Retired Norfolk businessman continues his sailing success

This is the seventh time that Mr Tillett, 84, has won the trophy since buying the sailing dinghy in 2002. A Stiffkey Cockle is a 15ft 2in clinker styled sailing dingy that was first built by George Hewitt at Stiffkey Marine in 1996. There are now 118 boats in the fleet. Since his retirement 19 years ago, Mr Tillett has sailed with the Stiffkey Cockle Club in the Blakeney Pit out of Morston Creek on the North Norfolk coast. He has won the Cockle World Championships twice, the Main Series four times, and the Evening Series seven times. This year he cut down on the number of races he competed in to focus on one championship - the Evening Series challenge. The series consists of six races with points awarded for each race. At the end of the series the lowest score is eliminated and the winner is the sailor who has the most combined points from the remaining five scores. Mr Tillett received the trophy at a prize giving on October 27. He said: “I’m very fortunate that I’m fit enough to still be able to sail competitively. “The fact that I can still do it is a wonderful thing.” Having first raced in a 12ft national on Wroxham Broad just after the Second World War, Mr Tillett’s sailing career saw him compete in nationals and white boats at Norfolk Broads Yacht Club (NBYC) in Wroxham; in Norfolk Dinghy’s at Frostbites Sailing Club in Norwich; and in a Broads One Design (Brown Boat) at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club in Lowestoft. He is also a past Commodore of NBYC. Current chairman of Stiffkey Cockle Sailing Club Andrew Chapman said: “James is a remarkable man, quietly competitive and a very nice person. “He is a fine example to us all and sets a tremendous pace on the water. “We are proud to have him in the club and see him continue to win prizes.” Stiffkey Cockle Sailing Club is a single class sailing club based around the Stiffkey Cockle boat and based at Morston Creek in North Norfolk. There are about 70 members of which 40 are racing members.

Sailor to mark sacrifice made in Falklands

AN ADVENTUROUS sailor will be paying tribute to a ship’s crew members who died during the Falklands War. Alex Alley from Gosport is looking to set a solo non-stop round the world sailing record next year – but will be stopping off to pay tribute to the personnel who gave their lives aboard HMS Glamorgan. On June 11, 1982, County Class destroyer HMS Glamorgan was struck by an Argentinian Exocet missile, killing 14 crew members. During Alex’s journey around the world, he will lay 14 poppies at the site where the crew members lost their lives. Alex said: ‘I will be laying paper poppies out at sea – each of which will have a crew member’s name on the back. ‘A very good friend of mine is Peter Galloway, who served on board HMS Glamorgan at the time. ‘When he suggested that I do something like this I thought it was an absolutely brilliant idea.’ Alex’s journey will begin in November 2018, with the current plan being to reach the Falklands in January 2019. He said: ‘I am looking forward to stopping by the Falklands to pay tribute to the crew members. ‘I am genuinely honoured to lay down the poppies at sea, and I see it as a privilege to have been asked.’ Captain Peter Galloway said: ‘I have been inspired by what Alex has already achieved in his lifetime and I am extremely proud to count him as a friend. ‘Together with the members of the ship’s company who wished to support Alex in this amazing venture and all those on board HMS Glamorgan who survived that dreadful moment in 1982. ‘I wish him the very best in his world record-breaking attempt and thank him most sincerely for agreeing to carry out this meaningful tribute to those we lost.’ Alex’s vessel of choice for the adventure is the class 40 racing yacht Pixel Flyer – courtesy of PixelBoat. The campaign is crowd-funded, with people able to have their picture put onto the side of the boat. This round-the-world journey will be the first time Alex has taken on the ocean solo. He said: ‘I am really excited because it is the first time I have done this – but it may also end up being the last. ‘I don’t think I will get lonely while taking on the challenge, because there is always so much to do. ‘You just have to plan things much more meticulously – and further in advance – since there’s only one of you. ‘I will also have connection to the outside world, so not 
only can keep people updated with my progress but also can keep in touch with friends and family.’

