Yachts & Yachting — March 2018

I

n sailing we tend to be passionate

about the boat we sail, especially

when class or one design racing.

We might care a little about the

region of the country we come from

(especially if it’s Yorkshire...), but we

also care about our club and its standing.

Yacht clubs represent the backbone of

our sport. If someone wants to learn

sailing, they join a club. If a sailor from

your club is doing well at something,

you are likely to follow them, especially

if you have met them. So given that

therearemorethanathousandsailing

or yacht clubs in the UK alone, it is

surprisingthereisn’tmorecompetition

betweenthem.Butthisischanging.

ForthelasttwoseasonstheRYA

hasruntheBritishKeelboatLeague.

This they describe as providing ‘the

opportunity for clubs to compete

against each other on a level playing

field to fight for bragging rights as the

most competitive club in the UK. Crew

must be members of the same club,

which must be affiliated to the RYA’.

Season one in 2016 saw four

Qualification events, hosted by the

Royal Torbay, Scarborough and Port

Edgar Yacht Clubs and the Royal Yacht

Squadron. The winners of these met at

a Final, run by the Royal Thames YC

andtheRYAontheSolent.Thiswas

wonbytheHaylingIslandSailingClub

team, skippered by Imogen Stanley.

Last year the Qualifiers increased

to six including the Royal Corinthian

in Burnham and the Royal Southern

COUNTRY

FEATURE KEELBOAT LEAGUE

ALL IMAGES: RYA/SPORTOGRAPHY.TV

March 2018 Yachts & Yachting 59