mastThe THE MAGAZINE FOR THE COMPETITIVE SAILOR THE 48TH 24 HOUR RACE SPONSORED BY SPECIAL THE CREWSAVER 24 HOUR DINGHY RACE WEST LANCASHIRE YACHT CLUB 13th & 14th September 2014 Ian Donaldson Commodore As Commodore of West Lancashire Yacht Club it is a great honour for me to welcome all competitors, sponsors, and many long standing friends and guests to our Club. We truly appreciate your continued support for the Crewsaver 24 Hour Race, an unrivalled event, now in its 48th year. HEN planning for the original race in 1967, although our the Race. We are also indebted to Sefton Metropolitan members were filled with great enthusiasm, I suspect that Borough Council for their support, with parking they never thought that the event would still be going arrangements and waste disposal. strong nearly 50 years later. In fact a number of teams Isaac Marsh & Robin Jones from Scammonden Water Sailing Whave competed in virtually every race since then. Club are aiming to complete the full 24 hours to raise money The race originally grew from a 12 hour race, the "British Universities for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation. This charity will Championship", held on the Marine Lake in 1966 and was initially be familiar to everyone in the sailing community and we competed for by the two fleets of Enterprises and GP's. The basic hope you will support this challenge. idea, which has been retained, was for each team's boat to sail around I must also mention the enthusiasm of members of the Marine Lake for twenty four hours, with the one which sailed the Liverpool Yacht Club. Not only has the Club entered two furthest being the winner. The race demands great stamina, both on boats, but one of the teams has gone the extra mile and the water and in the bar. In addition to good sailing skills, the ability has built a Enterprise for the purpose of competing in the to stay out of trouble for 24 hours cannot be under estimated. The race. Let’s hope it measures! event brings together teams sailing GP14, Enterprise, Lark and Firefly. I am especially pleased to welcome the 16 teams competing The race is managed and organised not only by our own members, in the race for the first time or returning to compete after but also by a dedicated team of friends of West Lancs, who give up so a gap. We hope you have a great weekend and enjoy the much of their time each year to help to make the race run smoothly. racing and events off the water. Also, it excellent to see I thank everyone for their assistance. increased entries of Larks and Firefly’s. I am delighted that we have been sponsored so enthusiastically by Looking to the future, next year's race is set for Crewsaver, their support has been invaluable. 1st Mark is also back running the Race chandlery. GJW Dinghy Insurance are once again 12th / 13th September 2015. sponsoring the Firefly Trophy. Robinson’s brewery is also providing great support to the event, and a very enjoyable pint. Ramada Hotel As for this year, I hope you enjoy the challenging has assisted with the receptions and provided rooms for the event. In racing and the unique atmosphere that is the addition I must thank the many other sponsoring organisations and Crewsaver 24 Hour Race. individuals who have contributed to setting up the infrastructure for For more information,nformation, or to buy ggo to www.robinsonsbrewery.comwww.robinsonsbreweryy..co.com THE MAST 3 24 HOUR RACE THE MAST • 2014 The Mast magazine is produced by: Jennings Campbell Bibby, 2 Wright Street, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 0TL. t. 01704 534653 e. [email protected] Photos courtesy of: SailPics.co.uk OVER 30 TROPHIES TO BE WON 60 ENTRIES • OVER 800 COMPETITORS 1500 SUPPORTERS AND SPECTATORS THE CREWSAVER 24 HOUR DINGHY RACE The Crewsaver 24 Hour Race organised by West Lancashire Yacht Club is the dinghy sailing calendar’s toughest endurance race. Held annually on the marine lake at Southport, the race is the premier opportunity for sailing club teams to compete for serious trophies whilst enjoying the superb hospitality provided by this unique event. Readers of Yachts & Yachting voted the event into fourth place in the list of Top Fifty Events to do before you die! THE MAST 7 24 HOUR RACE would be fair to say that no single event at WLYC, takes more effort on the part of the club members to organise. The original idea for the race came, about in 1966, from a member of Liverpool University itSailing Club, who was a representative on the WLYC sailing committee. WLYC were at the time planning a race to mark the Centenary of the Borough of Southport, while LUSC were considering a 12 Hour Race for Universities. These ideas built on the success of a British Universities Championship held on the Marine Lake in 1965. Under the chairmanship of Jack Whiteley, the decision was taken to run the event over 24 hours. The race, which was first held in 1967; is now on its 47th Race. The Race is sailed in four classes of dinghy – Enterprise, GP14, Lark and Firefly, around a standard triangular course of 1.2 miles. Although the waters are relatively safe the Race is sailed continuously for 24 hours with unlimited crew Vic Basil, Architect who changeover. Even in extreme weather conditions, the race will continue. has been a member of Therefore a team of several people is required to sail each boat, with most West Lancs Yacht Club crews changing over quite a few times during the Race, depending on the for over 50 years, weather. The change overs take place in the ‘docking area’, which provides a remembers the request good spectator vantage point to see how well the teams manage to keep for an innovative Tower to be constructed in 1964, their boat moving whilst exchanging personnel. Some even manage it with just two years before the first of the annual 24 Hour their spinnaker up! Maintenance and repairs to the boat can also be carried Yacht Races. Basil was asked by Jack Whitely, the clubs out in the docking area if necessary, but thorough preparation of the boat is most generous benefactor, to design the viewing an absolute must. tower without regard to expense or pre-determined During the night the boats carry navigation lights fixed to the shrouds and style. Vic set about designing the tower with the key points around the lake edge carry lights, but ambiant light from the club construction centered around a solid pole which was house and promenade help to provide some illumination to the sailing waters. sunk into reinforced concrete. The main structure, he explained, was designed on the principles of an There is serious silverware to be won although the most coveted of the over umbrella, where all the support for the roof came thirty trophies is the Southport Centenary Trophy presented to the winner from the central point at the very top of the pole. This by the Mayor of Sefton, as explained previously, to commemorate the enabled the glass to be glued into very thin frames, reason why the Race was first sailed – Southport Borough’s centenary in so maximum visibility would be achieved. Glueing 1967. Keeping score of each boats progress is a team of observors and windows into frames was itself an innovation in those computer operators using dual systems to help ensure completeness and days and could only be achieved as there was no accuracy. Food and entertainment is available in a marquee which also plays stress on the frames or glass due to the umbrella host to a big party on the Friday night which goes on into the small hours. construction. The design earned Vic much acclaim and was published in the Architects Journal of the time. Access to the tower is up an external ladder and THE CREWSAVER entry through a flap in the floor. The refurbished tower 24 HOUR DINGHY RACE looks set to be a landmark for many years to come. THE MAST 8 24 HOUR RACE THE MAST 9 24 HOUR RACE FINISHED RACING? ARE NOW MAKE YOUR YOU SAILING SAFER! AMEMBER? UNLIMITED What are you waiting for? 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