The World Sailing Show - November 2017

Maryport mock sea rescue called off

A planned mock sea rescue in Maryport has been cancelled. Solway Adventure Sailing Club had been due to stage the exercise in Maryport harbour tomorrow, October 21. The organisation has said the event, which would have involved the Workington and Silloth RNLI crews and Maryport Inshore Rescue, will now not go ahead.

Sailing charity's mock sea rescue

A sailing charity is planning to stage a mock sea rescue in Maryport's harbour at the weekend Spectators are welcome to attend the event, which is to be held in Maryport Basin at 12.30pm on Saturday. Solway Adventure Sailing Club provides sailing trips for disabled and elderly people and disadvantaged children and it is important that its crew is well-drilled in how to handle an emergency situation. The club’s Bavaria 38 yacht, Solway Adventurer, will take part in the event, with Workington Lifeboat staff playing the part of casualties. Maryport and Silloth inshore rescue teams will also be involved in the mock rescue, which is weather dependent. Club chairman Ged Doran said he hoped the event would help to raise the profile of the charity and encourage more people to get involved. Mr Doran said: “We are in desperate need of additional people to help out with every aspect of the operation.” The club was set up in 2000 and, after two years of fundraising, it gained charity status. Over the years, Solway Adventurer has taken small groups of eligible people on free of charge sails in the Solway Firth and beyond. Most of its original members have now left and a small band of dedicated volunteers are doing their best to keep it going. But they urgently need to find more people to act as trustees, crew, fundraisers and to provide general support to this worthwhile cause. Mr Doran said the charity needed two more trustees to meet the requirements of its constitution. He said: “We need one person to act as chairman and another as vice chair or secretary. “If we can’t get these essential members, we will not be able to continue the charity. “We will have to sell the boat and donate any assets and money to another similar charity.” He added that maintaining a sailing boat of this size in top condition is a considerable financial undertaking. He said: “I would like to thank everyone who has sponsored us over the years. “Their very generous donations have allowed us to continue to date, but the need for additional financial support is ever present.” Anyone wishing to get involved with the charity or eligible groups wanting to book a sail should email solwayasc@gmail.com or contact the group through the Solway Adventure Sailing Club on Facebook or via Twitter using @SolwayASC1.

Could your sailing club do with £5k? Enter Funding the Future Competition

Yachts clubs across the UK are being invited to enter the Funding the Future competition for a chance to win £5,000. The money can be used to improve the club’s facilities, equipment, and coaching capabilities; increase membership; promote youth and sailability participation; or launch other initiatives to support the club. The campaign is run by Sunsail. As well as a top prize of £5,000, the winning sailing club will also be treated to a live Q&A with double Olympic medallist and Volvo Ocean Race winner, Ian Walker. Last year’s winner was the tiny Solva Sailing Club in Pembrokeshire, south west Wales. The judges, which included Volvo Ocean Race skipper Dee Caffari, and paralympic gold medallist Helena Lucas, commented that: “Solva Sailing Club have a track-record of getting young people out on the water and sailing, with racing success as well! Small clubs such as Solva Sailing Club are the life-blood of our sport and their enthusiasm is what will draw more young sailors on to the water to enjoy what we know can be a pastime for life.” Solva club members spent their prize money on building new changing facilities and storage lockers which will help them continue to offer taster sessions for local schoolchildren and to encourage young people to get into sailing. They also met Caffari, who came to the club for a Q&A session and celebration evening. For Funding the Future 2017-18, there will be two runners-up prizes of £2,000 in addition to the first prize of £5,000. Sunsail is also running a separate prize for university sailing clubs where the deserving club will win £1,000 to invest. Only one entry is allowed per sailing club. Entries close on Thursday, 30 November 2017, and the winner will be announced at the RYA Dinghy Show on Saturday, 3 March 2018.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Flying Fifteen on display at Britannia

