Venture Cup

[motorvator]

Originally Posted by Mrs Smillie

Whatever happened to Microlink? It would have been great to see that boat on the water and not just on a trailer

Now that is a question I'm sure we will never get the truth about well that is from the VC commitee! Claire

You really need to put your prejudices to one side before posting. Attempting to point the finger at the VC committee for that one is a bit surreal to say the least.

If Vee wishes to make his decision and the reasons for it public then I am sure he will.

VC committee made a committment to make this happen in spite of some who would have wished it to fail and I would say just leave the knocking to one side now and consider what they need to make sure they can deliver the rest of it.

Unanimous Support.

[Paul E]

Originally Posted by motorvator

You really need to put your prejudices to one side before posting. Attempting to point the finger at the VC committee for that one is a bit surreal to say the least.

If Vee wishes to make his decision and the reasons for it public then I am sure he will.

VC committee made a committment to make this happen in spite of some who would have wished it to fail and I would say just leave the knocking to one side now and consider what they need to make sure they can deliver the rest of it.

Unanimous Support.

Well said!

[JohnD73]

Originally Posted by Cookee

I think you'll find it's too big for marathon (50' max UIM length allowing up to around 55' overall), but there is meant to be a Superyacht class although I don't think they're actually going to "race" - it would walk it anyway!

They could always Do a "Hot Lemon" and cut the nose of lol!

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by Worsforwear

Perhaps an opinion from others who have organised races in the past would be of interest to us mere onlookers. Tim Powell, Mike Lloyd and John Moore.

Opinion?

"The longest – yes. The toughest – without a doubt. The most prestigious – certainly."

That one line pretty much explains why I have been vocal on here vs Aidan - Spin and hype.

When Andy Murray won an Olympic Gold Medal at Wimbledon last year - He didn't win Wimbledon.

To win the "most prestigious" race, surely an historical element of an event must come into the equation?

[blimp]

John - I'm sure you know as well as anyone, that the promotion of an event will always involve spin & hype. I make no apologies for this. When we push our messages out they're not designed to impact negatively on anyone else in powerboat racing, they're aimed to garner interest outside of that very small pool.

Any success you achieve is good for us, and vice-versa. This is the same thinking behind why we invited other classes to come and use our space at Canary Wharf for free. It still continues to bemuse me as to why people would prefer to nit-pick than get behind. If we manage to improve our game, I'd expect others to do likewise. Just as if you, or any other powerboat racing property tries something different, and it works, we'd then seek to move it up another step.

We're not competitors John - we compliment one another.

[HIM]

Most comments are very supportive Aidan and all we can hope for is that the sport benefits from your fantastic energy and enthusiasm.
A great promise delivered with style,
.

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by blimp

We're not competitors John - we compliment one another.

Not entirely sure compliments are in order either side.

Venture Cup used the same set of Officials as Cowes.

Venture Cup used YellowBrick Trackers as used at Cowes for the last 3 years.

Venture Cup used Social Networking sites - Note BPRC Facebook posts - True followers of the sport.

How have you improved the game for me as an organiser at Cowes this year?

[blimp]

With respect, it's my job to look after Venture Cup ....but to do so in as inclusive a manner as possible. The gains are there if you look for them.

I've no intention of getting petty on this, but there is a difference between utilising something and leveraging something.

Failing that I'm just gonna have to come to Cowes and give you a big hug. Would that help?

[SEAHOUND V]

Venture Cup Prologue Race 8, 9, 10th June 2013

Me, Jan Falkowski, Mike Deacon, and Bob Turnbull along with other BIBOA members spent Saturday lunchtime in the Little Glouster in Cowes, due to the bad weather in the channel being convinced the race from London would be unlikely to happen. Our original plan was to go over to Alderney for a curry on Friday night and to join the race fleet down to St Peter Port on Saturday. Watching progress on Yellowbrick from the bar in The Little Glouster, (best place to be ) and having studied the weather we were sure they would not run the full course to St Peter Port on Saturday, and we joined them all in Poole for Saturday night.

We acted as start boat on Sunday with David Graham Smith filming and race scrutineer Gary Payne on board. We then unloaded Graham on to Foxfire with Bob Eddings and followed the race fleet over in company with Bob Turnbull and Mike Deacon in Mystic Dragon. Mike had this boat built in 2002 and raced her as Hot Lemon IV, which was the first Scorpion Sting out of the mould. Seahound V was the third Scorpion Sting built in 2002

As we got mid channel and out of the protection of the IOW the NNE 5/6 following sea began to take effect. We agreed it would not be good to be going in the opposite direction and we just had to make sure not to stuff in the following sea. Jan and I both agreed it would not be good to be going Northerly and in fact were glad not to be racing in these conditions! So having passed Alderney and the Casquets we made our way on down to St Peter Port and we arrived to find the fleet tied up on the arrivals pontoon in the harbour. We were all pretty wet and after changing made our way into the very welcome beer tent on the quayside. Later on we made our way to the reception in the Castle and were made very welcome by the organisers and Mayor.
Monday was spent recovering from the trip over and the one or two pints drunk on Saturday night.

