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IROQUOIS
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Michael Ellison - Skipper
Peter Ellison - Co-Skipper
Noticing that the Iroquois catamaran, borrowed by Michael and Peter for the first RB&I race, was for sale prompted the idea that it would be fun to compete again on the 40th anniversary of the race, whilst there was a sporting chance that they were still up to it. Unfortunately, a difference of opinion about its value meant that they ended up buying another Iroquois.
Michael was taken sailing from birth in the family sloop which was later sold to buy cows when they moved to a farm. Peter's sailing experience started when their Father bought an International 14 dinghy which they sailed on the Norfolk coast. Both brothers served in the Merchant Navy. Michael holds a Master Mariner's certificate and Peter a 2nd Mate's. Michael completed the 1964 OSTAR in a junk rigged sloop designed by Blondie Hasler, and finished 8th in spite of losing the foremast halfway across the Atlantic. Having replaced the mast with an aluminium lamppost, (one was only allowed to take £25 out of the country at the time), the brothers sailed back to Cork. In 1966 they persuaded Reg White of SailCraft to lend them an Iroquois for the RB&I race in which they finished 3rd overall and 1st on handicap.
This experience resulted in opportunities to sail and race in a variety of multihulls. Michael competed in four more RB&I races and the 1st R&B Power Boat Race. He finished 20th out of 64 starters, again in an Iroquois! Peter completed in the 1970 RB&I race, but capsized while off the Isle of Wight when in 3rd place. Michael joined the RYA Speed Sailing Committee in 1973 and now travels the world officiating with world speed attempts. Peter runs an engineering business and has taken to gliding.
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