Visitors at The Royal Yacht Britannia will have a bonus this week as they will also be able to see His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh’s Flying Fifteen keelboat, Coweslip. The 20-foot, two-person keelboat is on loan to The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust and went on display this week. The Flying Fifteen was designed and built by legendary sailor Uffa Fox and launched in June 1949. Uffa said it was a “a sensible, safe boat, that was fun to sail as well, for the rough and tumble of tidal waters around the UK”. Coweslip is the most famous of the Flying Fifteens keelboats, having been presented to Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Philip as a wedding present in 1949. Prince Philip frequently sailed on Coweslip with Uffa Fox and, together, they had great success sailing competitively, including winning the Britannia Cup in 1952. In 1962 at Cowes, Coweslip nearly sank when she was hit by a gust of wind and capsized, throwing both Uffa and The Duke into the water. Chief Executive of The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, Bob Downie said, “We are delighted to have Coweslip on display, particularly in the 70th Anniversary year of the Flying Fifteens. We are grateful for the opportunity for this famous yacht to be viewed alongsideBritannia.”

Veterans celebrate end of gruelling eight-week round-Britain sailing expedition

A crew of injured veterans arrived back in Falmouth on Sunday at the end of a gruelling round-Britain sailing expedition. Seventeen military veterans celebrated the completion of the Turn to Starboard Round Britain Challenge, a 2000-nautical-mile voyage which ended at Port Pendennis. Hardy participants had endured ferocious weather conditions, including menacing waves and wild gusts of up to 40 knots, in what organisers described as "a challenge like no other." The return of the Spirit of Falmouth, the 92-foot tall ship signalled the end of an epic marathon that has taken them to 15 ports across three countries. Chris Greenwood, a 54-year-old former soldier from St Day, said: “The toughest part was the force ten gales around the Isle of Man and up in Scotland. They ripped the sails so hard we had to stop for a couple of days to get them repaired.” Expedition leader and former Royal Marine, Dan Fielding, described the second Round Britain Challenge event as "extremely tough." He added: "Not only has the crew faced their own challenges after service life, they have faced incredible challenges throughout this journey. From appalling weather conditions to damaged sails and broken steering gear, the team has shown resilience in every situation. The team should all be justly proud of themselves, whether completing shorter sections or circumnavigating the entire British Isles. "It was an extremely tough expedition and the crew sailed particularly hard, which has resulted in turning the group of novices who set out eight weeks ago into highly skilled individuals.” Family, friends and supporters lined the jetty at the Port Pendennis while spectator boats took to the water to welcome home the crew as they reached the finish line. Love was also in the air when Falmouth Harbour provided the perfect backdrop for a wedding proposal. Dan, 35, had arranged for letters to be taped on crew members' backs which asked his girlfriend, Nicola Sherwood, to marry him. He dropped to his knee and Nicola screamed with delight before saying “yes.” The expedition was organised by Turn to Starboard, a Falmouth-based charity that helps military personnel suffering with physical injuries or mental trauma by providing sailing courses. The aim was to help participants re-engage, reintegrate and gain new skills to help start new careers. Lead supporters of the initiative are The Endeavour Fund, fuelled by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry’s passion for supporting the recovery of wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women. Stuart Croxford, programme manager at The Endeavour Fund, said: “What an incredible journey the crew has been on. The challenges they have faced have not only been physical, battling huge waves and difficult weather conditions, but also psychological but I know they will have all worked as a team to support each other."

