Round Britain Powerboat Race

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pennycar9

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OK the race is done all crews are at home, boats washed down, What now.

Perhaps I can put a few thoughts down about the race and periferals.

We got of to a bad start On the first leg as we and a few other boats were crowded down onto the submarine barrier at Southsea. Sheer determination, by the crew, saw us lifted out, damaged prop taken to Eaton Socon repaired, and we were on our way by 2000. The trip across Lyme bay saw the start of the bad weather and Prudence, (who is this woman) dictated that we divert to Brixham. Sunday was blowing a Hooligan but fined away to allow us to take off Monday morning to refuel in Falmouth. Our Plan was to catch the rest of the boats up at Bangor. We rounded the Lizard and on to Lands End and then shaped up for Northern Ireland. Tusker rock was in sight when we lost power to the engines.Not all power but greatly reduced. After a couple of hours or so we were up and running again but we decided to go into Dun Laoghaire for fuel, unfortunatly the fuel berth was shut by the time we got in so we decided to stay over night and head straight for Oban and then onto Fort William. At Oban we actually crossed our first finishing line!!!!
A pleasant cruise through the Cali Canal in grey weather ensued with a lay day to recuperate in Inverness.

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful. We diverted to a race boat in the Wash with an injured crewman but were not needed. Arrived in our Home port Of Lowestoft. Got drunk and raced again Monday to Portsmouth. Moderate to Rough sea state from Dungeness to Newhaven then moderate to Portsmouth.
Job done!!!!Our Boat behaved well, rest of the boats behaved well. Race organization was pure shite, RYA set out to rob every one blind. What is the point of starting boats that do 70and 80 knots at the same time as boats that do 30 and then expect them all to turn up at the finish together?

It was a great experience and would not have missed it, Would I do it again? at the moment no. ask me the same in 3 months.who knows.
In response to my earlier post a couple of comments.
Kawasaki- Thanks for your comments. There is a couple going round in a motor Crruiser in support of the RNLI they were in Lowestoft on Sunday.

Lawsey-I can be a bit sarcastic sometimes so I know were you are coming from. No offence taken thanks for your comments.

Uncle Albert- Not all boats were trailed only a few of us got all the way round.

Silver TT -No this OP has been based in Lowestoft for a few years. But I know the one you mean.

JHR - No Problem.

S28- You wernt there I was, but thanks for your good wishes.

Sarabande- there by the grace of god, goes god. Mr perfect I imagine.

Finally Divemaster- thanks for your comments and Phtographs they were spot on. I wondered what you were doing in there now I Know! We were running with Cummins as De Dec Detroits were too noisy!!!! I agree with you it was flat calm almost smooth.

By the way. we won silver ware, in the shape of the Brand Crombie Trophy for outstanding effort both on and off the water.
We didnt set out to win, we knew we couldnt possibly do that. We entered in the spirit of the thing and achieved what we set out to do. She got round in 1969 and again in 2008

Well done to all the other contestants it was a smashing event
 
Well Done All !!!!!!!
I hope this race hapens again next year , perhaps with even more classic craft and perhaps with the sponsorship and television coverage it deserves
Still trying to get hold of a copy of "Ride the White Horses" coverage of the 1969 RB race.
Know where I can get it ???
 
Well done, a sterling effort from all involved, a fabulous event which was followed avidly from here.
 
Thanks for that and congratulations on completing the course in one way or another.
Just a few thoughts having travelled to Milford to watch the fleet come in and set off again.

Sunday.... Zilch info on what was going on. Heard rumours that the leg was cancelled that wernt confirmed until after they were expected in the haven. Then nothing as to where they would be based. Eventually found out that the baots were to be lodged at Carr depot (walled off ex-RN depot)and no entry to anyone other than the 'great and good' invitees only. No publicity and no possibility of any viewing (even from behind a fence)... such a great waste of an opportunity for support / sponsorship!!! (this isnt aimed at the competitors but at the organisation)

Monday.... Calm and sunny at the dock and watched the competitors being craned in. Again Zilch info available as to time or location of start! no NTM's ! Rumour mill said start at 10:30 so went out to the heads to await.
Heads very rolly (atlantic swell) but tootled around and waited, and waited, and waited.....

Eventually at around 12:00ish with a roar of engines the first starters came past. Was that it, i asked???? but no , after another 45 mins or so, just as we were about to head off, came the second bunch.
All respect to them for running at speed in the conditions, big swell. Saw a few hairy moments, nothing like the photos of them in the solent on flat water.
Then the Targa came past..... looking as if out for a leisurely cruise at 35 kts, brought it home as to how good they really are!!

