Blown Away Experiences was set up as a Land Yachting experience company, with support and help from the Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust, and started commercial operations in August 2007. Bothers Guy and Jamie McKenzie studied Sports Coaching with Development of Sport at college and set up the company in their final year at college. Both partners hold relevant First Aid qualifications together with qualifications in land yachting, power boating, kayaking, canoeing, whitewater rafting, quad biking, orienteering, mountain biking and have also passed the Swift Water Rescue Technician certificate. The business holds a £5 million Combined Liability Insurance Policy.
What We Do: Blown Away currently offers Landyachting, Surf Kayaking, Zapcatting, Beach Olympics– our version of Team Building, The Clan Challenge - our version of a Highland Games, the Blown Away Quest and the St Andrews Challenge.
LandYachting: Blown Away is a mobile operation which allows the company to operate at any suitable location throughout Scotland. The landyachts can operate in a space as limited as a tennis court, (as long as there is wind), but the location of choice is West Sands, St Andrews. The fleet consists of ten landyachts with three of these being suitable for people under 5ft. A normal 3 hour session consists of safety briefing, introduction to the principles of landyachting , controlled practice and finally free sailing. Helmets, safety glasses and gloves are provided.
Surf Kayaking: Utilising a fleet of six double surf kayaks participants can challenge themselves against the St Andrews surf. Wet suits are supplied and a safety kayak supervises all action.
Beach Olympics: A variation of the team building theme and also very popular with hen and stag groups. This consists of a variety of sometimes simple, sometimes silly and at all times fun challenges, both physical and mental.
ZapCat Experience: To be introduced for 2010 season. A ZapCat is a small rigid inflatable boat, originally designed as a surf safety boat. It has a power to weight ratio equivalent to a Ferrari Enzo and is one of the most manoeuvrable boats available. Blown Away will operate a maximum of three ZapCats under the control of one safety boat. Participants will act as a co-pilot under the control of the pilot/ instructor and experience what it is like to take part in a ZapCat race. This is a 2.5 hour experience but split into 10 minute articipation segments. Generally participants get three blasts in a ZapCat.
The St Andrews Challenge: To be introduced during 2010. This is designed to bring elements of orienteering and treasure hunting together to provide a team or individual challenge. It will utilise elements of the Blown Away equipment and involve participants in finding facts and locations throughout the historic and modern aspects of St Andrews.
The Clan Challenge: Our version of a Highland Games. All instructors/coaches wear kilts giving this a very Scottish flavour. Clients are split into groups/clans and then appoint their clan chief to lead them into battle/competition under their clan tartan. Games are fun variations of a typical Highland Games.
Blown Away Quest: This involve a series of team games/challenges which each team must undertake. These can range from time competitions in land yachts, scaling the cliffs, (our mobile climbing wall), through construction challenges such as building a functional catapult or raft to activities involving team communication and puzzle solving abilities. These activities are all scored by our instructors. Each point earned by the separate teams is then used by the teams to purchase the use of equipment for the next stage of the Blown Away Quest. This is a cross between orienteering and a treasure hunt—the complication here is that we do not tell you what equipment will be needed by the teams, and some equipment is a lot more “expensive” than others. (Some successful teams have been known to try and “corner the market” for a specific type of equipment—with varying end success!) We are talking buckets and spades through to kayaks and drysuits. Once the “purchase of equipment” has been finalised the first clue/challenge is under way. First team to find the buried treasure is the winner.
Multi-Activity Experience: This is a tailored package allowing the client to choose and combine any of our experiences into a unique and bespoke package ideally suited to their specifications and timings. This has proved to be particularly suitable for larger groups with differing intra group expectations and requirements.
Catering: Coffee and shortbread is provided during the scheduled break in all activities. Blown Away can provide further catering if required with the Blown Away Barbecue on the Beach proving very popular. Fish and Chips, pizzas and ice cream cones can also be organised.
Ethos: Blown Away operates with two prime considerations—Safety and Fun.
Safety of participants is the paramount consideration. All activities are introduced with a safety briefing and informed of the procedures and rules for the activity. Blown Away provide the equipment necessary for the activity, eg; dry suits, buoyancy aids and helmets for ZapCatting, wets suits, buoyancy aids and helmets for surf kayaking glasses, gloves and helmets for landyachting.
Fun. There’s no point if you don’t enjoy yourself. Our instructors aim is that all participants leave with a smile on their face and make every effort to ensure that this happens. The coaching background of our instructors and freelancers ensures that the activity can be pitched at the correct level no matter what the expectation and no instructor is ever employed by Blown Away unless they pass the “Customer Chat” test! As part of the Fun all our events have an “End of Day Prize Giving”. Silly prizes are organised for the participants who have been identified by our instructors as the fastest, slowest, most accurate or inaccurate, biggest splash, loudest shriek or anything else the client thinks appropriate to the occasion. All participants receive a Certificate of Participation.
Blown Away offers its activities to individuals, groups and corporate clients. Individuals are usually scheduled together to provide a minimum participating number of 6 people. The maximum size of a group is dependant upon the type of activity with a Clan Challenge suitable for groups of up to 100.The majority of our activities are weather and tide dependant so starting and finishing times can vary significantly. Pre-booking is essential for all activities. As Blown Away is a mobile operation it is possible to go to the client. If a hotel has suitable grounds it is practical to organise some of our experiences on site if required.
Staff: Blown Away uses a mix of permanent and freelance staff , all of whom have qualifications in a variety of outdoor disciplines and the majority of whom have first aid qualifications.
Insurance: We carry a £5,000,000 public and products liability policy.
We provide all safety and protective equipment for the activities provided.
We provide changing tents and shelters when required.
Costs:
Corporate and Group prices are very much subject to content and client requirements and quotations are supplied on request. As a base indication cost for a corporate group enjoying a single activity or experience would start around £65 per head.
Blown Away are flexible in outlook and are happy to tailor our activities to suit your individual or corporate clients’ needs.
