Local Hero commemorates Uffa Fox's amazing journey

by Dougal Henshall/Bearfacemedia on 26 Jul 2010 Sailing north to the waters of the Baltic is a challenge for any yachtsman but for Luke Yeates, with his crew of Jack Gifford and Will Shepherd, the voyage from Cowes to Stockholm is nothing short of ‘heroic'!

For Luke, who is Technical Sales Manager at the Warsash based yacht fittings company SeaSure, is making the passage in small yacht that was built back in 1937. The Vixen was built to the old '15 metre' rule and is little more than a stretched day boat. Long, narrow hulled and with minimal freeboard, the accommodation on board consists of a single bunk, as with the racing rig set (which it will be for the whole trip bar the tow through the Kiel Canal) two of the crew will be sailing the boat at all times.

Luke and the Vixen planned to make the trip to commemorate a similar voyage made back in 1930 by the great Cowes yachtsman Uffa Fox. Sailing in a similar sized yacht, the Vigilant, Fox sailed from Cowes to Stockholm and then took part in the racing there. The plan is for Vixen to follow in Fox's footsteps (or at least his passage track) and then compete in the Trosa Tullgarn Royal Palace Classic Yacht Regatta before commencing the long sail back to her home berth on the Hamble.

With Luke and his crew being local, this exciting trip has been made possible thanks to the support of a number of Solent based companies. Park Gate sailmakers Banks Sails were involved in making a very high tech set of sails for the boat whilst Universal Marina, who already have a strong reputation within the classic yacht scene, provided space ashore and afloat to allow the Vixen to be prepared for the voyage.

The latest news on the progress being made is that the Vixen has now cleared the eastern end of the Kiel Canal and is heading away from the German coast towards Swedish waters.

Good luck to Luke and his crew for a speedy completion of the trip, a successful regatta in Stockholm and a safe return to the waters of the Solent.