A model yacht race that began more than 40 years
ago, as a bit of end of term fun for Southampton Solent University yacht design
and production students, will take to the waters this June

More
than 28 first-year yacht designers of the future will be racing their craft at
Gosport Boating Lake on Friday 6 June.

The
annual race now forms part of the first-year unit assessment for Southampton
Solent University yacht design and production students.

Students
have spent 70 hours designing and building the vessels to conform to the ‘metre
classed’ yacht design rules, with 85% of the unit mark awarded on their
computer aided design, and the build quality of their models.

The
students then have to race them upwind and downwind to pass their design unit, with
the final 15% of marks awarded on how their yacht performs on race day.

Giles
Barkley, senior lecturer in BEng (Hons) Yacht and Powercraft Design says:
“As well as being a fun way to end the year, the boat race allows our
students to put into practice the academic theory they have learnt during their
first year at University.”

Last
year’s winning yacht was designed by first-year BEng (Hons) Yacht Production
and Surveying student Alice Courage from Poole in Dorset, the first woman to
win the race since it began.

Past
winners of the model yacht race have gone on to enjoy great success within the
industry. On the sailing side, Herve Piveteau sailed to victory in the
Production Boat Class at the Mini Transat 2008, the French equivalent of the
OSTAR and Jason Ker went on to design the last South African, America’s Cup
entry.  

Successful
course graduates also include Guillame Verdier, who designed the yachts that
came both first and second in last year’s Vendee Globe; 2008 Olympic gold
medallist, Paul Goodison; and Helena Lucas, who won Great Britain’s first ever sailing
gold at the 2012 Paralympics.

This year’s race will be hosted by Gosport Model Yacht & Boat Club at
Gosport Boating Lake on Friday 6 June.  Members of the public are welcome to come along and spectate.
The students will be practising on the lake from 11am and the races will begin
at 2pm.

-Ends-