We watched the start on Monday from the Castle and the race on Yellowbrick which was fantastic. Race conditions again were pretty rough around Alderney, North on the course. Tuesday morning arrived and we woke to wind and rain. The race start was scheduled for 1000hr. Looking at XC Weather the SE 25knot winds were forecast to drop to SE 15 knots at 1200hr and the OOD decide to start the race at
1100hr. We got back to Bournemouth Pier just as Grey Ghost was finishing with Hot Lemon close behind. They had covered almost twice the distance we had having circumnavigated Guernsey and arrived via the Nab Tower and St Catherine’s.

So overall winers were Cinzano, 2nd Grey Ghost with BIBOA members Paul Glenister & Tim Coote, 3rd Hot Lemon with BIBOA members Darren Mellish & David Simcox 4th Birretta Due with our old friends from Belgium Thomas Vandamme, Jean-Pierre Neels,Maryke DHont& Asbjorn Strunk.
5th My Pleasure II with BIBOA members Gordon Compton & Hazel Smith
6th Warpath,7th Fugitive, 8th HTS Perkins. Commiserations went to Cookie who retired at Ramsgate with engine problems. We were pleased to see RIBS in 2nd 3rd 4th and 5th places but full marks to all finishers in an extremely rough 4 leg race over 650nm

Chris Strickland Seahound V UIM World Record Holders
Outright Fastest London to Monte Carlo
http://www.seahoundracing.com/images...nes-feb07.html

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by blimp

Failing that I'm just gonna have to come to Cowes and give you a big hug. Would that help?

Note fans of the sport and others - Aidan gives the, "Only Nixon could go to China" routine.

[RichardC]

Just wanted to say Thankyou to the States of Guernsey Harbours, Guernsey Yacht Club, Guernsey Powerboat Association and the people who came down to the Event Village in St. Peter Port during the race.
Nothing was too much trouble for you guys and the warm welcome and assistance you offered all the competitors will long be remembered.
THANKYOU...

[Red-Leader]

What happened to the rib with the honda outboards and rear wing at Canary Wharf ?

[Ciao]

Originally Posted by Red-Leader

What happened to the rib with the honda outboards and rear wing at Canary Wharf ?

More Aidan Spin - But I have been told Honda want to compete in a Cowes Torquay Cowes this year.

[blimp]

Spin? Huh?

That was Marcus Bradshaw and Construction Racing. He was with us, with the boat and he very kindly took some prize winners from Southend for a blast on the water.

He'd advised us, some time beforehand, that he wouldn't be racing but he did want to be a part of it and to showcase the boat for his sponsors. Fabulous looking boat and a lovely guy.

[goatskin]

Originally Posted by motorvator

... If Vee wishes to make his decision and the reasons for it public then I am sure he will. ...

No, not at all.

It is to Vee's known, sure & certain, severe and knowable future peril should he speak, publicly.

Officious midgets with a clipboard, ego and a badge who do not know UIM and mis-cite (mal-cite?) rules and who always do their best work in the dark have long memories, you see. And they have friends, too, also in opaque committees and roles. Vee knows about swordfighting with Zorro, esp when Zorro only wishes Vee to have a butterknife.

FACT: Vee is blind until he is on plane, and he was concerned for his ship and crew (his absolute legal, solemn obligation) while at low speed and in horrid traffic, herded INTO congestion, including anchored boats, by PLA ribs who have zero concept of the space raceboats require.

A VC official informed him (incorrectly) that the rules required him to be seated, lidded, strapped (and absolute, clear, unequivocal misstatement) when way was on (a term of art) and if he could not see ... 'well, sorry old boy, you're forked and *eye* forked you, have a jolly day!'

Vee said, well, in the alternative to you insisting that I be a clear & present danger to the London section of the Thames, might I truck to southend, since THIS is the parade, and THAT is where the race begins?'

It takes little imagination to know the official & officious midget with a clipboard's reaction, so Vee, rather that be dangerous to himself and others, and be derelict in his ONLY duty as master, withdrew.

Peter, hisownself, should have been instantly and immediately forthcoming on why he did what he did.

I would not hold my breath awaiting a VC explanation: Marathon Class Rule 1.2(c), you know.

[Scand]

Originally Posted by blimp

That was Marcus Bradshaw and Construction Racing. He was with us, with the boat and he very kindly took some prize winners from Southend for a blast on the water.

Any pics of the boat?

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by goatskin

No, not at all.

It is to Vee's known, sure & certain, severe and knowable future peril should he speak, publicly.

Officious midgets with a clipboard, ego and a badge who do not know UIM and mis-cite (mal-cite?) rules and who always do their best work in the dark have long memories, you see. And they have friends, too, also in opaque committees and roles. Vee knows about swordfighting with Zorro, esp when Zorro only wishes Vee to have a butterknife.

