A RECORD number of Weymouth boats are preparing to compete in the Round the Island Race.
This year, 15 yachts from the resort will be among some 16,000 sailors set to tackle the famous 50 nautical mile course around the Isle of Wight tomorrow.
With more than 1,700 total boat entries the event is always a spectacle.
Weymouth entries are a cross-section from all the local Sailing clubs from the 21ft Etap Echo to the 46ft Grand Soleil Keoma and with young Arthur aged three on Draig O’r Mor doing his fourth Round the Island and Mike Conroy on Seraphim entering a veteran crew.
Weymouth Boats entered are Sapphire, Rattler, Manana, Mojo, Draig O’r Mor, Crew Cut, Tumba Rhumba, Loo-Lah, Echo, Mistress, Keoma, Crazeology, Jasrah, Seraphim and Syrenka.
Weymouth skipper Kay Stibbs said: “A gathering of all the boat owners and their crew was held to sort out any last minute problems in the logistics of getting all the boats fully crewed, delivered and social arrangements in Cowes.
“For the first time a feeder race to Cowes is to be held with the tides demanding an early 7am start this morning.
“With two classes, IRC and PYS Handicap racing and massive tidal gates at St Aldhelms and the Needles, navigational skills are at a premium and the race is anybody’s.”
Other Weymouth competitors include Olympic gold medallist Paul Goodison, who will be swapping his 470 dinghy for a yacht and around-the-world yachtsman Steve White of Charlton Down, near Dorchester.
Steve’s yacht will carry different branding from the now familiar Toe in the Water, as Rosslare-Europort will be sponsoring him for the race.
A five-strong crew from Swanage Sailing Club will be bidding to give the Dorset Kidney Fund pot a major boost when they take part in this year’s event for charity.
This year’s event is especially close to skipper Martin Hamlyn’s heart as the crew includes his partner Louise, who has had chronic kidney failure and presently undergoes dialysis three times a week at the Poole Dialysis Unit.
To follow the race online visit roundtheisland.org.uk
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