The Shipwrights’ Challenge Cup 2024

On Sunday the 2nd of June Nick Marshall, the Fourth Warden called into Scaling Dam in North Yorkshire to witness the catamaran racing for the Shipwrights Challenge Cup.

Due to the weather conditions, I only just managed  to catch the last race, they were struggling for enough wind on the day, and the slow pace forced the judges to call a halt to proceedings.

I spoke to four different people including the race officiator and three competitors, but didn’t manage to meet the any of the organisers sadly.

We were there for about 90 minutes, and the guys were de-rigging when we left. Quite a lengthy process given their abilities and the nature of the craft.

There is clearly some disparity between the top and bottom yachts, some with electronic wind measuring devices and some with nothing. And the degrees of disability of the competitors appeared to vary, but I’m no professional.

The Sailors and their yachts had travelled from as far away as Scotland in the north to Rutland in the south though, so a very widely supported class be people with and without their own craft.

The wind was apparently stronger on the Saturday, which made for more exciting racing, we were told !

We wandered around the boats whilst the de rigging took place, and engaged with a number of people as mentioned. The club house had local officials but not the organisers.

N J Marshall

Fourth Warden