Sailing Classes

The Cornish Shrimper was designed by Roger Dongray, with the first boat being launched in 1979. The first 10 boats were of wooden construction, but from 1980 onwards, the boat has been of GRP construction. Initially Shrimpers were available only with outboard engines, but in 1986 Roger Dongray redrew the lines at the stern to permit the introduction of inboard engine models. The only other significant change to the boat was in 1996, when the builders, Cornish Crabbers Ltd., produced a Mk 2 version with slightly higher cabin roof, self-draining cockpit and minor embellishments. At the present time sail numbers have reached 1200 and the boat is still in production.

With its gaff rig and pretty retro design, the Shrimper has attracted quite a following, both in the UK and abroad. Inevitably one or two owners decided that, although not designed with racing in mind, it would be fun to chase around the cans. In 1981 the Shrimper Owners Association was formed and drew up a set of Shrimper Class Rules for racing, which are still current today. The concept was and remains, an aim to keep all Shrimpers equally competitive, requiring no extra expense beyond the purchase of a standard Shrimper. However freedom to tune the rig and carry out personal alterations to the interior or to deck/cockpit fittings for comfort, ease of handling and optimum performance is permitted. “Fast but fair” is the SOA motto.

The Shrimper is not strictly a ‘One Design’ class in sail racing terms. It is fully recognised that few if any of the fine building constraints required by true one-design class racing boats are incorporated in the Shrimper. However there are large fleets of Shrimpers today racing at Falmouth, Rock, East Coast and here at Poole. Shrimpers of any vintage, inboard and outboard, Mk1s and Mk 2s, all race together and enjoy some close racing.

There is no longer a Portsmouth Yardstick figure for the Shrimper, but the RYA NHC base figure is 0.830 and the OGA handicap is 0.821- 0.827, the latter being used for the annual Round the Island Race, which always attracts a good Shrimper entry.

Class 1

Open to yachts having a current IRC Handicap Rating of 0.941 or greater. IRC is a system of handicapping for racing yachts and is managed by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. It is a rating system recognised worldwide.

To prevent yacht designers from building racing boats ‘around the rules’, the rating rule is not published. Owners wishing to obtain an IRC handicap should therefore apply to the RORC Rating Office. Further information may be obtained from the IRC website: http://www.ircrating.org.

Class 2

Open to yachts having a current VPRS Rating up to and including 0.940 and with a minimum hull length of 20 ft. VPRS (Velocity Prediction Rating System) was originally designed for boats racing in Poole Harbour. It was trialled by Poole Yacht Racing Association (PYRA) in 2010 and adopted for all its races the following year and to date.

Modern and Classic yachts can be rated, as well as dayboats and sportsboats. Ratings are more easily calculated under VPRS which is perhaps less expensive than other systems. Further information may be obtained from the VPRS website: http://www.vprs.org/index.html.

The RMYC was delighted to organise a three-day international regatta for the FAST40+ fleet in June 2019.

The fleet is a development fleet of 40ft carbon flyers weighing in at around 4 tonnes – of which over 2 tonnes is in the bulb – and represents the very pinnacle of racing.  This provides thrilling high-speed action for the owner-driven class with speeds in excess of 20knots downwind.

The FAST40+ class have a crew of 11 and the rules allow for a maximum of five professional crew racing.  All of which meant we saw some of the best world-class sailors at the club, as well as young talent looking to break into the sport.

Classic Flying Fifteen racing at The Royal Motor Yacht Club offers a thrilling and accessible experience for sailors of all levels. Design in 1947 by Uffa Fox, these 20ft long fast two-handed keelboats race twice weekly on Tuesday and Thursday evenings throughout the spring and summer, and weekly on Sunday mornings during the autumn. Poole Harbour provides an ideal setting for these races, where participants face dynamic conditions and tactical challenges.

The club also has two Flying Fifteens available for members to book, allowing sailors without boats wishing to experience the excitement of these fast planning keelboats to so during fleet races. Each race is followed by friendly gatherings of the fleet in the club bar, where sailors share stories and strategies of the race. Known for its welcoming and lively atmosphere, the Flying Fifteen Fleet combines a passion for relaxed racing with a vibrant social scene, making it the perfect place to enjoy the sport and camaraderie of sailing.

For more information regarding booking a club boat, or indeed joining the fleet with your own boat, please contact the FF class class captain, via the club office.

The Class Captain is Bob Redrupp and the Honorary Secretary is Maggie Haxell. Contact via the Club Office Tel 01202 707227

The first race by XODs took place in June 1911 and apart from the war years, the class has raced continuously to this day.

The hull shape and dimensions remain today in accordance with the original design, although changes in timber specification and surface treatments have been permitted, in order to better preserve the timbers and to ease maintenance. The rig is Bermudan with jib and spinnaker.

A total of 202 XODs have been built in the last 100 years, with about 190 still in regular use. The latest boat to have been built was launched in 2007.

There is a very active and well organised ‘XOD’ class association.