57 boats and counting !!

 This year's Noble Marine Rooster RS200 Nationals is already looking to be a well contested event even after only having entry open for 2 days, with a massive 57 boats already signed up!

Last year's Nationals sold out within hours of opening, with a final entry of 119 boats despite Covid restrictions. Hosts Hayling Island Sailing Club have not set a limit this year, and with the biggest home fleet of any club, bets are on that the 2022 championship will be one of the biggest yet.

The entry list once again looks like a who's who of UK dinghy sailing, as Luke Patience once said, the RS200 Class is where many top sailors from a wide range of classes come for fun and to enjoy competitive big fleet racing, gate starts and the legendary social scene. However, with the fleet divided into gold, silver and bronze divisions, and the well-established buddy system providing a mentor for all less experienced sailors, the event is welcoming and friendly for all, with socials designed to help those new to the fleet feel included form the start.

The stats so far: top clubs HISC/FPSC/Waldringfield, 28% female helms, 70% female crews. 8% masters - we expect lots more, but they're not quite as quick at getting their names on the list as the MASSIVE contingent of youths!

Full details, NoR and entry pages can be found on the RS200 Class Association event webpage.

Portsmouth to host UK's first truly barrier-free boating weekend in 2022

 Disabled people will have the opportunity to take a ride on a powerboat or enjoy a relaxing sail around Portsmouth Harbour and the Solent thanks to the collaboration between two of the U.K.'s truly accessible boating organisations.

The Disabled Sailors Association (DSA) who operate their fully accessible catamaran 'Scott Bader' in Portsmouth and Wetwheels Solent who also operate their fully accessible power catamaran in Portsmouth, will be offering all disabled people, including those with profound and complex disabilities, the opportunity to enjoy the Blue Health benefits of being on the water.

The event will be held over the weekend of Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th of May 2022 courtesy of Gunwharf Quays who have made available their marina and facilities which includes their fully accessible award-winning Changing Places toilet facilities.

Disabled people can pre-book a free 90 minute experience on either vessel free of charge, including one carer, by contacting Wetwheels (07904 997 622) or the Scott Bader (07841 675 308). Both boats will be running five trips a day for both days starting from 9:30am. We are recommending people book early to reserve their slots.

Ovington take on marketing the K1 single-handed keel dinghy

 Ovington Boats are delighted that from the start of the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show at Farnborough they will be internationally marketing the K1 performance single-handed keel dinghy.

Ovington started building K1s last year and have a fantastic reputation for building world-class performance dinghies in Britain.

Since the K1 was launched in 2010 it has been marketed by Vandercraft, owned by Jeff Vander Borght. Jeff has always been a keen K1 sailor, indeed a previous National Champion, and has now taken the opportunity to retire from sales allowing him more time to race his own K1. Jeff was closely involved with the fifteen K1s that Ovington built last year to ensure a smooth transition from his company to Ovington.

K1 Class Association Chairman Hilary King commented that in his opinion with Ovington Boats building and marketing the K1 we have one of the best dinghy manufacturers in the world taking the K1 forward which is fabulous. He continued that Ovington are working closely with the K1 Class Association to ensure that the boats are built as well as possible whilst maintaining the strict one-design characteristics.

Hilary added that we owe Jeff a huge thank you for all his hard work over the last decade which has given the K1 such a stable platform to build from. Jeff has always gone that extra mile to help owners maximise the fun and performance the K1 offers and he is a major reason the fleet has such a friendly reputation and all boats remain competitive.

More details regarding K1 boats can be found on the Ovington website ovingtonboats.com/k1-boat

Information about K1 activity and one-design class events can be found on the K1 Class Association website www.k1association.co.uk

Huge seven-cabin superyacht Lusine worth £50MILLION sailing up the River Thames

 The magnificent Lusine measures 60metres, weighs 1,060 gross tonnage and has a top speed of 17.5 knots.

It moored in Tilbury, Essex, this week after a 12-hour trip from the Netherlands.

Lusine is owned by Dubai billionaire Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, 63, who is also CEO of the Emirates Group.

The luxury yacht has eight bedrooms to accommodate up to 16 guests and has quarters for 14 crew members.

Designers at Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design created the interior while Heesen developed the naval architecture last year.

