Marine businesses provide prizes for 2023 Falmouth Classics
by Don Garman 17 May 2023 08:47 PDT
16-18 June 2023
Falmouth Classics 2021 © Vitamin Cornwall
Three key national and international marine businesses are sponsoring the Atkins Ferrie Wealth Management 2023 Falmouth Classics by presenting valuable prizes for racing. This year's classic event in Falmouth will include three races in thirteen classes. There are two races on Friday 16th June and one on Saturday 17th June. Racing will take place in the Carrick Roads but larger vessels, such as pilot cutters will follow courses out into Falmouth Bay.
The three marine businesses are Teamac, the brand name of one of the leading British producers of marine paints and coatings, Musto, the number one performance sailing brand and a global leader in outdoor clothing, and the Bristol-based Noble Masts, who build hollow wooden spars.
Teamac are sponsoring the Saturday Race and the winner of each of the thirteen classes will win a voucher for paint or varnish or antifoul. The Teamac Race in 2022, the first time the company has sponsored the Saturday race, was bedevilled by 47 knot winds from the NNE which meant that only three classes were able to race. Organisers hope this year that all classes will be able to start and complete the set courses.
The first of thirteen classes will start at 11.30 in the Carrick Roads. It is expected that over a hundred boats will participate. The fleet will include luggers, pilot cutters, Falmouth Working Boats (with their distinctive topsails) and gaff and Bermudan rigged cruisers and dayboats. At least a third are likely to have been built before 1950, with the oldest dating from 1881.
Most classes, including the Falmouth Working Boats will sail in the Carrick Roads, but the larger craft, including the pilot cutters, are expected to sail a course that will take them out in into Falmouth Bay. The Teamac prizes will be presented for the day race at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club on the Saturday evening by Kris Wright, Teamac's Area Sales Manager Trophies and ceramic mugs will be presented by Lieutenant Pierce Tattersall R.N., Commander of HMS Blazer which will be in port for the weekend.
Geoff Mackrill, Director of Teal and Mackrill, Teamac's parent company said: "Teal and Mackrill, having been manufacturing marine paints since 1908, are proud to be able to support the2023 Falmouth Classics Regatta which involves a huge variety of sailing and powered craft, all of them having an important part to play in our national maritime heritage. Many, we trust, will have been protected by our products at some point in their lifetime, especially now we hope! Long may this event continue".
Musto, who have a local shop in Events Square Falmouth, will be providing one of their wonderful sailing jackets and two sail bags as overall prizes which will be presented at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall on Sunday 18th.
Noble Masts of Bristol will also be providing two vouchers valued at £500 each towards the cost of wooden spars using the companies hollow wooden construction system which was developed in 1984. The sponsor and the organisers will be selecting two classes where the winners have wooden spars. Unfortunately, Wesley Massam, the owner of the business, will not be eligible if his own boat, Jan Rorlan, wins her class!
Kaye Price, Falmouth Classics Chief Race Officer said: "The contribution of valuable and very useful prizes by the three marine businesses is hugely appreciated by the organisers of the event and the Race Team and will provide fantastic rewards to those who have strived to win their class."
The Falmouth Classics runs from the 16 - 18 June, with boats arriving in the port on the 15th June. It is not just about racing, there are also two parades of sail on Sunday, a Maritime Village on North Quay, receptions for participants and a supper at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club. The event coincides with the Falmouth International Shanty Festival, this year with seventy seven groups. The two events are expected to bring over 60,000 to the town over the weekend.
Eligible vessels will have been designed and/or built on or before 1973. More recently built craft are eligible if they are built to a pre-1972 design or influenced by an earlier design or built or rigged traditionally.
www.falmouthclassics.org.uk