Shetland Round Britain & Ireland

Shetland Round Britain
& Ireland Race 2006

ZELDA

ZELDA is a J109.
Michael Ewart-Smith - Skipper Ben Richards - Co-Skipper We conceived the idea of buying a boat to do this race in a well known hostelry in Newport Rhode Island called Zelda's Bar hence the name of the boat. The J109 has proved to be a great compromise for double handed offshore racing, fully crewed inshore racing and cruising and we are looking forward to fighting it out with the other two J109s all they way around the race course. Our sailing CVs stretch back a good 35 years to optimists, mirrors, fireflys and the like which gives you a clue to our ages. More recently we have campaigned, with various degrees of success, Sigma 33s, Etchells and Laser Sb3s before buying the J109 two years ago and embarking on our double handed offshore career. In spite of being victorious in the Royal Southampton Double Handed to Santander last July we are entering this race with some trepidation since we don't yet feel we have been properly "spanked" by Mother Nature. Long may that continue. We are looking forward to meeting up with all our fellow competitors in the "stop overs" to tell those ever increasing tall stories and are hoping that their will-power when it comes to "One more for the road or not?" is better than ours. The boat, being based in Hamble, is being entered under the flag of our home club the Royal Southern Yacht Club.
We are using the opportunity of the race to raise awareness of "Simon Says" which is a Hampshire based charity which counsels and supports bereaved children (www.simonsays.org.uk).

The Royal Western Yacht Club of England Ltd. - Queen Anne's Battery - Plymouth - PL4 0TW
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