On 3^rd June, my co-helm (George Mitchell) and I will take my trusty Wayfarer open dinghy round the Isle of Wight.  It is part of a United Kingdom Wayfarers Association rally.  We will be starting and finishing at Calshot Activity Centre.

The journey is the equivalent distance of going from Dover to Calais 3 times and the intention is to complete the trip non-stop.  It could take anywhere from 10 to 18 hours.

There is no safety boat to escort us, but there are people on the Isle of Wight at various points that we have to check-in with by radio.

The 15ft 10in Wayfarer is a tried and tested design as you can see from Summer Cruise 1964 - YouTube, the classic film of Frank Dye's sail from Scotland to Norway via the Faroes in his Wayfarer, Wanderer, a boat that is now in the British Maritime Museum.

Yes it will be outside my comfort zone, but we are taking all recommended precautions and more.  If the wind drops, we will not be averse to starting the outboard motor.

If the weather forecast has a wind of Force 6 or more in it, then the rally will be called off.  However, I am asking people to sponsor me for the attempt anyway by donating to the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation (ASSF) via my Just Giving page.

The main focus of the Andrew (Bart) Simpson Sailing Foundation is to support disadvantaged young people, expand their horizons and improve young lives around the globe through sailing.

You may recall that I take part in the "Annual Bart's Bash", a global sailing race taking place at hundreds of venues, with thousands of sailors in hundreds of different classes of boat around the world.  This year it is taking place on 16^th and 17^th September, but I will not be able to take part at my local Sailing Club (Banbury SC). (More news on that later.)

The ASSF have kindly agreed to link the total raised in this Round the Island Rally sponsorship to the total raised by Banbury Sailing Club's "Bart's Bash" this year.

Thank you.

Andy Darby