Raymarine Supports Olympic Inspired Sailing Festival

Marine electronics manufacturer, Raymarine announced its involvement with the all new annual sailing festival, GJW Direct SailFest. Taking place in Weymouth, Dorset on the August bank holiday weekend at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA), SailFest has evolved to become a continuing legacy of the Olympic Games.

Commencing Friday, August 23 and running until Monday, August 26, there will be two days of handicap racing on the Olympic waters, with fleet starts for any class set to attract a significant number of boats. On Bank Holiday Monday, the event will culminate in the Raymarine Long Distance Pursuit Race, the winner being the boat that crosses the line first after exactly 2.5 hours of racing. Using a mixture of fixed navigation marks and inflatables, the race officer will set legs appropriate to all boats competing, from Picos to trapeze boats. All boats competing will be fitted with trackers and the course will be designed to ensure racing passes close to spectators on the shore, as well as the outer reaches of the harbor.

Ahead of the Raymarine Long Distance Pursuit Race, Raymarine will be holding a training day on Friday 23rd August, focussing on how to get the most out of your Raymarine Micro Compass, demonstrated by Raymarine ambassador Annabel Vose in her 470.

Used by many of the Olympic classes, Raymarine’s Micro Compass’ two tier, dual-angled screen displays the boat’s heading, how far above or below the mean course, and how much the boat is being lifted or headed. With this and the race in mind, Raymarine is offering a Micro Compass for the first boat to cross the finish line, and other additional spot prizes for the runners up.