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If you want to be in the photos this is the rig to do the job. Mike Greville’s late-70s Bowman 44 Skadi on her way out through Hurst at the start of the 2021 Fastnet in which she finished 34th in IRC Class 4. Skadi was rebuilt at Corby Yachts two years before with new outer skins and extensive core replacement for both hull and deck
Force for good
As the Commodore touches on in her column, Mike Greville will shortly stand down at the end of his six-year term as Admiral. But this is six years among no fewer than 27 years of being active on various RORC committees. The Admiral has played such a significant part in the club’s evolution over more than three decades, I thought it only appropriate to ask one of his close friends and longtime sailing partner David Tydeman to pull together some thoughts. David promptly enlisted two other friends of Mike, Craig Niven and Peter Harper-Hill, to share the load... So over to the three of them. On behalf of the many who have enjoyed sailing with Mike over the past three or four decades – and on behalf of the members of whom many will not know Mike well but simply appreciate his huge contribution to the club over more than 25 years – it is a pleasure for us to pull together this little thank you. A true Corinthian sailor, always running his yachts with friends,
family and extended family, Mike first joined the club’s main com- mittee in 1997 following his father’s footsteps (vice-commodore in the mid-’70s). Mike moved to treasurer, vice-commodore then com- modore in 2012-2014. He has been Admiral for the last six years and when he steps down at the end of this year he will be very much missed. During 20 years on the committee he has been an anchor for the club and never afraid to express his opinions – as many will testify. Throughout he has been a consistent guardian of the ethos and
fundamental purpose of the RORC in international offshore racing. His legal mind and wise counsel have helped to ensure that this club has evolved, developed and prospered over the last 20 years against an ever-changing background. Mike has always been very competitive on the water. A great
skipper, outstanding seaman and terrific company. Those who have sailed with him have all been lucky in life. It was no surprise when the call went out for the RORC dinner this year that within 48 hours three tables of 12 had been filled with friends and family, many flying in from overseas. The atmosphere on his boats has always been upbeat, full of hope and expectation and fuelled by a healthy dose of irreverent humour – and by the odd tincture. The Ker 39 Erivale III was Mike’s best-known yacht. He raced her
for more than 12 years; she was also a nice tribute to his family’s past (Erivale is an anagram of his grandmother’s name – Valerie). Upgraded with modifications to keel and rudder and always with good sails, the yacht was just the right size for family and friends to sail well. Chosen as a follow-on to the DK46 which Mike ran for a few years before the Ker, this 40-footer gave the family a great platform
for enjoyable and successful racing. The larger DK46 had been interesting… and at times quite testing, not least to keep the rig on the boat and the sea on the outside of the hull where it belonged. A fan of IOR designers of the 1960s and ’70s – Dick Carter being
one about whom several books adorn Mike’s home – it was not a surprise to see Mike later restore his good-looking 40-year-old Bowman 46 ketch Skadi for family cruising. But, named as she is after the Norse goddess of hunting, Mike decided to add one more Fastnet on Skadi in 2019 to an already impressive total. With the restoration not yet ‘fully tested’ the 2019 Fastnet was quite a stretch – typical of Mike’s solid Corinthian enthusiasm to just get cracking. It was also a tough challenge for the not-quite fully functioning hydraulic steering – especially downwind back from the Rock. Starting the 2021 Fastnet Skadiunder trysail and storm jib offered
some rare colour for photos in the driving rain and wind in the Solent that year; but it was no surprise when Mike later concluded that Skadiwas better suited to cruising in Ireland, Scotland and beyond where many of us enjoyed a wonderful summer onboard this year. Thank you, Mike, Sam and the girls for all the experiences,
hospitality, forbearance and good humour over so many years. And thank you, Craig and Peter, for helping me put pen to paper.
Maltese delight This year’s Rolex Middle Sea Race attracted 110 entries represent- ing 29 countries, from Australia in the south to Finland in the north, from the United States in the west to Hong Kong in the east. Four of the top 10 overall finishers on IRC are also already confirmed Admiral’s Cup entries for 2025. And as we talk about trying to attract more young people into the
sport, overall winner Carl-Peter Forster, owner of Red Bandit, is doing exactly that. The Red Bandit campaign provides a pathway for young athletes under the Forstar Offshore Foundation set up by Carl to encourage keen dinghy sailors to develop as ‘big boat’ offshore racers. With the principal exception of Forster and tactician Jesper Radich, all the Red Bandit crew are under 30. Red Bandit will be part of a German team at Cowes in July. Second overall on IRC was Teasing Machine, winner of the 2022
Middle Sea Race and also entered for Admiral’s Cup 2025. Other confirmed AC 2025 entries taking part included Germany’s Black Pearl (6th). Of course there are many more strong crews we expect to see in Cowes, but who for now are staying below the parapet. Jeremy Wilton, CEO
q SEAHORSE 81
CARLO BORLENGHI/ROLEX
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