FACT: Vee is blind until he is on plane, and he was concerned for his ship and crew (his absolute legal, solemn obligation) while at low speed and in horrid traffic, herded INTO congestion, including anchored boats, by PLA ribs who have zero concept of the space raceboats require.

A VC official informed him (incorrectly) that the rules required him to be seated, lidded, strapped (and absolute, clear, unequivocal misstatement) when way was on (a term of art) and if he could not see ... 'well, sorry old boy, you're forked and *eye* forked you, have a jolly day!'

Vee said, well, in the alternative to you insisting that I be a clear & present danger to the London section of the Thames, might I truck to southend, since THIS is the parade, and THAT is where the race begins?'

It takes little imagination to know the official & officious midget with a clipboard's reaction, so Vee, rather that be dangerous to himself and others, and be derelict in his ONLY duty as master, withdrew.

Peter, hisownself, should have been instantly and immediately forthcoming on why he did what he did.

I would not hold my breath awaiting a VC explanation: Marathon Class Rule 1.2(c), you know.

I don't know who you are or where you got your information from but I can tell you that as another canopy boat we were never told we had to be seated and belted, if that had been the case I might have had something to say myself, in fact we had a crew member (My navigator Ashley) stood in the back with his helmet on and plugged into the intercom should we need it. If someone mistakenly informed Vee he had to be sat down, then I have to back him up.

I would also like to point out that at no point in the Thames was there any traffic at all - in fact it made Cowes look outrageously dangerous in comparison and certainly not

in horrid traffic, herded INTO congestion, including anchored boats, by PLA ribs who have zero concept of the space raceboats require.

. The Officer of the Day and RYA commissioner were also on board who I would have thought by now would have an idea of the space raceboats require.

Your information seems to be very poor and somewhat biased - please get your facts right!

[motorvator]

Originally Posted by goatskin

No, not at all.

It is to Vee's known, sure & certain, severe and knowable future peril should he speak, publicly.

Officious midgets with a clipboard, ego and a badge who do not know UIM and mis-cite (mal-cite?) rules and who always do their best work in the dark have long memories, you see. And they have friends, too, also in opaque committees and roles. Vee knows about swordfighting with Zorro, esp when Zorro only wishes Vee to have a butterknife.

FACT: Vee is blind until he is on plane, and he was concerned for his ship and crew (his absolute legal, solemn obligation) while at low speed and in horrid traffic, herded INTO congestion, including anchored boats, by PLA ribs who have zero concept of the space raceboats require.

A VC official informed him (incorrectly) that the rules required him to be seated, lidded, strapped (and absolute, clear, unequivocal misstatement) when way was on (a term of art) and if he could not see ... 'well, sorry old boy, you're forked and *eye* forked you, have a jolly day!'

Vee said, well, in the alternative to you insisting that I be a clear & present danger to the London section of the Thames, might I truck to southend, since THIS is the parade, and THAT is where the race begins?'

It takes little imagination to know the official & officious midget with a clipboard's reaction, so Vee, rather that be dangerous to himself and others, and be derelict in his ONLY duty as master, withdrew.

Peter, hisownself, should have been instantly and immediately forthcoming on why he did what he did.

I would not hold my breath awaiting a VC explanation: Marathon Class Rule 1.2(c), you know.

Pretty much as I understand it and the most annoying part is that Vee would have managed in the event but of course this not having been done before no one could have known that.

The reality was that the PLA took the fleet upto and through the 12 knot limit at nearer 4 knots as there were a couple of canoeists etc about. The run from below the Barrier was all at a speed that gave my poor old Detroits a damn good work out so wouldn't have been a problem.

In the end the start was best part of an hour late due to that first bit.

It annoys me that I didn't know about what was going on as we could have provided Vee with his very own support craft to solve the problem.

[blimp]

Scand - this is all I have to hand at the moment. We have some great footage of Marcus getting her airborne in the dock but it'll be a few days before I have it

[Mike Lloyd]

Originally Posted by Worsforwear

That's a very interesting description of events. Perhaps an opinion from others who have organised races in the past would be of interest to us mere onlookers. Tim Powell, Mike Lloyd and John Moore. Or perhaps Ray Bulman could be asked to come out of retirement and comment.

Well that’s a first for me. To be mentioned in the same breath as Tim Powell is indeed a great honour. To the “new boys” on Boatmad, Tim Powell, in his time, was regarded as the ultimate racers racer. He took part in many of the famous international offshore races of the 1970's plus the 1969 Round Britain Race (coming second) and the 1972 LMC plus he organised and ran the 1984 Round Britain Race. He is widely regarded as having kept the Cowes Torquay Cowes race alive for many years often throwing large chunks of his own money at it each year just to keep the tradition of the race going. For that alone he should be revered. He was of enormous help to me in the RB08 race and was in on the very first meetings and was there at the end presenting the prizes. A truly great man of huge intellect and as far as I am concerned a hero of offshore racing.
I know this should be on another thread, my apologies for that.
ML.
.