Displaying items by tag: Oyster World Rally

5th January 2013

Oyster World Rally Launches This Weekend

#Oyster - A fleet of 27 yachts from North America, South Africa and Western Europe - including Ireland - will take part in the 2013 Oyster World Rally, which sets off from Antigua in the West Indies tomorrow (6 January).

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the sailing brand, the launch from Nelson's Dockyard will mark the start of a "16-month odyssey of endless adventure" that will take the fleet all the way round the world via more than 30 ports of call.

After passing through the Panama Canal and into the Pacific, the rally will stop at the the Galapagos Islands, Marquesas, Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea.

From there the fleet will head to the Great Barrier Reef, round the top of Australia, partying in Bali and heading west for Cape Town in time for next Christmas, then on to Brazil for next year's carnival, before joining up for a final grand party with the Oyster Caribbean Regatta in April 2014.

And the Irish will be in the thick of the action, via the Oyster 885 'Lush' owned by Formula 1 pundit and sailing convert Eddie Jordan.

Oyster World Rally event manager Debbie Johnson said: “It is very exciting to finally be in Antigua getting ready for the start.

"So many sailors dream of sailing around the world and the camaraderie throughout the fleet is just fantastic."

Follow the progress of the fleet as the rally gets under way via the official website HERE.

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Scottish Series Background

Although the format of the Scottish Series varies little from year to year, it is interesting to see some of the changes which the event has seen over the years:

CYCA handicap class added to IOR (1976)

IOR level rating classes to reflect the popular sizes and World Championships being held in the UK

Separate one design class for Sonatas (1980 to date)

Campbeltown dropped with offshore races direct to Tarbert (1982)

Unique light displacement CYCA class - the forerunner of today's sportboats (1982)

Computer results system introduced in 1982 and now recognised as the best in the UK

Separate one design class for Sigma 33 (1987 to date)

Separate one design classes in certain years for Impalas, Sigma 38, Melges 24 and Cork 1720

Inner triangle to shorten courses for smaller classes (1986)

Points loading for offshore race reduced from 2 to 1.5 to 1

First racing in Scotland under Channel Handicap (1988)

Second racecourse for smaller classes (1989)

Discard introduced

Windward leeward races - two per day (1993)

Sportboat classes with no overnight races (1994)

Marquee on quayside for main social events (1995-2008)

Restricted Sail Class (1998)

Third racecourse for sportboats with up to three races per day (1998)

Day feeder races (2002)

Overnight and day feeder races discontinued (2005)

Stand-alone Tarbert Inbound and Outbound passage races introduced (2005/6)

With all these changes, some things have stayed the same:

Huge support from Ireland every year since 1975

A magnificent effort ashore and afloat from the volunteer helpers of the Clyde Cruising Club, Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club and Tarbert Loch Fyne Yacht Club

Results and communications service at the forefront of technology

The best competition and the best social scene in the country

An overall Series winner, the roll call including many of the top sailors in Scotland and beyond.