The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AN initiative to help develop local sloop sailing and boat building is set to receive an endorsement from the Bahamas' most legendary name in the sport over the weekend.

Sir Durward Knowles is expected to christen his 12- foot dinghy "One Bahamas" which was built by renowned boat builder Sheldon Gibson and the students of his boat building club.

The ceremony is scheduled to take place at Nassau Yacht Club 11am Saturday.

Gibson began the process two years ago and the initial idea became a reality when four of his boats were featured as "sculling" made a return to local sailing after an absence of more than 20 years.

Gibson built and designed four boats - Sands, Sands Light, Strong Back and High Rock - which were featured at the 25th Annual St Valentine's Jubilee Regatta in February.

After christening the boats in Montagu Bay, the Family Islanders got involved with the Rock Sound Homecoming last weekend when the boats were displayed in a series of races.

The boats will remain in Eleuthera for another series of races in Governor's Harbour next weekend. Then they are expected to be brought to Elizabeth Harbour in Georgetown, Exuma, for the National Family Island Regatta at the end of the month.

Sir Durward Knowles said the ceremony is a gesture to shed light on the work Gibson and others have been doing in an attempt to pass along the skill of small boat building. "It was an idea that came about a few years ago by some important names to boat building and sailing in the Bahamas like Sheldon Gibson, Clyde Rolle, Craig Symonette and others and to see it grow from an idea now coming to fruition is a great thing to see," he said. "Many of the islands are buying into it now and it is becoming more and more popular after a few events. It's a benefit to sailing on the whole, it's a benefit to Bahamian culture."

In an interview with the Tribune prior to the Jubilee regatta, Gibson outlined the impact he said the project could have on the sport.

"My objective is to get as many Bahamian-built boats in the water as possible so when the idea was brought to me, I jumped on it because not only was it an opportunity to help develop local sailing but it was an opportunity to help teach young people," he said.

"This is a golden opportunity. These boats will help to solidify what is happening here in the Bahamas - that we must promote Bahamians. In order for our culture to grow and remain with us, we must continue to improve so that the generations after us will have something to follow on."