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16 NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2000 Options
Racing raises cash for veterans home
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DAY of motor racing at the famous Brands Hatch circuit in Kent helped a team of Navy volunteers to raise cash for the Royal Star and Garter Home.
The event, organised by Royal Marines Major Tony Maher, was the first in a series of sponsored races in aid of the veterans' home, with a go-karting Grand Prix and offshore sailing planned in coming months. Mike Shrives (DNR) Lt Cdr Richard After expert instruction at the Nigel Murrison (FOSF) and Dominic Blake (Navy Mansell Racing School the team took to News) all did well on the day. the track in BMWs before progressing Major Maher won the Driver of the Day to single-seater racing cars, and in the award, Lt Cdr Murrison won the Apache title afternoon they tried their hands at racand Dominic Blake picked up the Quad Bike ing quad bikes, Honda Pilot and Apache Trophy. Unfortunately, our Assistant Editor all-terrain vehicles. also got carried away on the Brabham The Navy team, Capt Nick Batho, Major Straight of the main circuit and was the only Tony Maher, Mne Jason Woodridgc and Lt one of 25 drivers to he penalised for exceedCdr Jan Ouvery (all from Northwood) Cdr ing a 4,000rpm/100mph speed limit!
• The Royal Navy team is briefed at the Nigel Mansell Racing School before taking to the track at Brands Hatch (below) in Formula 1st Single-seaters. Pictures: JSU Northwood
• QUAD BIKE: Major Tony Maher Royal Marines, Secretary of the RN & RM Motor Sport Association, who won the Driver of the Day award. He is also Director of Royal Star and Garter Racing. To find out more about future events contact him on 01923 837654.
Sailing Round-up
Collingwood crews set sail for France IHE
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Channel Challenge 2000
ART of seamanship was discovered for the first time by many electricians and communicators from HMS Collingwood when they embarked in five yachts for a foray across the Channel.
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More than 30 staff, including Collingwood's CO, Commodore Peter Davies, set sail from the Joint Services Adventure Sail Training Centre (JSASTC) at Gosport in the yachts Flashlight, Lord Portal, Guinevere, Fimbria and Mitra. *"V
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HELMSMAN: Expedition organiser Lt Lenny (Vasco) Longstaff at the wheel of the JSASTC Yacht Lord Portal.
After a beat down the Western Solent making full use of three knots of tide the boats put in at Yarmouth and prepared for an early start for the Channel crossing. Thick fog made for a challenging voyage and after negotiating Hurst Narrows and rounding Ihe Needles off the Isle of Wight the boats decided to head for Cherbourg. Visibility didn't improve much on the way and the crossing proved to be a challenging piece of blind pilotage for the navigators. A relaxing run ashore saw the sailors taking full advantage of the delightful French cuisine and taking the opportunity for some serious shopping for wine and cheese. The next morning the boats set sail for Alderncy, and after some minor evolutions in the outer harbour they reached the Channel island after three hours. A North-Easterly Force 5 was blowing straight into the harbour on arrival and it gave the boats lots of practice in taking up buoys, not all of it planned! After an enjoyable evening ashore while the weather steadily improved, the yachts switched crew members to allow everyone to have the chance to sail on the Nic 55
Lord Portal and the flotilla headed for Guernsey. The wind picked up and came round to the North East, and all five vessels achieved more than ten knots on the voyage to St Peter Port where they arrived within half an hour of each other. In the evening all 33 members of the Collingwood expedition descended on an Italian Restaurant for a Channel Challenge 2000 Dinner and finished the evening with a visit to a nightclub. In the morning the crews switched back to their original yachts and those taking their competent crew course ran through knot tying, dinghy handling and man overboard drills before heading out to sea again. A serious shortage of wind hampered the vessels on their return trip but they arrived back at the JSASTC at Hornet Sailing Club with the tide in their favour at the end of a successful expedition. Expedition organiser, Lt Lenny Longstaff, said that by the end of the week many novices were taking the helm and bringing the yachts alongside with the minimum of advice and guidance, and he hopes to make the Channel Challenge an annual event.
Volunteers head for the Channel Islands SIX BOATS from the Royal Navy Voluntary Reserve Yacht club took part in a rally to the Channel Island of Alderney. They were part of a flotilla of 24 vessels in the Route de Moule Rally to the Channel Island of Alderney, a fund raising event for the Jubilee Sailing Trust.
Despite bad weather which forced some boats to turn back or divert to safe havens such as Cherbourg, the event raised more than £7,000 for sailing charity. And the boats which did arrive in Alderney included Afar V, a Moody 42 skippered by the RNVR Yacht Club's Vice Commodore, who set off 12 hours early and battled headwinds all the way!
Another notable achievement was the arrival of Janet Sainsbury and her husband in the 24ft sloop Genghis Khan, after 24 solid hours of sailing from Portsmouth. On arrival, the yachtsmen enjoyed a lavish reception from the Alderney Branch of the Jubilee Trust. Seventy guests were dined out and the dinner included 170lbs of mussels supplied by Russell Greenstock.
• The JSASTC boats venture out into the Solent after leaving their base at Hornet. • RNVR Yacht Volunteer: To find out more about the RNVR Yacht Club contact the membership secretary Colin Harvey on 01483 564723.