#quarterton – The success of the revived Quarter Ton Class has been nothing short of remarkable and the class continues to go from strength to strength. To mark the tenth anniversary of the revival a special edition of the Coutts Quarter Ton Cup will be hosted by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Cowes, from 25 to 27 June 2014. To mark the occasion the organisers are planning a memorable regatta, which will combine competitive racing with an expanded après sailing schedule. There will also be a specially commissioned souvenir programme with contributions from several key figures from the Quarter Ton Class past and present, as well as information on the competitors and the event. 40 boats are expected with teams travelling from as far afield as Hong Kong.
The Quarter Ton Class is without doubt one of the quirkiest, most diverse and eccentric in the world. With boats built to three very different iterations of the Quarter Ton rule over three decades from the mid '60s to the mid '90s, the boats range in size from the diminutive Waarschip, designed to the original 16' RORC Rating Rule to the 1992 Per Elisa, designed to the last 18.5 IOR rule. The Quarter Ton Class was the scene of some of the most daring and extreme design development the marine industry has ever seen, with designers using the class as a test bed for innovation. The net result is a delightful mix of boats with something to appeal to everyone in a fleet that now races as one under IRC.
The Quarter Tonners were also the proving ground for many of the biggest names in yachting and thousands of sailors around the globe have a special place in their heart for these funny little boats. When you look around a typical Quarter Ton Cup fleet there are plenty of great names to conjure with such as Jules Salter, Jason Carrington, Peter Morton, Rob Gray, Ed Dubois, David Howlett, John Welch, Ian Southworth, Kelvin Rawlings, Dave Lenz, Eric Williams and more recently the class has seen appearances from world Champions such as Stuart Childerley, Ian Williams, Andy Beadsworth, Annabel Vose and Kate Macgregor, to name but a few.
Part of the appeal of the revival class is that it is possible to get involved at very low cost. Whilst some owners have elected to put their boats into professional yards for restoration, many have found good boats at very low cost and have then restored them personally with help from friends and family. The class is always keen to encourage new members and in particular young sailors and the fleet is hugely welcoming, offering advice to any who seek it and good second hand equipment to incoming teams at little or no cost to help them get started.
Alongside the all too familiar faces, this year's event will see a number of teams making their maiden appearance at the Coutts Quarter Ton Cup. Ian Gibb's Laurent Giles designed Doom Bar andRoen Foolen's 1983 Fauroux designed Foolproof, will all be making their first appearance.
The organisers are delighted to once again welcome Coutts as title sponsor for the regatta. This is the eighth edition of the regatta run in partnership with Coutts whose support has been an integral part of the event's success.
Coutts Wealth Manager, Peter Burke said, "We are delighted to continue our sponsorship of this magnificent event. The organisation is outstanding, and the quality of the racing first class. The regatta provides an exciting backdrop to provide our clients and prospective clients with an unforgettable day on the water. Over the years we have got to know some of the owners and crew very well and are looking forward to meeting them and hopefully some new faces this year.
The regatta will commence with registration on the afternoon of Tuesday 24June with racing taking place over three days from Wednesday 25 to Friday 27 June. International Race Officer Rob Lamb will once again be in charge of proceedings on the water, where the fleet will sail a mixture of windward leeward and round the cans courses in the central Solent area. The social programme will start with a welcome party on the Tuesday evening and will conclude with a very special edition of the traditional Coutts Quarter Ton Cup Gala Dinner incorporating the prize giving on the Friday evening. There will be a daily prize giving and further social fun on the other two evenings at the Royal Corinthian's delightful Cowes waterfront clubhouse.
