Heats for the Honda / RYA Youth RIB Challenge on Friday, 30th May in Port Erin. Over the course of the day 7th Wave’s Powerboat Instructors Jon Quillin and Gordy Caren trained fourteen youngsters to handle 4.5m RIBs. The day was brought to a close with each youngster competing in a time trial around a course designed to test their boat handling skills and all of it was part of a UK wide competition.
The Honda RYA Youth RIB Challenge 2008 sponsored by Honda, Ribcraft, Icom and Indespension Trailers is a National Championship in which 8 – 16 year olds, can demonstrate their skills with the goal of winning a 4.8m Ribcraft RIB with a Honda 50hp engine on an Indespension trailer and Icom radio for their club. There are two classes: 8-12 years old and 13-16 years old. The competition takes the form of a time trial around a set of marks and the fastest time wins. The course is set such that skill and control, and not necessarily speed, are the most important factors. Each competitor has two runs, one as a practice run and one as a ‘hot lap’. Both runs are timed and the fastest time put forward.
The Regional finals, sixteen in all, are held by clubs and RYA centres throughout the British Isles. The Isle of Man Regional Final will be hosted by the Isle of Man Yacht Club in Port St Mary on Saturday 28th June. Winners from the Regional Final are eligible to compete in the National Final at the Southampton International Boatshow in September. Of the fourteen competitors in the 7th Wave heats the top three from each age group will go on to compete in the Isle of Man Regional Final.
All the youngsters which took part at 7th Wave were an absolute credit to themselves. Many of the entrants had no previous powerboating experience before attending the training day. After a relatively short training session which introduced them to the very basics of powerboating the youngsters put in some superb times around the course and demonstrated some impressive RIB handling skills.
The RYA is actively promoting youth powerboat training, the RYA Level 1 Powerboat Course is open to anyone aged 8 and over which can be followed up with the RYA Powerboat Level 2 course at the age of 12. These courses are run regularly at 7th Wave for youngsters, adults or family groups.
Overall Results
Age 8 – 12 Time 1 Time 2 Best Time (mins) Overall Place
Michael Moore 2.22 1.58 1.58 1
Sarah Butler 2.23 2.00 2.00 2
Annabel Chapman 2.34 2.12 2.12 3
Jacob Callow 2.48 2.27 2.27 4
Fraser Grant 2.29 2.42 2.29 5
Oliver Fleming 3.22 2.30 2.30 6
Matthew Petts 3.14 3.28 3.14 7
Ffinlo Wright 3.49 3.50 3.50 8
Age 13 – 16 Time 1 Time 2 Best Time Overall Place
Alex Sharpe 1.32 1.29 1.29 1
Robert Bowen 1.55 1.46 1.46 2
Jenny Scaife 1.56 1.48 1.48 3
Matthew Seaward 1.51 1.49 1.49 4
Alex Crowney 1.58 2.10 1.58 5
Robert Moreton 2.18 2.08 2.08 6