Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2015 | Page 43

ON THE WATER

Safe boat storage at Bembridge

B

embridge Harbour, under
Fiona and Malcolm
Thorpe’s ownership
since 2012, continues with
its regeneration programme,
including a rolling schedule
of dredging which maintains
depths of two metres at
mean low water springs, and
installation of new and extended
pontoons. On-shore, plans are
being finalised for new showers,
toilets and laundry facilities.
A sister business, Bembridge
Boat Storage, is now looking
forward to its third season; the
art of lifting a 30 foot sports
boat or RIB, weighing up to five
tons, out of the water and into
the custom built racking system
30ft in the air inside their storage shed is
made to look too easy with their purpose
made forklift.
With their storage shed fronting directly

onto the Harbour and with its own
holding pontoon, this highly specialised
and professional business provides a
top end service to its customers which is
unique on the Island - boats are launched

on demand at an hour’s notice,
and have a fresh water wash
down after use before being put
away.
Keeping your boat inside a
clean, dry, secure shed means
no anti-fouling, no UV damage,
reduced maintenance costs,
higher resale value and peace of
mind. Surely for RIBS and sports
boats there can be no better way
to go power-boating - so why
wouldn’t you?
The shed has been full to
bursting this winter, but come
April 1 there will be capacity to
accommodate new customers’
boats inside, as well as a new
service of lower priced external
storage. Flexible storage
packages are available, from daily
launching arrangements, over-winter
storage to summer holidays only use. Tel:
01983 872828.

Entries open for 'Round the Island'

E

ntries have now opened for
this year’s The J.P. Morgan
Asset Management Round the
Island Race, which will take place on
Saturday, June 27, with a first start
time scheduled for 7am.
The showpiece event is organised
annually by the Island Sailing Club in
Cowes, and thousands have competed
since the race was first held in 1931
with entry numbers peaking at 1,908
in the 80th Anniversary year in 2011.
Since then, the race has enjoyed
steady entry numbers averaging
1,500 boats and around 16,000
sailors competing annually. One of
the unique attractions of the race is its
even-handedness and the opportunity
for Olympic and World champion
sailors to be racing alongside
amateurs, families and club sailors of
all ages.
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust
is delighted that it will remain the
official charity of the J.P. Morgan Asset

Trust over the last three years. The
money raised has given 378 young
people in recovery from cancer the
chance to rebuild their confidence
through sailing on the Trust's fourday yacht adventures around the
Solent on the South Coast and in
Largs, Scotland.
Dame Ellen MacArthur said: "The
Round the Island Race is a unique
event in the UK sailing calendar,
and a race which I've been part of
for many years now and in many
different boats. It’s a wonderful
Dame Ellen MacArthur receives a cheque from
spectacle which the 25 young people
ISC Commodore Mark Wynter for the total funds
we take out on the water each year
raised to date for the Trust through its partnership
absolutely love. I sail on one of our
with the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the
five boats each year, and the race is
Island Race. Picture by Mark Lamble.
an inspirational and important event
for us. At the Ellen MacArthur Cancer
Management Round the Island Race for a
Trust we are all very proud of our
further two years.
partnership with the Round the Island
The Island Sailing Club and the
Race and the outstanding support the
competitors in the Round the Island Race
competitors have shown the Trust over
have helped raise over £189,000 for the
the years.”
www.visitilife.com

43