Round Britain & Ireland 2011

The Round Britain and Ireland Challenge is a unique race which takes around 28 days (four working weeks) to circumnavigate Great Britain and Ireland.

This year Dez Gulliford is participating and is hoping to raise money for the RNLI.  Being a volunteer himself he knows the money is for a good cause.

Please find sponsor forms behind the bar at the sailing club, and there will be a chart on the wall for you to sponsor a mile.  Follow his progress and read his blog:
Race 2 & 3

Race 2
 
We stopped in Crosshaven for 24 hours due to strong winds.  Whilst the sun was shining with southerly winds of 17-22knts we slipped our lines and made our way out to the start line. The skipper then decided to hoist the mainsail. As the main was hoisted we put a first reef in.  A crew member was getting the reef line under tension when the line suddenly snapped, then, while the main was being fully hoisted the block at the bottom of the mast broke.  During the rest of the race, we decided to go in-between the headland and Tusker rock.  We were then up to second for a few hours until the wind dropped to 3/5kts.

A warm welcome was had when we arrived port..

Race 3
 
Due to the bad weather which had been forecast for race 3, it has been decided to alter the race schedule a little.  We are now making our way up to Oban,
 
Race 3 has been re-scheduled.
We are now ready to make our way up to Stornaway, so race 3 will start at 1625hrs… ETA Stornaway Sunday morning 10-04-11
 
 
Race day & Leg 1

With very light winds for the race start, the crew were ready to go sailing. A Windward leeward course was laid for the start, with all six yachts on the line.  It was going to be a long beat to the windward mark.  Tactical decisions were made on rounding the mark; we held the lead to the leeward mark and then we were off to Cork.


 
The light winds stayed for a few hours, and the frustration was setting in. The wind was slowly starting to increase and the mood onboard was improving.
A steady 15kts  was had up to Lands End.  There was a way-point approximately 30nm off Milford & as we altered course the wind dropped to 5/6kts off the port quarter.  Rounding the the mark at the way-point we were in 3rd and we kept that position all the way to Cork.
 
We arrived in Cork at 0233 on Wednesday morning to be greeted by a cheerful race manager.  The crew sat down to a well deserved glass of rum. The rest of the day was busy with tidying the yacht, re-provisioning, filling the water tank etc...
 
Introduction

No other event in the UK sailing calendar offers such a combination of challenges and rewards: I will be taking on one of the toughest races there is, in a fleet of matched boats which means skill and tactics not a cheque book will determine the winner.

About me

Having started sailing at a young age, starting in dinghies and over the years working my way up to yachts as big as 52ft, whilst completing  the ARC 2010 (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) it has become a passion of mine to race around the UK and Ireland, let alone the world.