Conclusion.... great event and all respect to the competitors, but so many opportunities for publicity and PR missed.

Photos on another post.
 
"we and a few other boats were crowded down onto the submarine barrier"

By golly you do let yourself in for it, don't you ? Qui s'excuse, s'accuse The use of the passive voice is exculpatory beyond belief.

Crowded down ? By whom ? Other racers, ordinary raggies/mobos, commercial craft ? Were you collectively incapable of seeing a danger and responding to it, or did you blindly obey the instructions, thinking "It must be safe, 'cos otherwise they would not let us do this here."

Listen carefully please. I am not knocking your freedom to go offshore powerboat racing. You can burn your money anyway you want, cigarettes, whisky, or wild, wild women, as far as I am concerned. Offshore PBR is a magnificent, noisy spectacle, and when I've used lots of HP from crest to crest, it has been thoroughly enjoyable.

But when you undertake that sport on the broad seas and place your own lives (or those of the rescue services or other mariners) in peril through failing to exercise good seamanship, or selfishly holding the agreed rules in abeyance 'because you are racing' then you forfeit any sympathy.

Yes the RTIR had its share of problems, and no doubt some serious considerations are being given to ways of reducing the risks of 1800 (?) raggies all trying to circumnavigate a large roundabout at the same time. What worries me is the difference between an eight tonne sailing boat hitting another at 7 knots, and one of your motorboat colleagues in a 3 tonne (?) racer doing the same at 70 knots. The energy levels involved are a magnitude in difference, and you are right, it is idiotic to start boats with such disparity in speed at the same time in the same place. That alone should cause the UIM / RYA to undertake a proper risk review of their race instructions.

If, as you clearly and unequivocally propose, the organisation is at fault, then you should be direct your reasoned comments at them (in private at first, or if you think there is prima facie evidence of gross incompetence, then in public).

It may be a moment to remind you that the race was run under Col Regs (see the UIM rules, as cited in earlier posts).

Risk management cannot be an entirely objective exercise, but to genuinely and effectively reduce both the probability of an event going wrong and the disadvantageous consequences to people, the environment, and equipment (in that order of priority I suggest) then it may be necessary to insist that constraints on actions ("rules" )are imposed on those undertaking an activity, whether it's mountain climbing in winter, point-to-point racing, motor sport, gliding, speliology, whatever.

Taking part in a hazardous sport improves the capacity of the human being to suffer discomfort, to experience otherwise out of range thoughts and ideas, to improve equipment, to work better as a member of a team, and perhaps even to get nearer to some eternal truths. To do that at the expense of or danger to other humans or the environment is callous, demeaning, and unchallengeably selfish.

When you sign up to being an adult member of the human race, you must be prepared to having limits placed on your freedom to do exactly as you yourself wish. It's called being civilised.
 
Well done to you and congratulations on the silverware!!!

It was great to see OP on the water doing what she does best. If you want them, I have 4 or 5 High Resolution images available of OP passing us (..did not want to create to big wake so moved at 7 knots when you passed ...thought you'd already had enough of that ... LOL !! )...

Can post them up on the same site and point you to them, or e-mail ...but please be aware that they then will be full size and approx 2.5MB each.
 
I think I understand what you are saying. But I wonder if it is directed at entirely the right target? AFAIK Ocean Pirate clipped the submarine barrier, had to get a new prop and caught up with the race later on. Was there any more to it than that?

Now may be the moment to confess that I once went over the submarine barrier without really thinking about it when I was having a look at Horse Sand Fort. There was enough water and I got away with it. If I had grounded, I guess I would have ended up with a bill and a red face but hopefully wouldn't have had to forfeit my membership of the human race.
 
Naval slang......BZ means the business...I must agree ....well done

The three that completed the course should be given 1st 2nd 3rd ....the rest disqualified...
 
I do notice that the original complainant has not got round to justifying any of his/her actions, or answering any of the questions.

I am very happy to defend the right of owners of powerful boats to race in company, but where that racing imperils other seafarers through lack of seamanship or because of the red mist of hot pursuit, I am equally at ease with my stance challenging their poor practices.

Equally, I find that direct calumny without having the grace to enter the debate properly is - regrettably - a feature of some forumites such as yourself. I presume that you had to undertake a websearch before coming up with that meretricious little phrase ? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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