Marina welcomes famous 72ft long racing yacht Challenger 4

These days, the Challenger 4, which moored at Orwell Quay in Ipswich, belongs to the UK’s oldest and largest youth development sail training charity.

Saturday's visit was for an open day as part of a tour around the country offering young people the chance to have a look on board.

The vessel is owned by the charity the Tall Ships Youth Trust (TSYT), which empowers young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to realise their potential by living and working together on the yacht’s residential voyages.

This year is the first time the trip has been arranged since before the pandemic in 2019 and the adventures enable those taking part to build confidence, resilience and self-esteem.

The open day was part of the final leg, which will set sail on Monday with a group of young people on board from Harwich and Dovercourt High School.

Since July, seven youth crews have benefitted from a voyage onboard as it circumnavigates the British coastline stopping at eight different ports.

The Challenger 4 now belongs to the charity TSYT, which provides opportunities for disadvantaged youngsters (Image: Archant)

Portsmouth-based TSYT has been operating as a sail training charity for 66 years.

Alastair Floyd, chief executive of TSYT, said: “The pandemic stopped us from running this fantastic tour but not anymore.

“It’s been great to offer young people the opportunity to sail from one part of the country to another and experience different sailing and living environments.

“It’s also helped us to raise the profile of our vital work with open events in Whitehaven, Greenock, Newcastle and now our final event in Ipswich.”

The Ipswich open day took place between 10am and 4pm and gave visitors the opportunity to have a look on board the yacht, one of four Challengers owned by TSYT.

They were all built in 2000 and are famous for having raced twice round the world, as part of the Global Challenge races.