Displaying items by tag: Blue Belt

31st May 2019

New UK Marine Conservation Zones Create ‘Blue Belt’ Eight Times Bigger Than London

Dublin Bay prawn on subtidal sand at South Rigg in the Irish Sea, one of the UK’s new marine protected areas

Forty-one new marine conservation zones on England’s coast will create a ‘blue belt’ of protected waters for marine wildlife eight times the size of greater London, as the Guardian reports.

The string of new protected areas runs from Bournemouth to Goodwin Sands in Kent and covers 12,000 sq km of marine habitat, bringing to 355 the total number of marine protected areas around Great Britain.

New sites in the Irish Sea include South Rigg, between the Ards Peninsula and the Isle of Man, which is a habitat for Dublin Bay prawns and ocean quahogs; and Queenie Corner east of Dundalk Bay, which is home to sea cucumbers and brittle stars.

Despite criticism that activities such as dredging are still permitted in zones that fall outside of inshore waters, conservationists say that the initiative has been making a difference in a number of vulnerable areas.

The Guardian has more on the story HERE.

Published in Marine Wildlife

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SB20 (formerly Laser SB3) information

Designed by Tony Castro, the SB20 is a British-built strict one-design 6.15m keelboat conceived as a wide appeal, affordable, competitive sportsboat for teams of three or four sailors. It is also, arguably, the most successful sportsboat in the world with 800 owners competing regularly in a programme of exciting local, national and international events.

Originally known as the Laser SB3, the SB20 continues to deliver on its pioneering promise: a boat that is fun, fast and easy to sail by anyone of any age; the best value-for-money sportsboat in the market.

The Laser SB3 was designed by Castro and launched in 2002. In 2007 the Laser SB3 was awarded ISAF Recognised Status and the first World Championships were held in Ireland in 2008. In 2012, Tony Castro appointed a new builder, Sportsboat World. At this time, the Laser SB3 was renamed the SB20 and building was returned to the UK from Malaysia. The ethos of the class continues.

The boat is a strict one-design class, economic to buy and campaign, easy to sail with a simple deck layout and electric downwind performance delivered by the generous sail plan. The boat has a lifting keel, can easily be launched from a slipway and towed behind a family car.

Previous SB20 World Champions

2008 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Roger Gilbert, Roz Allen & Sarah Allan

Host National Yacht Club, Dun laoghaire, Ireland

2009 GBR: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heeley

Host Clube Naval de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal

2010 GBR: Jerry Hill, Grant Rollerson, Joe Llewellyn

Host Circolo Vela Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy

2011 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Andy Ramus, Ian Mills & Emma Clarke

Host Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Torquay, UK

2012 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Lesley Dhonau, Roger Hudson & Asenathi Jim

Host Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Queensland, Australia

2013 GRB: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heley Host COYCH Club, Hyeres, France