A yacht that once sailed in the BT Global Voyage is the first of its kind in the Outer Hebrides to offer guests an opportunity to crew the vessel. 

Tim Pickering who lives in Coll in Lewis purchased and refitted the 67 foot long vessel after forming his new business - Wild Blue - along with his partners Angus and Catriona Smith and his wife Anna Murray.  He was able to buy the vessel with assistance from HIE Innse Gall who provided a development grant of £60,000 towards the purchase.

The yacht offers not only a skippered service, but a chance for the guests to be trained to crew the boat themselves.

Named 58 Degrees North, the yacht is berthed in Stornoway and has just returned from a trip to St Kilda with a group of journalists who were given a taste of the remote and wild nature of the islands.

Andy Strangeway who is otherwise known as the Island Man recently chartered the yacht to the islands of Rona and Sula Sgeir which lie 40 miles north of Lewis.  His mission is to land on all the 162 Scottish islands - something that hasn't been achieved by anybody else.

The main area the yacht operates is in and around the Outer Hebrides, offering a series of trips during the summer season and weekend trips all year round.  The yacht can also be chartered for expeditions anywhere in the world and as bookings have been taken for the year ahead and beyond, Tim is already thinking of purchasing a second yacht.

58 Degrees North has had its interior redesigned to make it a more comfortable boat accommodating up to eight people as well as three crew members.

Tim and Anna also offer sea kayaking guiding services and adventure packages through their company Adventure Hebrides.

In addition to the standard sailing trips, 58 Degrees North will take part in classic sailing festivals and regattas around the UK, including Sail Hebrides Festival which will, at the same time, allow clients to attend the Hebridean Celtic Festival.

Anna is a professional musician and television presenter and she has been successfully running her own business for 15 years.  She has sailed with various boats and has been a musician on cèilidh cruises run on Lorne Leader, the 100 year old Brixham trawler and this is something that is in the pipeline for 58 Degrees North. Another opportunity for the yacht to sail in is the Antigua Classics - crossing the Atlantic Ocean. 

Allan McIlwaine, business starts and growth manager at HIE Innse Gall said:  "The development of this venture creates good quality, well paid employment and with the combined qualifications and experience of the directors and pool of qualified skippers, it will result in strong management and operational team."

Tim is certain that more members of staff will need to be taken on as the business develops.  He said: "It is very exciting as the business has really taken off.  We are delighted that HIE Innse Gall has provided assistance which will allow people to make the best of our valuable tourism assets in the Islands. We really look forward to holding cèilidh cruises with different music groups, celebrating our cultural heritage in a unique way."