100 junior sailors gather for championships

FISHGUARD Bay was full of boats when more than 100 junior sailors from all over Wales attended the RYA Cymru Wales Welsh Zone Championships, hosted by Fishguard Bay Yacht Club. This is one of the most important events on the Welsh sailing calendar, as it is a qualifier for sailors who aspire to selection for national squads. Fishguard Bay provided them with diverse weather conditions over the two days. Saturday had blustery winds with gusts reaching 30mph, and Sunday was the complete opposite with very light winds, rain and fog. The boats were divided into two fleets, Regatta and Main fleet, with boat classes including Optimists, Toppers, RS Fevas, Lasers, 420s and RS:X windsurfers. There was a good turnout of local sailors from FBYC and the Sea Cadets. Efa Wilson was placed third and Evie Jones second in the windsurfer section. The Regatta fleet was won by Huw Davies. FBYC has hosted many Welsh squad training weekends and local competitions, but this is the biggest event held in the bay, and could not have taken place without help from many volunteers, with the Phoenix Centre in Goodwick as a base. The overwhelming response from all the competitors and coaches was that the area is a fantastic venue for sailing and they hope to attend more events here in the future.

The World Sailing Show - October 2017

Plymouth sailors smash Guinness World Record - despite capsizing their boat

A two-man crew from Plymouth have sailed their way into the history books – after smashing their own world record. Royal Navy sailor Leading Seaman Philip Slade and Ministry of Defence employee Mark Belamarich were presented with their Guinness World Record certificates at a ceremony on Thursday. The pair achieved the longest distance sailed in a double-handed dinghy - 613.93km (381.48mi; 331.5nm), completed between 8 and 12 May 2017. They completed the challenge in horrendous weather conditions - and despite capsizing on the west coast of England. They completed the journey less than 12 months after they set their first record in a cramped 14-foot Bosun dinghy used by the Royal Navy for adventure training. Rear Admiral John Clink, who heads the Flag Officer Sea Training Organisation, presented the certificates to Mark and Phil at the Plymouth Armed Forces Office. He said: “This is an amazing achievement, you should both be very proud of yourselves." The pair set off from the Royal Navy Joint Services Sailing Centre at Royal Marines Stonehouse in Plymouth. Mr Slade, a qualified sailing instructor and now an Armed Forces career advisor, said: “Mark and I are very relieved that the record has finally been confirmed. “To beat our own record less than 12 months after setting it is a phenomenal feeling, especially as difficult as this attempt was. “We made two attempts this year. The first attempt we made had to be abandoned after 24hrs due to weather conditions in the Bristol Channel. “The second attempt was less than a week later, and again we made really good time to Land’s End, and despite a quick capsize going round Land’s End we made good time across the Bristol Channel. “It was really from this point we were struggling to reach tidal gates on time, struggling for wind and with the temperature so cold at night we were fighting the elements to carry on. “We had to abandon this attempt just North West of Holyhead for safety reasons but it was enough to beat our record so we were happy.’’ Mr Belamarich, who works for 1 Assault Group Royal Marines in HM Naval Base, Devonport, said: “It’s been an anxious wait, but now we’ve had the record confirmed it’s a huge relief. “I feel we have set a world record that will stand for many years, the difficulty of living on such a small dinghy for many days affects you both physically and mentally. “There were some difficult decisions to make I would even say emotional, the wellbeing and safety of each other and the dinghy was always priority and being a sea survival instructor the realisation of how quickly things can go wrong at sea were always on our minds. “Phil and I put in a lot of training days, coming up with scenarios that could present themselves. We knew should a serious incident happen, our primary help would be Self-rescue. “The voyage proved very eventful but also extremely rewarding, I’m proud to have been part of it with memories that will last a lifetime." Mr Belamarich, who has recovered from bowel cancer, is an ambassador for Bowel Cancer UK and is hoped to raise awareness about the condition by completing the challenge. The record-breaking adventure was undertaken to highlight armed forces adventure training and to raise funds for two causes - the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and Bowel Cancer UK. They have raised nearly £4,000.

