A Sailors Lot UK

Wednesday 11 December 2019

2020 Boat of the Year Winner

Sailing World magazine has selected the top new performance sailboats from its annual Boat of the Year competition, awarding the Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300 as the 2020 Boat of the Year. The versatile 32-footer, built at Jeanneau’s facilities in Poland, is designed primarily for solo and doublehanded racing, a fast-growing segment of the sport. “The days of long-distance races on boats requiring large crews is long past,” says Dave Reed, Sailing World’s editor and Boat of the Year director. “The trend continues toward smaller boats requiring fewer crew, and the judges agreed—unanimously—that the Sun Fast 3300 is a boat that will excite experienced sailors who are keen to compete in shorthanded offshore races. There’s innovation and practicality throughout the boat, from its hull shape to the sailhandling and water-ballast systems to the simple and utilitarian interior.” The Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300 emerged as the judges’ top choice after a week of in-depth dockside inspections and sail tests on the waters in October off Annapolis, Maryland. From a field of 11 new designs, Sailing World’s independent Boat of the Year judges (all industry professionals) also selected four additional boats as award-worthy:

Monday 9 December 2019

Wheelchair Accessible Sailing!

Jonny gets reward for dedication in helping blind sailors

A SAILOR from Milnthorpe has been presented with a prestigious award for his 18 years as a volunteer with GBR Blind Sailing. Jonny Cormack received the award from the President of the Royal Yachting Association HRH the Princess Royal at a ceremony in London. This summer, Mr Cormack guided the Great Britain team to a world championship at the Blind Fleet Racing World Championships in Ontario, Canada. Each team is allowed a sighted tactician and he filled that role for the GBR B3 team with amazing success. The tournament was the latest highlight of Mr Cormack's sailing career which began at the age of two aboard his father's boat on Windermere. He loved the sport so much he eventually became an instructor and now manages the Windermere Outdoor Adventure Centre. It was during his career at a similar centre in Rochdale that he first began to champion disabled sailing and 20 years ago became associated with blind sailing. As well as helping with the training of visually impaired sailors, much of it on Windermere, Mr Cormack regularly competes as a sighted crew to assist and advise the others on the boat. He is not allowed to handle any of the boat's controls, only able to give information verbally. However he says he has learnt much from the visually impaired sailors and says they can sense if the boat is not performing to its potential from its motion before those with sight detect what is wrong. Mr Cormack has competed in four World Blind Sailing Championships as tactician, helping the B3 Team win two silvers and a gold. He also serves on the charity's committee, helping to raise funds and organise training and team travel, including accommodation. The citation for Mr Cormack's award describes him as someone who "encourages everyone and is always looking at ways the charity can grow and support more people". He said it was an honour to get the award and described the accolade as "amazing."

Saturday 7 December 2019

Plymouth Youth Sailing 1/12/19

£16,000 donation puts wind in sails of Isle of Wight disabled sailing charity

A £16,000 DONATION from the Isle of Wight Foundation has put wind in the sails of an Island charity that offers recreational boating opportunities for adults and children with physical and learning disabilities. Cowes Sailability Club will put the money towards a specially designed Island-built motorboat that is fully wheelchair accessible. It will enable the club to offer life-enriching experiences and build disabled people’s confidence by providing access to the sea in a fun, safe and rewarding way. Fundraising officer Trish Rooke said: “This grant is a tremendous boost for us. "Though we are based in Cowes, we are an all-Island charity so a great many people will be able to benefit from the new opportunities this fantastic new boat will bring. “People with disabilities often have difficulty finding an accessible outdoor activity and as a result sometimes can feel isolated but this new motorboat will help Cowes Sailability Club continue to support members with many different kinds of disabilities.” Commodore Paul Wilks said: “The total cost of the boat is around £96,000 so this money is a huge step towards us achieving our target. It is being built by Cheetah Marine of Ventnor and the fact that a local company is supplying the new boat makes the project extra special." Donations towards the boat can be made at www.cowessailability.co.uk Cowes Sailability Club is the latest organisation to receive a grant from the Isle of Wight Foundation, comprised of the companies behind Island Roads, this year. Each year, the foundation gives grants of between £3,000 and £16,000 to Island charities, good causes and organisations working to tackle social exclusion.