Jon Burgess explains why his challenge of sailing from Cowes to Cherbourg on an SB3 became impossible for him to acheive - and therefore the way is open to someone else to take it up...
"The last bank holiday weekend (May) saw the Morgan cup RORC race for yachts from Cowes to Cherbourg, so it was a year ago that we planned our first attempt to sail the SB3 'Serene Affair' - our 6.2m dinghy - on the same course. Last year things were different, the weather systems were actually worse than this year and by Thursday I had had to abandon the attempt. There were 12 people in the team, some from Ramsgate others from Cardiff, and all had to make their way to Lymington.
Unfortunately a life was lost last year in the Morgan cup race which brought a sense of reality in the enormity of the challenge we had set ourselves. We gave much thought to those that had lost someone that day.
We dusted ourselves off and re-scheduled for another bank holiday. However tragedy hit closer to home and the land team had to pull out at the last minute as a bed side vigil took priority. Had it gone ahead the weather would again have played its part... Colleagues who took part in another race to Cherbourg opted to pull out and head back as the wind died and was replaced by fog - conditions that would have caused our challenge to be abandoned in its own right.
So it was postponed to 2012, but things don't stand still and changes have occurred. The 12 strong team are all still available, however the logistics of getting all 12 over to France and back again has become a big issue. Brittany Ferries were unable to provide us with the same route as before, meaning our land crew would have had to drive from Caen (some 3 hours drive) and the ferry arrival times meant they would have missed any celebrations - or dinner at the very least.
I helped deliver Beaurepere, the shadowing yacht, to Cardiff so that was no longer available and our own yacht can only cater for seven which meant that I'd have to start organising overnight accommodation for some of the team. The next hardest element to sort out was to find a weekend that all 12 members could give up!
So another and final decision was made and that was to abandon the attempt and step aside for others to take up the challenge. The gauntlet has been thrown down...!"
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Sorry this campaign (CowestoCherbourg) is now closed |
Total raised so far
Donors & messages of support
 £10  + £2.50 Gift Aid | Good Luck Barry :) From Mrs R Halliday |
private | Well, what can I say, try not to be overboard too much..:) From Mr T Balazs |
private | Good Luck to you all! From Mrs K Bruce |
£500 | Good luck Jon==hope to see you in Cherbourg
Fastnet Team
www.wildspirit.co.uk From PJackson |
private | Hope "the high seas" aren't quite as high this time! Best of luck. Janet From Janet Tomlinson |
private | Good Luck guys - Hope all goes well. From R J Franks |
£20 + £5.00 Gift Aid | I'd check the weather forcast b4 heading out guys, it could be a wet one. Good luck and best wishes. From Victor Johnson |
£30 | Wishing you every success in this venture. Angela King From Anon |
£30 | To wish you the very best of luck in your quest. Christine Scaife From Anon |
private | Go Jon - see you in Cherbourg!
In memory of Don, who wouldn't sail if you paid him.
Damian From Damian Clarke |
Total raised £1,403.75 including £152.75 Gift Aid
Gift Aid values are estimated tax reclaimed
