Gearing up for the Great British RIB Rally in June – latest news

GREAT BRITISH RIB RALLY NEWS UPDATE

GEARING UP FOR THE GREAT BRITISH RIB RALLY 12-23 June 2010
Interest builds as participants nominate recipients for fund raising support

A Scorpion 8.5m

There are 20 confirmed entries for the Great British RIB Rally (GBRR), the cruising adventure of a lifetime that is being staged between 12-23 June, with the fleet mustering in Portland on Friday 11th and setting off from there on Saturday 12th June.  Unlike most boating expeditions around the UK this event is planning to route participants around the west cost of Ireland, along the Atlantic coast and, rather than taking the usual short-cut through Scotland via the Caledonian Canal, the boats are planning to travel around the top of  Scotland.

The RIBs entered represent a variety of manufacturers from Scorpion to Redbay to Wahoo and range in length from a 12m – Steve and Stuart Munro with ROOSTER –  down to the minimum eligible length of 7.5m – Chris Looney on RAVEN.  Entries have come in from all over the UK as well as from mainland Europe and Scandinavia e.g. Patrick Hugenholz is driving his Scorpion QUICKFLASH over from Belgium for the clockwise route circumnavigating mainland Great Britain and Ireland.

Route
The elected route ensures that organisers are making best use of everyone’s time, their fuel efficiency and to provide the entrants with the very best experience possible. Depending on weather conditions there will also be an alternative route in place.

The GBRR 2010 was conceived in 2009 by a group of like-minded enthusiasts headed up by Patrick Byrne, the MD at Scorpion RIBs, himself a long-standing RIB cruising enthusiast with thousands of miles under his belt. Patrick is competing with one crew member, Mike Dawson, in Patrick’s Scorpion Sting, a 10m RIB named TRINITY.

The GBRR is set to offer its participants a once in a lifetime adventurous and challenging event and, as Patrick says, “this event is providing a genuine challenge around a demanding coastline that will require good seamanship and boat preparation. The timetable is also demanding but we’re factoring in plenty of time for exploration and fuel-efficient travel between stopovers.”

The latest published fair weather route (subject to change) totals 1871 nm. If the weather really kicks off, the alternative route is likely to be shortened to 1641 nm and from Bangor the fleet reverts to the route itinerary from 17th – 23rd June. Organisers have also added a short additional 80nm hop from Great Yarmouth over to Boulogne.
Check out the stopovers and leg distances at http://www.greatbritishribrally.co.uk/route.htm

Fundraising update
Although being run as a non-competitive event, one of the opportunities the Rally organisers are hoping to capitalise on is for the crews to raise substantial funds for their nominated charity.  Every entrant is being encouraged to raise money for the Hospice movement, and many entering are doing so on behalf of a specific Hospice.

So far we are aware that the following hospices are being supported: Trinity Hospice in South London; Oakhaven Hospice in Lymington; St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Chichester; Hope House, Bristol and Avon Air Ambulance; the Lewis Manning Hospice in Poole, St. Richard’s Hospice in Worcester.  Any excess funds raised by the Rally from entrance fees or sponsorship will be given to the Hospice Movement: http//www.helpthehospices.org.uk/get involved/fundraising/.

Fundraising ideas are ranging from selling space on the hull to relevant companies for strategic placement of logos through to encouraging one or two paying passengers to enjoy a leg of the Rally, something that Patrick Byrne is planning to offer, at auction. Some crews have opted to support a favourite charity rather than a hospice e.g. the Sparkle Appeal which is being organised by the Victoria Education Centre in Poole, is being supported by the driver and crew of EVOLUTION.  Victoria Education Centre and Sports College (VEC) specialises in providing education, care and therapy for pupils aged 3-19 years with physical disabilities, predominantly cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.

Michael Doyle will be adding to a huge list of his adventurous exploits driving his boat SKELLIG OF SARK an 11m RIB with two crew members, Andy Haffenden and Dominic Croshaw. Michael has done the Round Britain 1999, the Round Ireland and Scotland several times, an attempt to Poland, Belize jungle training with Ray Mears, an Arctic Expedition (Baffin Island) and many, many sea journeys. When asked why he has entered the Great British RIB Rally he replied: “I have a newish boat fit for the task and need to do this trip in better style after roughing it in the Round Britain in 1999. I want to see this great country of ours again – and from the sea.”

There is no timed element to the event; it simply requires skill, seamanship, observation, recording and an adventurous spirit.

Participants will be rewarded in a number of categories and prizes will include the Scorpion Trophy for the Best Log.  Prizes will be awarded at the 2010 BIBOA Annual Dinner in November 2010.

