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Luiz Provin

Team

Luiz Provin

Mate

Offshore crew

Please tell us a bit about yourself

As a young adult, I left my birth country of Brazil with a one-way ticket to travel the world. Three years later, while going through the Greek Islands, I had a chance encounter with sailing yachts. This one opportunity led to an unpaid job as a deckhand on board a classic sailing yacht and it changed the course of my life. It expanded my horizon and gave me a new interest and focus. No, I didn’t become a professional sailor, but I did sailed more than 25,000 miles across oceans in the years that followed. Afterwards, I became a professional Sound Engineer working for the BBC and then Pinewood Studios. Now I work freelance and volunteer as a Mate for TSYT, helping to empower young people to see beyond their horizon.

Please tell us a bit about your role  at Tall Ships Youth Trust

The Mate is the nominated deputy of the Skipper. They are the senior watchkeeper and share responsibility with the Skipper in maintaining proper standards of watch keeping, safety, ship handling, navigation and log keeping. They are responsible to the Skipper for the good order, cleanliness and proper running of the vessel, and for encouraging efficiency and good conduct of the crew afloat and ashore.

What has been your most memorable moment at Tall Ships Youth Trust?

Night sailing in the Irish Sea with a well motivated young crew under a starry sky in a fresh breeze? Magical!

Lundy Island – returning from a shore trip back to Challenger 1 sitting at anchor two cables offshore, with a young crew rowing the dinghy and vocalising at the top of their voices the melody tune to Pirates of the Caribbean being played on deck? Priceless!

Playing card games with the voyage crew after a hard day’s sail? Great fun!

Going down below after putting the boat to bed for the night to the wonderful smells coming from the galley, where the watch are hard at work to feed the whole crew! Yes!

What is one thing you think people should know about Tall Ships Youth Trust?

Everyone working with TSYT are here for one reason, to offer young people an opportunity to experience daily life on board a sailing ship, so that by working together as a team, pulling together “two, six, heave!”, following leads, leading tasks, understanding the importance of discipline, all together may increase self esteem, self confidence, trust in their shipmates, and perhaps expand their horizons as it did for me all those years ago.

Please describe your job in three words

Support, safeguard, empower.

If you were famous, what would you be famous for?

My incredible sourdough bread!

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