Powerboats
POWERBOAT CLASS
Boats pushed along by engines instead of the wind are an anachronism as todays world aims for Nett Zero. Nonetheless, for busy young lives and stiff older limbs their appeal cannot be denied. And it is a fact that from new club membership applications received over the last few years the majority of boat owners among them have motor boats and RIBs rather than sailing craft.
Its been a slow start getting the Powerboat Class up and running. Permission to form the new Powerboat Class class was granted by the Rear Commodore (Sailing). The first official event organised for the class was for the Clubs Centenary when the power-boaters put together a largish flotilla for the parade of sail. It was quite an impressive cavalcade as 37 craft of all shapes and sizes which marched in step past the saluting base to touch caps to Commodores past and present.
Then came Covid. The next couple of years were a washout, but by the start of 2023 the class held an inaugural meeting in the clubhouse and those that came along did seem keen to get going. By then a quick tally showed that some 172 powerboats were owned by Club members and 62 of these have since signed up for the Powerboat Class.
The Class, with the potential for some 31 different types of boats pushed along by engines, is hugely disparate. And because owners have such a wide range of experience and self-imposed foray limitations the members were asked to first identify themselves as either Inshore or Offshore mariners. Of the 62 who had signed up by then, 15 declared themselves to be Offshore types and 47 declared they are Inshorers.
Within those two main categories the boats have then been allocated into three sub categories. First there are the self-explanatory group known as day boats. The second are those craft with bunks sleep-aboards. The third group are RIBs. Although RIBs can be both inshore and offshore craft and also be day boats or sleep-aboards they are Clubs biggest group. They are also a unique type of powerboat that enjoys a status all of its own. Of the 62 craft signed up with the Powerboat Class in 2023, 24 are RIBs.
Annual event plans for the boating season typically include raids on Fowey, Plymouth, the Scilly Islands, the Channel Islands and in 2024, Normandy for the 80th Anniversary of D-day. If you are an owner of absolutely any of the 31 different types of powerboat and youve not yet signed up with the Clubs biggest boating class, and feel the urge to go raiding with other like minded souls, do give the Class Captain a shout. Thats…
Mike Garside on 07810 124324 or mvgarside@icloud.com
RIBs are the most numerous but the class includes everything from locally built day boats to classics from yesteryear.
The class includes inshore RIBs crewed by members in their late 80s through to offshore short range craft and long-distance adventurers. The black RIB above is refuelling in France for a quick dash back across the Channel.
Every conceivable type of power boat is welcome in the Powerboat Class, from inshore creek-crawlers like this one-off owner-designed little cabin craft to possibly the newest type of powerboat, the RBB - the Rigid Buoyancy Boat.
The class captain's own craft is a long range off-shore RBB. Raids organised with a mix of cruising speeds is made possible with staggered starts so that the boats arrive at their destinations at the same time. Here, 3 different types arrive together for a raid on Plymouth.
The class captain's own craft is a long range off-shore RBB. Raids organised with a mix of cruising speeds is made possible with staggered starts so that the boats arrive at their destinations at the same time. Here, 3 different types arrive together for a raid on Plymouth
Class raids are very popular social events. Here a flotilla of RIBs arrive in Fowey to raft up in the harbour to watch a display by the Red Arrows before dashing home together at the end of the day.
Last updated 18:59 on 18 January 2024