IOW Students boat design skills in Boat Building Challenge

by Flavia Bateson on 20 Jun 2009
On the eve of the JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, Commodore of the Island Sailing Club Bill Pimlott was refereeing a somewhat different race round the island.

Students from Cowes High School Years 9/10 have been putting their boat designing skills to the test in the JPMorgan Round the Island Boat Building Challenge, organised by the Isle of Wight Young Chamber, which connects education with local businesses.

For four weeks at the end of the school day, these students formed teams to design their own radio-controlled boat. They made the drawings, cut the panels, applied the epoxy resin and, helped by an ‘A’ level student, installed the battery-operated engines. Then perhaps most importantly they designed their own customised team colours and artwork.

The students’ work was put to the test on Friday 19 June, when two heats and a final race were held off the pontoon of the Island Sailing Club. A special polystyrene floating Isle of Wight made not quite to scale was the course to be rounded.

In the final Flying Fish was up against DB. Both set off at a rattling good pace but whilst DB kept up the power, Flying Fish eventually floundered.

Students watching applauded as the winning team accepted their prizes from the Commodore. They were Kyran Hopcroft, Andy Thompson, Thomas Morgan (driver) and Sammy Dudley.

On Saturday 20 June, Ben Ainslie will be judging the Primary Schools Colouring Competition in the Regatta Village, Cowes Yacht Haven at 17:00 hrs.


The Island Sailing Club is grateful for the continued support of title sponsor JPMorgan Asset Management and race partners Bénéteau, Britannia Events, Dean & Reddyhoff, Nautica Watches, Old Pulteney Whisky, Raymarine, Red Funnel, St Margaret’s Direct and Volvo Car UK.