Tall Ships Youth Trust
Five boats, one horizon, fifty young people finding their way.
Key points
- Client: Tall Ships Youth Trust (TSYT), the UK’s oldest youth development sail training charity
- Main organiser: JFS, on its fourth voyage with TSYT
- 50 young cadets aged 13 to 17, plus leaders and crew (80 people in total)
- Five 72-foot Challenger yachts, departing from Gunwharf Quays
- Aerial drone footage of the fleet, plus crew interviews on return
The challenge
Five Challenger yachts had never sailed together on a single voyage, and TSYT wanted to mark that moment properly. The fleet’s departure from Portsmouth harbour was the centrepiece, with the aim of showing the scale of the operation and the young people at the heart of it.
The plan
Our team captured drone footage of the five-strong fleet as it navigated out of Portsmouth harbour in line astern. We then interviewed the crew on their return, so the voyage was told through the people who had made it happen, not just the spectacle on the water.
The fleet’s five-day voyage, named Expedition Leviathan, was designed to build leadership, resilience and teamwork. The cadets took turns cooking below deck, kept the boats running and learned to work as one crew. The voyage ended with a tactical sail around the Isle of Wight, a night-navigation passage back into Portsmouth and a final fleet prize-giving.
The results
The finished film is live on the Trust’s YouTube channel and featured in their news post about the voyage. The story was then picked up by three outlets: The News in Portsmouth (29 September 2026), All At Sea, a UK boating publication (30 September 2026), and the Tall Ships Youth Trust news post itself (30 September 2026).
Coverage reached local readers and the wider sailing community, and gives TSYT a lasting record of a milestone moment to share with supporters, partners and funders.
In the press
- Tall Ships Youth Trust: 5 Boats, 50 Young People, Launches First 5 Challenger Voyage (30 September 2026)
- The News: 5 Boats, 50 Young People, Launches First 5 Challenger Voyage (29 September 2026)
- All At Sea: Tall Ships Youth Trust Launches First 5 Challenger Voyage (30 September 2026)
What the client said
“It was great to see all five Challengers out on the same voyage for the first time, and particularly satisfying to coordinate them exiting Portsmouth harbour together in line astern. As with every voyage, thorough preparation behind the scenes ensures everything runs smoothly.”
John Farndell, Head of Operations, Tall Ships Youth Trust
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