New Swan skipper

THE SWAN Trust has appointed Essex man Richard Pattison as the new skipper for Shetland’s own tall ship, the restored fifie Swan.

A former army officer, Pattison has amassed sea miles and experience through sailing and mountaineering expeditions around the Atlantic, the Arctic and the Antarctic, and has sailed from the Falkland Islands to the UK. 

Pattison will take up his appointment next month and has a busy season ahead of him carrying out short sails with Shetland school groups and weekend charters.

The Swan will be at the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival at Portsoy, will embark on a two week trip to Norway with Sail Training Shetland trainees and has an extended charter lined up in Orkney and Shetland for the Cape Farewell Foundation. 

Pattison said: “I am delighted to have been appointed skipper of such a fine boat and be employed by the Swan Trust which has at national and international level become recognised as an organisation not only dedicated to preserving an historic vessel, but also the promotion of sail training for young people.”

Trust chairman Allister Rendall added: “We believe that in Richard Pattison we have a very experienced and capable skipper, who will enable us to fulfil our aim of offering sailing opportunities to Shetland’s young people.”