For those of you not familiar with the history of the prestigious event, attached is a brief outline of the proceedings and a copy of the deed of gift.
The warning signal will be hoisted immediately following the SailPast and all craft will start at the same time.
Skippers are asked to register at the Clubhouse prior to the SailPast.
Members of the Commodore’s fleet will attach a red ribbon to the outboard end of their booms or their backstays.
An appropriate starting line will be set by the HY-SEAS III and the course will be posted aboard.
The team with the lowest total wins.
DEED OF GIFT
Not to be defaced and not to be
taken away without permission.
The Cup that is – not the Commodore!
“This notable and honorable Cup has a history with this community in as much as it has been through the millpond.
It was originally won by one of the first armchair Admirals, Capt.Orclah N. Sicnarf, who tonight offers it as a token of his appreciation for many Charlie Sea Horses which he has suffered whilst taking part in past regattas of this club.
It should be noted here that in past decades (more or less-more races lost and less races won) the donor received honorable mention for taking said Cup when he ought not to have done so.
It was like this: His noted Punt was manned by seven stalwart sailors, Captain Sicnarf at the helm. As the crew had no sailing experience they used paddles stolen from various canoes and other craft. There were other sailing Punts without sails manned with broken oars and pieces of flat wood, but through some mighty manoeuvre Sicnarf’s craft forged ahead, crossing the finish line so far in advance of the other craft that the roof of the old Club House became warped from the noise of the applause raised by those who witnessed the great feet (-this word is purposely used in commemoration of the unusually large feet of old Sicnarf, who used them (unknown to any other person in the world) to propel his boat, except the donor of this Cup. Also unknown to any other person; the Old Captain had attached buckets to the bottom of his competitors boats and thus curtailed greatly the speed of their boats, this, of course was absolutely in order because there were no rules observed in yacht racing in those days and so Captain Orclah N. Sicnarf always won”
Hence forth a tradition, despite the adoption of the RRS, was borne that the Vice Commodores Team wins the Trophy each year. The Trophy, in all its glory, is displayed in the Queen’s Room above the kitchen door.