Great British RIB Rally website: http://www.greatbritishribrally.co.uk <http://www.greatbritishribrally.co.uk> – ends –

Media Enquiries:
Peta Stuart-Hunt
PR Works
T:   +44 (0) 1590 679 621
M: +44 (0) 7711 477 707
E:   peta@prworksuk.com

General Enquiries:
Gail Cape
The Great British RIB Rally 2010
T:  +44 (0) 1590 677805
E:  gcape@scorpionribs.com

THE GREAT BRITISH RIB RALLY 2010 – LATEST

 

Issued: 25th November 2009
by: Peta Stuart-Hunt| PR Works

NEWS UPDATE

PLANNING AND FINAL ROUTING GATHERS PACE FOR THE GREAT BRITISH RIB RALLY 2010
11-23 June

The routing and stage planning for the Great British RIB Rally 2010 is now well underway. There are 21 confirmed entries and still several more potential entrants expressing an interest in signing up for this adventure of a lifetime that is being staged over 12 days next June.

The RIBs entered currently range from 11m down to the minimum eligible length of 7.5m.  Applications have arrived from all over the UK as well as from mainland Europe and Scandinavia for the 2010 nm clockwise route circumnavigating mainland Great Britain and Ireland. Organisers are also discussing including a new stage comprising a short additional hop from Great Yarmouth over to Boulogne.

Route
There are various routing options still under discussion to ensure that organisers make best use of everyone’s time, their fuel efficiency and to provide the entrants with the very best experience possible. Depending on weather conditions there will also be an alternative route in place.

The Great British RIB Rally 2010 has been conceived by a group of like-minded enthusiasts headed up by Patrick Byrne, the MD at Scorpion RIBs and himself a staunch RIB cruising enthusiast with thousands of miles under his belt. The Rally is set to offer its participants a once in a lifetime adventurous and challenging event and, as Patrick says, “the Great British RIB Rally offers a genuine challenge, around a demanding coastline that will require good seamanship and boat preparation. The timetable is also demanding but we’re planning in plenty of time for exploration and fuel-efficient travel between stopovers.”

Proposed fair weather route (subject to change)

Friday June 11          Arrive at the new Marina in Portland + free overnight berthing
Saturday June 12     Portland to Falmouth with free berthing at Port Falmouth Marina

There will be a Saturday weather review prior to crossing to Ireland and West Coast of Ireland. If all are in agreement:

Sunday 13 June          Falmouth to Skull or Baltimore
Monday 14 June         Skull to Aran Islands via Kilrush for fuel
Tuesday 15 June         Aran Islands to Burtonport
Wednesday 16 June   Aranmore to Bangor

Thursday 17 June        Bangor to Oban
Friday 18 June             Oban to Stornoway
Saturday 19 June         Stornoway to Stromness
Sunday 20 June            Stromness to Newcastle
Monday 21 June          Newcastle to Gr Yarmouth
Tuesday 22 June          Gt Yarmouth to Boulogne
Wednesday 23 June    Boulogne to Portland

If the weather really kicks off, the alternative route is likely to be:

Sunday 13  June          Falmouth to Kinsale
Monday 14  June        Kinsale to Wexford
Tuesday 15  June        Wexford to Dublin
Wednesday 16 June   Dublin to Bangor

The route will then return to the original as mapped out from 17-23 June.

Fuel plans
Diesel is relatively simple to find and where necessary it will be ordered in advance in some ports. To solve the issue of a lack of petrol supply, especially on the West coasts of Ireland and Scotland, the Rally organisers have arranged for a support vehicle to follow the fleet and provide back-up in several ways; a most valuable asset.  On the Irish coast there are many ports where petrol is available from local filling stations within a mile or less, and the vehicle will be able to ferry petrol direct to the RIBs.

Hospice update
Although being run as a non-competitive event, one of the opportunities the Rally throws up is for the raising of substantial funds for your nominated charity.

The Rally organisers are encouraging every entrant to raise money for the Hospice movement, and ideally, each boat entering will do so on behalf of a specific Hospice.

So far the hospices being supported include Trinity Hospice, London; Julia’s House Hospice in Poole; Oakhaven Hospice, Lymington; Hope House, Bristol and Avon; and Lewis Manning Hospice, Poole. Any excess funds raised by the Rally from entrance fees or sponsorship will be given to this charity. http//www.helpthehospices.org.uk/get involved/fundraising/

Ideas for fund-raising range from selling space on your hull to relevant companies for strategic placement of logos to encouraging one or two paying passengers to enjoy a leg of the Rally on your boat.

There is no timed element to the event; it simply requires skill, seamanship, observation, recording and an adventurous spirit.

Participants will be rewarded in a number of categories and prizes will include the Scorpion Trophy for the Best Log. Prizes will be awarded at the 2010 BIBOA Annual Dinner in November 2010.

For more information about the proposed route and further details, please visit the Rally website: http://www.greatbritishribrally.co.uk
– ends –

Media Enquiries:
Peta Stuart-Hunt
PR Works
T:   +44 (0) 1590 679 621
M: +44 (0) 7711 477 707
E:   peta@prworksuk.com

 

General Enquiries:
Gail Cape
The Great British RIB Rally 2010
T:  +44 (0) 1590 677805
E:  gcape@scorpionribs.com