Her exterior has been described as "clean and chiselled" and was styled to resemble a bird's wing.

She is built with a Teak deck, a Steel hull, and Aluminium superstructure.

Captain Varun, who recently completed tests with it in the North Sea, said: "I am extremely proud to take delivery of my second Heesen yacht. 

"Lusine is sturdy and gives me great confidence. We tested her in sea state five with winds up to 30 knots, and she behaved very well."

Great British Sailing Challenge 2022 events announced

 With the 2021/22 Seldén SailJuice and Great British Sailing Challenge Winter Series drawing to a close we are pleased to announce the event line up for the 2022 Great British Summer Sailing Challenge.

13 March 2022 - Brass Monkey, Yorkshire Dales SC

9-10 April 2022 - Cheddar Ales Chase, Bristol Corinthian YC

7-8 May 2022 - POSH, Paignton SC

25-26 June 2022 - Bala Long Distance, Bala SC

6th August 2022 - Medway Marathon, Medway YC

The Great British Sailing Challenge is a series of handicap racing events that take place throughout the year, covering a variety of locations, race formats, and different water types. Competing sailors will earn ranking points from each event they compete in, with three events required to qualify for the overall rankings. There will also be various extracted ranking categories to reflect the great diversity of the UK small boat racing scene, including age, boat type, and for those classes that field 10+ boats, individual class rankings.

The series is managed by RestartSailing (RYA affiliated).

Entry is open for the earlier events: www.sailingchallenge.org

National School Sailing Association Topper loan scheme

 The National School Sailing Association (NSSA) is a UK membership organisation for anyone involved with youth sailing. We provide a framework of competitions to encourage young people to get involved in fleet, team and match racing in a variety of dinghies.

As part of our commitment to improving participation levels in the sport we have a fleet of 6 Topper Dinghies that we make available to deserving young people who might not otherwise have regular access to a boat of their own.

The boat will be provided free of charge to the young person with a choice of rig (subject to availability) from early March until middle of October 2022. All we ask is that:

The boat is kept in a safe and secure location for the duration of the loan.

The boat and sailor make a reasonable effort to attend NSSA events during the main sailing season.

The sponsoring adult takes responsibility for

a. collecting the boat and delivering to our single handed team racing event in October (at Burton Sailing Club)

b. general upkeep of the Topper whilst in the possession of the young person (major incidents/breakages will be discussed with NSSA committee if applicable)

NB: the sponsoring adult does not necessarily have to be a parent or guardian of the young person they nominate.

The scheme is open to all but we are particularly keen to increase participation amongst under represented demographics. In order to access this fantastic opportunity we would ask that a sponsoring adult nominates a young person (or people) for consideration using the form available here (PDF format).

Please send any questions to jon.leeding@nssa.org.uk.

For more information about the NSSA and to see what events we are running in 2022 please have a look at www.nssa.org.uk

Supernova Class Association announces 2022 season

 The Supernova Class Association is excited to announce its plans for the 2022 season. The 2022 calendar of events has a new look with a separate Northern and Southern Travellers' Series.

This provides 10 events for each series with 4 of them being combined events in the Midlands area, to allow the fleet to come together. The events also include separate Southern and Northern class coaching days, as well as the annual Championship events which last year saw our highest ever attendance, cementing the class at the forefront of national attendance for another year.

The new look events calendar for 2022 is aimed at supporting our fleet, class members and their clubs as locally as possible which aims to add to the steady increase in event attendance the class has seen in recent years.

The Supernova Class Association looks forward to seeing you at this year's events. We will also be on the Hartley Boats stand at the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show at Farnborough. If you don't yet sail a Supernova but are interested in the class, then please come along to meet us at the Dinghy Show or at one of our events - we would love to meet you. You can also check out the class website and maybe book a go in the Class Association loan boat. What are you waiting for, here's our address - www.supernovadinghy.org

Supernova Class 2022 Event Calendar supported by www.craftinsure.com

DATE EVENT CLUB/VENUE

19/02/2022 Supernova Winter Championships Cancelled due to Storm Eunice

12/03/2022 Combined Championship & Traveller Event

Supernova Spring Championships

+ Traveller Southern Series Cotswold SC

(Spring Champs replace Winter champs due to Storm Eunice)

