Who would have thought that battling the waves could help raise money for a children's hospice...
The 2010 Great British RIB Rally is a twelve day challenge, around a tortuous coast that will require good seamanship and rigorous boat preparation.
The Rally will cover a distance 2010 nautical miles, around the British Isles and whilst this is a rally and not a race; organisers and competitors alike have agreed that if there is to be a competitive element to the event, it should be ‘how much money can each boat raise'.
That's what it said on the brochure, but in reality, the whole thing is one big bucket list! The bucket list is two fold - drive RIB's as far and as fast as is on the edge of sensible, entering into numerous endurance rallies and races around the UK, AND to raise £100,000 through round Britain, round Ireland and attempting the odd world record along the way.
My own 6m RIB was rejected by the organisers for being too small! So we trawled through various RIB builders and decided on Wahoo, makers of super yacht tenders; we pushed for their standard Lorne Campbell hull to be stiffened and and go on a 900kg diet! We then ditched the 300's and went for a pair of Mercury Verado Super charged Race 350hp engines; if you are going to do it, go large! There is absolutely no point in entering the race without at least some chance of coming first! Paul Davies, the specialist powerboat trainer from Sea International correctly pointed out after spending several hours with us that the crew will collapse long before the RIB, testament to the RIB and a stern warning to the crew!
We then thought that the best way to raise money for Hope House was to plaster sponsors logo's on the boat, clothing and all marketing material, then sell seats 3 and 4 on a leg by leg basis to those brave and generous men and women who are prepared to don the Oilskins, bright Orange helmets in the name of the charity.
Logistically building the boat, raising the money, selling the seats, bullying the sponsors, booking enough rooms in some very obscure places that we couldn't even agree where they were on google Earth, and find fuel anywhere near those same obscure places, insuring the beast when at speed with passengers, getting fit and not arguing with each other can best be described as a nightmare!
But, and a really big BUT, is that nightmare of quickly getting a boat, crew, team and support logistics together pales into small insignificance against the nightmare that the families needing Hope House go through. The maxim's there go I but for the grace of God and thank God it is them and not us really do spring to mind, they shouldn't but they do. So all we can do is discreetly help; I am not a carer and work too many hours as it is, ask my wife! The best way for me / us to help is to provide funds to enable the Hope House team to carry on doing what they do best - they help, care, support and listen. We are delighted that the Head of Care for Hope House has bravely decided to join us on Round Britain, she is a lovely unassuming lady who will start the rally off on the Portland to Falmouth leg on Saturday 12th May. She came to Southampton on May 6th to meet for the first time six of the other seat takers, didn't know anyone, was very quiet, and she would agree slightly apprehensive; by the end of the day two things had happened (a) she had a big smile and really felt chilled and (b) whilst having a quick Guiness in Cowes between trips out had most of the 35 to 55 year olds wiping tears away - having gone around the hospices on several occasions you quickly feel very small and humble and in awe.
The common charitable theme running through the 2010 Great British RIB Rally is that competitors raise money for a hospice of their choice; Hope House is on my doorstep and like every other Hospice across the UK needs every penny it can get.
It costs £3.5 million a year to run both hospices which rely almost entirely upon donations. So please dig deep and sponsor the Cool Running team to help this worthy cause. In case the penny hasn't dropped yet, Cool Running was the film of the true story of the Jamacian Bob Sled team at the Calgary Winter Olympics; the meaning behind the name was peace be the journey, quite apt on several levels!
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