The Eddystone Charity Sailing Pursuit is a truly corinthian event designed to raise money for charities nominated by the individual yachts which enter. The charities supported must “benefit the human condition” and have a Registered Charity Number.
Provided a yacht is equipped to sail a 26 mile offshore course from Plymouth Sound and back, and its entry falls within the criteria stated elsewhere on this web site, be it large or small, racing or cruising (or neither), old or new, entry is welcomed! There is an entry fee (detailed elsewhere on this website) and each yacht entering is required to raise sponsorship for its nominated charity.
The Eddystone Charity Sailing Pursuit is currently sponsored entirely by a private charitable trust and was first sailed in 2002. It is the third largest fund raising event in the South-west, having to date raised over £1 million, and over £70,000 on average for the past 5 years, benefiting many charities.
There is prize money to be acquired throughout the fleet in three categories, Individual, 3-Boat Team event and the 341 Smeaton Trophy Challenge. ALL yachts are automatically entered in the Individual event and then can become part of a 3 Boat team if they all sail for the same charity. If it is a single boat from a business with at least three members of the staff from the entering business sailing for one charity it can enter the 341 Smeaton Trophy Challenge, but not both Team and Challenge events. Each year there is a substantial sum of prize money to be distributed throughout the fleet, ALL of which goes to the charities nominated.
Afterwards the crews of all boats are invited back to the Supper and Prize Giving in the Eddystone Hall which is generously hosted by the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth.
We also have a photographer out on the water Paul Gibbins Photography.
The Pursuit currently has support from a number of ‘Friends’ and several Plymouth businesses. Allspars Ltd., Mayflower Marina, MDL and Plymouth Yacht Haven also provide trophies. Dartington Crystal (Torrington) Ltd has also donated a Trophy. The organisers are also very grateful for the long-term support of the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth and the ‘Friends’.
Sponsorship is raised by the yachts and it is for them to see that their sponsorship reaches their charity. The organisers reserve the right on a random basis to seek proof of authenticity and source of sponsorship. Alternatively the Just Giving Website and equivalents can be used.
All Prize Money won by the yachts is sent directly to the nominated charities by the Eddystone Pursuit’s Treasurer after the event.
History of the Event
The first Eddystone Charity Sailing Pursuit was intended as a fun day’s sailing for cruising yachts as part of the 175th Anniversary celebrations of the Royal Western Yacht Club, Plymouth. The private charitable trust, that still supports the event, made £5,000 of prize money available for charities and the yachts gathered £4,000 of sponsorship. The owners/skippers and crews were so delighted by the results that a similar event was requested the following year and thus the Eddystone Pursuit was born and has been sailed annually ever since.
Over the years the size of the participating fleet has increased and the amount of prize money provided by the Sponsor has more than tripled. The Pursuit each year now generates a very substantial amount of money for charities. From the outset the Sponsor required that the charities supported must ‘benefit the human condition’ to comply with their own Trust Deed and this has remained a guiding principle for the charities selected for support.
Originally the event had a ‘racing’ start but this so alarmed the skippers who were mostly totally un-used to finding themselves in a jostling mass of boats, that for everyone’s peace of mind the Pursuit formula was adopted and has remained ever since. Handicapped by the Sailing Officer, boats set off in small groups every five minutes. The event is sailed under the International Colregs. (no racing rules here) so there is ‘no shouting for water’! It is all designed for sailors who never race, but enjoy a days sailing with a great outcome – It is the largest charity sailing fund raising event in South-West England – Welcome to the Eddystone Pursuit.