Vendee2020Vision sailors smash Length of Britain Record

The four young British sailors have taken 21 hours and 44 minutes off the existing Length of Britain record, which was held by offshore racer Phil Sharp The crew – Mikey Ferguson, Lizzy Foreman, Andrew Baker and Jack Trigger – sailed from Land’s End to John o’Groats in 2 days, 14 hours and 6 minutes, crossing the finish line in the early hours of this morning. The previous record, set by Jersey-born offshore sailor Phil Sharp, was 3 days, 11 hours, 52 minutes, 15 seconds at an average speed of 7.39 knots. Speaking after beating the record, Jack Trigger said: “We couldn’t be happier, it has been a testing sail, with ups and downs. From lots of wind to the flip side of no wind at the finish. We pushed both the boat and ourselves to the limit, but we’re super happy to have broken the record”. This is the second record set by the British Vendee2020Vision team. In 2014, they took the World Record for Monohulls 60 feet and less for Round Britain and Ireland. The new Length of Britain Record has already been ratified by Sail Scotland, which developed and organised the challenge. Its chief executive, Daniel Steel said: “We are delighted to crown the Vendee2020Vision team as the new Length of Britain Record Holders. They have shown incredible skill and endurance, taking on the weather and tidal conditions to not only reach the north coast of Scotland in a world record time, but to smash it by over 21 hours.” The record breaking trip was not without its challenges. Speaking straight after crossing the finish line, skipper Mikey Ferguson said, “We are really excited to establish this new record time. To be honest it was a relief to get over the line, the last few nights have been pretty tough particularly due to the issues with the wind instruments.” “I have sailed around the UK three times but this passage has been the hardest to date. To secure the record is fantastic, but this is also about giving these young sailors experience and building towards our ultimate goal to have a young British sailor on the start line for the Vendée Globe in 2020,” he continued. “They have all gained a lot of great experience and learnings to take away from this trip, from how they manage technical issues on-board, to sailing in every extreme of weather. They all did an amazing job and there are a lot of positives to take away and build on for the future,” added Ferguson. The team faced a technical issue on day two after the mainsail car bungy broke and the vertical wand which supplies the instruments with wind data was damaged. The crew pulled into open water in Belfast Lock so they could continue sailing and complete repairs without having to stop the record attempt. The wind instruments proved hard to repair at sea and the crew had to continue with limited and at times no wind data as they made the final approach to the north west tip of Scotland. Sixty miles from the finish off John O’Groats the wind dropped to under three knots as they faced an agonising final sail to the finish line. Lizzy Foreman said it was “absolutely fantastic” to smash the record “This was tricky tactical sailing, but really great fun and great to finish. It is fantastic boost in our skill levels and improve our tactical and navigation skills.” she said. “This has been a huge benefit to me, to pick up new things from the other crew members, and this is a real stepping stone from the smaller boats I have been racing to step up to a boat this size,” added Foreman. Andrew Baker commented that the mix of weather and conditions made it a “really interesting trip”. “Record breaking sailing is really interesting there are no other boats to race so it takes away the whole fleet racing element, just the clock to race,” he noted. “You are really focused on the weather and tactics, you can really push it and work on things and enjoy being part of the team,” added Baker.

Sailing charity in Peterborough gets helping hand from the crew at Queensgate shopping centre

Staff at Queensgate shopping centre are on the crest of a wave after doing their bit to ensure smooth sailing for a Peterborough charity. Volunteers from the centre gave up a total of 500 hours over 39 days to help the work of Peterborough Sailability, based at Ferry Meadows. The charity helps about 150 people with disabilities sail each day from April to September and the role of volunteers is vital to the safe and smooth running of the day’s events. The staff helped sailors with togging up, preparing the boats for launch and helping the boats back onto dry land. Carol Wakelin, environmental manager at Queensgate, said: “We are thrilled to be able to support disabled sailing in Peterborough again and the staff have been brilliant with offering hours to take part. “Sailability provides an important resource for people with disabilities and is run solely on volunteers so we wanted to roll up our sleeves and do our bit.”