From sailing, to running errands, checking the bilge, analysing wind speed or assessing anchor drag, the responsibility of ensuring the boat made it back to shore lay firmly with the teenaged crew.

There were tears, bouts of seasickness, and no way of contacting friends or family - but among the difficulties came some powerful lessons.

"Communication and teamwork was so important, considering when we started this trip we all knew no one," participant Ella-Jade Clark said.

For Elena Darby-Rodriguez, taking charge of personal responsibility was a key lesson.

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"The responsibility hit so much closer to home, because if one person was late to their watch, everyone else had to make it up for them," she said.

And as a final test of leadership and cooperation, the crew were tasked with taking charge of the ship by themselves over the final day.

George de Hayr said he took on the challenge not knowing what to expect.

"I learnt a lot about myself - that's the big one," he said. "I think everyone did. I suppose 10 days on a boat with 20 strangers will do that."

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The program, run every year by the Windeward Bound Trust and Rotary Tasmania, pairs up ten young Tasmanians who show leadership potential with ten new Tasmanians from refugee backgrounds.

Under the supervision and guidance of Captain Sarah Parry and her team, the program is intended to instil maturity, discipline and teamwork.

For the parents of the young sailors, the transformation in their kids has been significant.

"Seeing them not only grow in their own skills and confidence but getting a better insight into people they don't know from different backgrounds has been so important," said George's dad, Brett de Hayr.

"Ten days is a long time away from home, but when we came to pick them up you could just see that there's this amazing bond amd connection formed between 20 young people.

"It looks like an experience that will stick with them for a lifetime."

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