The result is a programme that is more cost-effective, more flexible and able to reach significantly more young people.
“Scaramouche has given hundreds of young people like me confidence, ambition and life-changing experiences,” said Montel, 2017 Fastnet helm and now a Trustee of the Scaramouche Sailing Trust. “She has been far more than a yacht—she has been a classroom and a catalyst for opportunity, giving us the chance to go beyond what we thought was possible.”
Jon Holt, Director of the GCA Sailing Programme, added: “By making this change now, we’re ensuring that her legacy lives on through an even stronger programme that will inspire many more young people in the years ahead.”
