PPL MEDIAPPL MEDIALESTER MCCARTHY, C/O TOM CUNLIFFETell Tales
Classic Boat’s address:
Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place,
London, SW3 3TQ
[email protected]This year’s Golden Globe Race will
depart from Les Sables d’Olonne in
France, as planned, despite concerns
voiced by the French Sailing Federation
in last month’s Tell Tales. Race
organisers and the federation ironed
out rules issues for the 'replica' event,
to be raced in 1960s boats and kit.Regatta planned to salute
RKJ: visiting yachtsmen
are welcome
Falmouth will host the Suhaili 50
Parade of Sail on 14 June to mark the
50th anniversary of Sir Robin Knox-
Johnston departing at the start of the
1968/9 Sunday Times Golden Globe
Race. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston will be
present aboard Suhaili, and joined by
other famous world-girdling yachts:
Moitessier’s Joshua, Chichester’s Gipsy
Moth IV and Sir Alec Rose’s Lively Lady.Sailing clubs in France, Belgium, the
Netherlands and Germany, as well as
groups from Ireland, the English south
coast and Bristol Channel, are planning
a pilgrimage to Falmouth to join the
spectator fleet that will salute Sir Robin
and his famous yacht in Falmouth
Harbour.
It will be the climax to a week of
celebrations in Falmouth starting on
June 9, organised by Falmouth Town
Team and the Royal Cornwall Yacht
Club where RKJ stepped ashore in 1969
after becoming the first person to sail
non-stop and solo around the world.
After the parade, the yachts
competing in this year’s Golden Globe
Race (around-the-world solo) will
partake in a charity feeder race to Les
Sables d'Olonne, from where the race
proper will leave on 1 July, returning
some 10 months or so later.Follow the Classic Boat team
on Twitter and FacebookFALMOUTH/ LES SABLES D'OLONNEGolden Globe Race is on
Classic Boat columnist Tom Cunliffe has been awarded the
prestigious Medal for Services to Cruising by the Royal Cruising Club
(est 1880). “It’s a great honour,” said Tom, “and I’m proud to follow in
the wake of such luminaries as the Hiscocks, Blondie Hasler and
Adlard Coles.” Other past winners include Olin Stephens (2005),
Maurice Griffiths (1987), cartoonist Mike Peyton (2011) and micro-
voyager and author Charles Stock (2009).
The citation from the Royal Cruising Club reads: “Even in the age
of ‘modern’ cruising, traditional seamanship remains at the heart of
the Royal Cruising Club, and while doubtless our ancestors would
marvel at the black boxes that litter our chart tables, we hope they
would recognise that we still sail in the spirit which they espoused.
Traditional seamanship is what we enjoy and admire, and it remains
at the core of this club. The Medal for Services to Cruising this year
goes to a supreme sailor and an exceptional author. His written works
spread from sailing manuals to pilot books; from salty yarns to – and
we forgive him this – an account of his trans-American trip on a
Harley Davidson [Good Vibrations]. He has trodden with great skill
the fine line between a love of maritime tradition, and a need to make
it relevant to those coming fresh to cruising. Tom Cunliffe is never
short of an opinion and never shy of sharing it with his readers. And it
is through his unique voice that he has helped and inspired a new
generation of cruising folk. But he has done so in a way which
previous generations of members would have recognized, and for
that reason, and because he’s never short of a good salty tale to tell,
we are delighted to award Tom Cunliffe.”ROYAL CRUISING CLUBBig award for Tom Cunliffe
Joshua (above) will be
one of four famous
yachts parading in
Falmouth Harbour in a
week of celebrations