Since the Second World War fisherman and locals from many island nations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans have lost much of their sailing traditions, preferring instead the speed and convenience an outboard motor brings. Unfortunately, the engine also brings problems, such as running out of fuel or breaking down mid-Ocean, leaving fishermen stranded at sea, drifting for days or even weeks at a time and some dying at sea. Peter Gately, founder of “Sails Ocean Sails”, offers coastal fisherman security by providing them with old sails.

Published 5 years ago, updated 5 months ago

Sails Ocean Sails (SOS) is a self-funded program that was started in 2005, and since then has helped island fishermen in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Timor Sea and in Africa.

The charity has a number of objectives:
1. To reduce the number of fishermen lost at sea each year
2. To provide coastal communities around the world with sails
3. To demonstrate to fishermen how to hoist sails in small boats
4. To demonstrate to fishermen basic sailing techniques and methods
6. To discuss compass and map reading, charts and basic navigation

Peter told Noonsite:
“By providing coastal communities with Sails and showing them basic ways to attach these sails to their small boats, islanders may well be able to use sailing as a means to catch fish and/or as a safety mechanism to sail back to land if their outboard motor fails or runs out of fuel. Sails are a means for these societies to continue fishing for their livelihood if and when they run out of petrol or the price of petrol becomes too expensive.

I teach sailing & safety at sea in the Maritime schools when I visit and enjoy working with the maritime students and fisher people along the coasts erecting masts & sails on the small fishing boats. Their look of appreciation is something to behold and they love the good quality of the modern sail material given to them.”

SOS has visited Samoa, Timor Leste, Mauritius, Seychelles, Kenya, Zanzibar and Tanzania, Papua New Guinea and Kiribati.

How you can help:

Without used sail donations, this program cannot succeed. Peter will be visiting Tonga from Australia in March 2020 and is asking for used sails (such as jibs or small mains), equipment (such as maritime charts, life vests etc.) and navigation instruments to give to his students and the fishermen.

Contact Peter at: E-mail – petergately@dodo.com.au
https://sails.wordpress.com/

Peter lives in Canberra, Australia, and used sails and equipment should be sent there.

Related Links:

Any Old Sails? – MySailing.com

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Noonsite has not independently verified this information.