8:10am Friday 30th July 2010
A SKIPPER and his crew will be flying the Herefordshire flag this weekend in one of the best known sailing regattas, writes IAN MORGAN.
Monkhide’s Keith Watts will be joined by four other Herefordshire people to take on the world’s elite at Cowes Week.
Watts spent many hours repairing the sailing boat on a county farm and is now ready for the eight-day challenge.
He came up with the idea to assemble a Herefordshire crew while recovering from a back operation.
Watts then mooted the proposal in the village newsletter.
“Some people probably thought I was a bit mad to do this but we have finally got the boat on the water and had our first training session,” said Watts.
“The first attempt was disastrous with the way the boat was rigged but the second attempt was great. She’s a quick and very exciting boat.”
The boat - a Tripp 26 - is an ultra light racing vessel imported from the USA in 1993. It has been entered into the Sports Boat Class.
“The boat needed a lot of work and it probably took me a couple of hundred man hours,” said Watts.
“It side-tracked me a bit from my work but I was determined to get it finished.”
Watts is an experienced RYA Yachtmaster and has made one previous appearance at Cowes Week.
Cowes Week lasts for eight days and takes place in the Solent Waters off Cowes in the UK.
Watts said: “The original plan was to assemble a crew from Monkhide and Yarkhill and we still have a basis of the crew from Herefordshire.
“But there is now a worldwide flavour because I am using a couple of external crew members.
“We felt we needed to add a bit more experience so we decided to put a notice on the Cowes Week website.”
Tom and Hazel Misselbrook from Yarkhill and Hereford duo Mike Hill and Sam Jones will be taking part.
A man from London and a woman from Australia will also be joining Watts’ Poco 2 fleet.
“Sadly my partner, Tina Eades, had to drop out because she is awaiting a knee operation,” explained Watts.
The crew will be competing in the Sports Boat Class which has attracted 28 entries.
To follow the crew’s progress during Cowes Week, visit: www.flypoco.com
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