South West Sailing

Couldn’t start this week’s column without a word about Pendennis Shipyard’s impressive 20th anniversary celebrations at the Monaco Yacht Show last week.

Just how do you impress the rich and famous at one of the world’s top superyacht gatherings? Toby Allies of Pendennis Shipyard organized a show stopping, head turning moment by booking the Red Arrows to help celebrate the Yard’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

Hosting a champagne reception at Port Hercules in Monaco Harbour the Company arranged for the Red Arrows to strut their stuff in the skies overhead.

Flying over the Monte Carlo skyline takes some organizing as of course it is foreign airspace but Pendennis worked the miracle and as usual the Arrows performed with style and panache.

The Pendennis Cup regatta over Falmouth Week was a pretty impressive event as an appetizer but the Red Arrows over Monte Carlo is some main course.

If I am ever organizing a party or celebration I think I might have to talk to Pendennis as Style Councilors as they certainly know how to throw a party and it is really great that a Cornish shipyard can show such initiative and class.

Roll on their 21st next year!

It is hard to believe but already a year has past and this weekend sees the start of Southampton Boat Show with Press Day on Friday and General Admission from Saturday until the following Sunday.

The Show is launched by the arrival of HMS Bounty a replica of the ship made famous by the mutiny of the crew against Captain William Bligh lead by Fletcher Christian in 1789.

This replica was built for the film made in 1962 starring Trevor Howard and Marlon Brando and has been used extensively since in the making of many other films including the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.

Other interesting yachts at the show include the Americas Cup yacht Alinghi acquired by the new UK Americas Cup Team TeamOrigin, Mike Golding’s Ecover, Alex Bennett’s new Open 40 Fujifilm, Robin Knox-Johnston’s Saga and Gypsy Moth IV.

TeamOrigin lead by Sir Keith Mills and Mike Sanderson will announce on Friday the personnel recruited to date to challenge for the Cup in Valencia in 2009. This assumes of course the current legal wangling between Alinghi and various challengers has been resolved and agreement has been reached on the Cup format and the design of the yachts to be used in the competition.

Likewise the YJA will announce the nominations for Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year.

It goes without saying the event is the largest Boat Show outside the London event and there are close to 400 new yachts and boats afloat as well as a similar number ashore.

If you have never visited Southampton I would thoroughly recommend a visit this year as it promises to be the best ever.