20/03/2022 Traveller Combined Event (Northern and Southern) Bartley

02/04/2022 Traveller Southern Series Bough Beech

09/04/2022 Traveller Northern Series Scammonden Water

22/04/2022 Northern Class Coaching Day

(Open to all Class members) Chelmarsh SC

23/04/2022 Traveller Northern Series Chelmarsh SC

14/05/2022 Traveller Northern Series Bolton

21/05/2022 Traveller Southern Series Exe

05/06/2022 Traveller Combined Event (Northern and Southern) Carsington

18/06/2022 Traveller Northern Series Winsford Flash

01/07/2022 Supernova National Championships Plas Heli - The Welsh National Sailing Centre

16/07/2022 Traveller Southern Series Hunts

23/07/2022 Traveller Northern Series Girton

13/08/2022 Traveller Combined Event (Northern and Southern) Burton

03/09/2022 Supernova Inland Championships Blithfield

17/09/2022 Traveller Northern Series Attenborough

01/10/2022 Traveller Combined Event (Northern and Southern) Ogston SC

14/10/2022 Southern Class Coaching Day

(Open to all Class members) Haversham

15/10/2022 Traveller Southern Series Haversham

22/10/2022 Traveller Southern Series Bowmoor

IRC Classes at the International Paint Poole Regatta

 As part of the International Paint Poole Regatta running across the Early May Bank Holiday, from 30th April to 2nd May, at least three IRC classes will compete for the IRC Southern Area Championship.

Competing yachts will include the Performance 40 Fleet, comprising a large part of the IRC One Class. Classes Two and Three will be made up of a variety of yachts typically between 24 and 35 feet long, including everything from all-out racers, cruiser-racers and classic yachts. At least 3 IRC classes are planned and more will be added if expected entry numbers are exceeded. Rating bands will be kept to a minimum, thus ensuring tight on-the-water racing.

In addition to the three classes, the Quarter Tonners will be racing in their own separate class, also under the IRC rating system. The competition amongst these racing yachts of typically 24 feet long, is always fierce and it remains to be seen if the current Quarter Ton Cup Champion "Protis", sailed by Team Hamble, will be able to maintain its winning ways. It is anticipated that a large proportion of the 17-strong Solent fleet will make the short trip to Poole for the regatta.

A full program of social events will be hosted by the yacht clubs around Poole Harbour during the regatta, with very generous 'liquid' support provided by Salcombe Gin and Hall and Woodhouse Brewery.

Full details of the regatta can be found on the regatta website, pooleregatta.co.uk

Online entry is available at pooleregatta.co.uk/enter-the-regatta. Early bird entry closes on the 20th March, so get your entry in now.

The World Superyacht Awards, in association with AKYACHT, will return to London for 2022 celebrations.

 Bringing together superyacht owners, builders and designers the World Superyacht Awards are a highlight of the yachting calendar. Celebrating the most outstanding projects from the past year, 15 coveted Neptune trophies will be awarded at this year’s gala ceremony.

The annual gala dinner and awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 21 2022 in the heart of London at the Guildhall as we return to host the evening's antics and announce the winning yachts. The address is: 71 Basinghall Street, London, EC2V 7HH.

The 2022 event is to be held in collaboration with our sponsors, including AKYACHT. For more information on the event, please contact the BOAT International events team. 

RS Sailing launches the brand new RS Toura

 RS Sailing launches the brand new RS Toura! A modern dinghy with enviable space and a durable rotomolded polyethylene hull, families and training centres can revel in the freedom of being out on the water with ease. Nestled in the RS range between the RS Quest and RS Venture, the RS Toura has room for up to seven crew. Balanced stability compliments the RS Toura's impressive internal space, allowing sailors to tour coastal waters with confidence.

With a reefable mainsail, furling jib, asymmetric spinnaker, ample stowage, optional outboard, and a wardrobe of accessories to choose from, RS allows you to make the RS Toura unique to you. Whether it's for training or cruising, the RS Toura gives you the freedom to enjoy endless adventures in your own way.

Alex Newton-Southon, CEO - RS Sailing Design & Technologies, commented, "We designed the RS Toura to have great internal space and reassuring stability, which gives it excellent people carrying ability. The RS Toura has a modern feel to complement the RS Zest and RS Quest whilst also ensuring ease of use, excellent handling and easy maintenance.

