Author: Peter Ward

2020 sees the launch of Marconi’s Keelboat Academy for Sailors Aged 14 – 24 years. About the Marconi Keelboat Academy The Marconi Keelboat Academy (MKA) is designed to support young people aged between 14 and 24 in developing the skills needed to sail and race keelboats, whether for pleasure or racing at club or national level. Sailing keelboats requires teamwork, leadership skills, project management, physical fitness and the ability to communicate clearly under pressure. The MKA programme seeks to develop these areas equipping trainees with the essential skills that will benefit them both in their sailing and in the wider world.…

After a big effort by a group of Marconi volunteers to rig, equip, check, launch and safety approve their new fleet of 4 x SB20 keelboats, they took to the water towards the end of cadet week and quickly proved a hit. Over an 8 day period, the boats were sailed by a wide range of members, for many different purposes as the versatile boats lived up to there promise. “It’s amazing just how many of our youngest cadets you can fit safely into the enormous cockpit” said one of our tutors as she set sail with her group of…

The youth (U25) team for this event from stern to bow: Jack Collis, Daniel Nickalls, Jack Wardell and David Nickalls (author). Leading up to the weekend of the BKL qualifier we were fully aware of how under-prepared we were compared to the top teams competing. Making use of the club SB20 for a training day, we set ourselves two goals: Firstly, enjoy the event and come away with a ‘positive’ feeling. Secondly, come away in the top half with at least one race win. This would improve on our low finish and best result of second place from two years…

Marconi’s Keelboat Champions, David and Daniel Nickalls and Jack’s Collis and Wardell turned in a great performance last weekend at the BKL leg at the Royal Southern YC on the Hamble. Competing against 11 other teams in a fleet of 6 x RS21’s, Marconi finished in 5th place with 47 points. The event was won by the team from the home club, with Bristol Uni in 2nd and the two teams from Graffham Water just ahead of our own. Marconi sailed 12 x 15 minute races winning 3 of them and twice being in 2nd and 3rd place. Two of…

The 2019 British Keelboat League (BKL) is now underway and the winners from the first two legs Ulswater YC and Haversham SC have won through to the final that will be held in September at Queen Mary SC. See the results here. The UK’s winning teams from last year sailed well in the Sailing Champions League Qualifiers in Palma and Porto Cervo and you can read more about those events here. Marconi’s own Keelboat champions from 2018, who won their crown on the very last race of our Keelboat event at Queen Mary last Autumn, will represent the club in…

Last weekend, the rescheduled 2018 Keelboat Championship was sailed on Queen Mary’s reservoir in the Royal Thames YC fleet of j80’s. Here’s a report from the event. 38 Marconi sailors representing a very wide cross section of the club, competed in 8 teams to become the 2018 keelboat champs. Members who travelled from as far away as Cyprus and Aberdeen to compete in constant rain and a forecast that threatend ever increasing gusts as the day progressed, simply pulled up their hoods, fastened collars, and headed out to the start line. The many spectator members that also travelled, found the…

This sunday sees the third of the 2018 Autumn Series races for cruisers and sportsboats. As in previous years we have invited guests coming to sail with us, and we’ll welcome them in the galley for breakfast at 9am, after which we’ll allocate them to crews. The duty rib driverTony, has agreed to arrive early to trot us out to our boats, so could any early arrivers, please help push the ribs onto the hard and lower the low water landing stage into the water. Please make sure that your crews are on the hard ready to be delivered to…

This sunday sees the first of the 2018 Autumn Series races for cruisers and sportsboats. As in previous years we have invited guests coming to sail with us, and we’ll welcome them in the galley for breakfast at 9am, after which we’ll allocate them to crews. The duty rib driver has agreed to arrive early to trot us out to our boats, so could any early arrivers, please  help push the ribs onto the hard and lower the low water landing stage into the water. Please make sure that your crews are on the hard ready to be delivered to…

Saturday October 6th is the rescheduled date for our j80 keelboat championships. April’s start to the Marconi’s 2018 keelboat champs at Queen Mary’s reservoir was abandoned due to lack of wind. The rescheduled date that was agreed way back in April is now upon us, so it’s time for the teams to make preparations to travel to the event. 9 teams, are already signed up, but we have a few crew spaces available on the existing teams, and room for one additional team, so if you didn’t attend in April and would  like to try your hand at close quarter keelboat racing,…

On a busy sailing weekend that saw the Blackwater Barge Match, The Marconi East Coast Piers Race and the BJRC cruiser series race 5 taking to the water, the Marinestore Shipway Trophy race was won by the Monkey Business crew. (Skipper Dave Onyons, Marconi SC). 18 cruisers came to the start line for the BJRC event off Stone, in which the Marinestore Shipway Trophy is awarded and with the delayed start of the Piers Race, they were soon joined by 60 catamarans all tacking out beyond Thirslet. From the gun, competition was fierce and 4 boats were across the line…