"We don't like to compromise at RS; therefore, the RS Toura's internal space and stability haven't been at the detriment of performance. The RS Toura is balanced, nimble and incredibly rewarding to sail."

Contact the team at RS Sailing for more information and pricing. Boats are currently in production and will be available from Spring 2022. The RS Toura will be showcased at the RYA Dinghy & Watersport Show on 26/27 February 2022 on the RS Sailing stand E30.

www.rssailing.com/project/rs-toura

Designer - RS Sailing & Jo Richards

Length - 4.63m

Beam - 1.95m

Hull Weight - 175kg

Max Crew Weight - 550kg

Mainsail - 10.4m"

Jib - 3.5m"

Asymmetric Spinnaker - 14.6m"

2022 is a bumper year for the International Flying Fifteen Class at Cowes

 The International Flying Fifteen 75th Anniversary Regatta, incorporating the 2022 European Championship and 75th Anniversary Race, will be hosted by Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club from 20 to 26 August 2022.

Over the week before from 18 to 22 August, there will be an Open Regatta weekend and series of shore-based events celebrating the life and work of Uffa Fox. The event is called Uffa Fox 2022.

Uffa Fox designed boats will be hosted and organised by the Royal London Yacht Club. The event is very much about having fun and celebrating Uffa Fox and his designs.

The sailing will be at the heart of the event which will also include static displays for historic boats. The Classic Boat Museum will host receptions and talks in their buildings which include a large Uffa Fox Collection.

Uffa Fox designs include: National 12, International 14, North Norfolk 16, National 18, Firefly, Pegasus, Jollyboat, Albacore, Redwing, Daysailer, Flying 15, Other Racing Keelboats, Duckling, Fox Cub 18 and Atalanta.

There is only one criterium for entry and participation and that is that boats must have been designed solely by Uffa Fox.

For more info on the Flying Fifteen 2022 European championship visit www.ff75.org

For more information on the 50th anniversary of the death of Uffa Fox and the event Uffa Fox 2022 visit uffafox2022.org

Applications for the Vendée Globe 2024 are open

 Applications for the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe are officially open – 1,000 days to go until the start on 10th November 2024.

Applications will close on 2nd October 2023

With 1000 days to go until the start, the adventure towards the tenth edition officially begins with this first stage of the entry process.

In the previous edition, 37 candidates had officially declared themselves. This record will likely be broken again by 2 October 2023, the closing date for applications.

Since the end of the conclusion of the last edition, the SAEM Vendée has been observing a huge amount of interest from skippers and their sponsors, who are already keen to be at the start of the Vendée Globe on 10th November 2024.

Noble Marine Rooster RS200 and RS400 National Championships - entry opens 18:00hrs on 18th February!

 Entry to two of the biggest events on the UK Dinghy Sailing calendar will open at 18:00hrs on Fri 18th February - the Noble Marine Rooster RS200 National Championships, Hayling Island Sailing Club and the Noble Marine Rooster RS400 National Championships, East Lothian Yacht Club.

With the RS200 the UK's most-popular double handed sailing dinghy and the RS400 still attracting big fleets and new sailors over 25 years since it was launched, the events are expected to attract some 300 sailors between them.

Hayling Island Sailing Club are delighted to be welcoming the RS200s to the home of the UK's largest RS200 fleet, where the experienced Mark 'Woodsy' Woods will once again be the PRO, delivering the gate starts that the RS200 nationals are renowned for. Besides the 10 races, there will of course be the legendary RS200 social programme, planned by the class committee and still as yet under wraps.

The RS400 fleet return to Scotland after last visiting East Lothian Yacht Club, North Berwick in 2013. The club are very much looking forward to hosting the RS400s at their unrivalled venue where there are 3 race areas to choose from, great facilities for dinghy parking and launching, a relaxed, cosy clubhouse and plenty in the area for non-sailors to do.

In 2021 the RS200 Nationals reached its entry limit in the first hour of opening and the RS400 entry list rapidly reached 50 boats, so sailors are being urged to get their entries ready for 18:00 on 18th to see if we can break records this year too.

Full details, NoR and entry pages can be found on the RS200 and RS400 Association event websites.