On Thursday August the 2nd Thames Raiders set out to break the Round the Goodwins Race Record of 3hrs 1 Minute set in 2011 by the 54' Rocketship Oystercatcher XX V111 owned by Essexman Richard Mathews. The Team consisted of the F18 Catamaran crewd by Simon Northrop and Harry Willett with a support Rib crewed by Lance Oram and Daniel Hawkes.
Starting last with the fastest class 1 boats in Ramsgate week and giving the staggered slower classes up to 1/2 hr head start the challenge was on but very early on the F18 was making swift progress through the fleet in a stiff 18 knot south Westerley, after just over 1hr 15mins the boys had overtaken every boat and rounded the first mark the south east Goodwin buoy off Dover in the lead. From here the challenge was immense as the sea state was huge and with the boat sailing dead downwind to the next waypoint slow was the fast way forward as if the boat was allowed to power up it would steam head long into the wave with deadly consequences, the F18 proved sea worthy still and held out for half an hour of punishment as even at half throttle the next mark quickly appeared as the tide was now running North and with a 40 degree turn to port for the next waypoint the course was a perfect broad reach with the waves calming down due to being in the lee of the famous sandbanks. This leg was a screamer and the Rib was struggling to keep up with boys who were averaging around 20 knots on this leg. With just two hours gone the boys rounded the final mark and with the finish line off Ramsgate nearly visible the record was certain to fall and even though a rain cloud had to be negotiated slowing the boat to snails pace near the finish the boys crossed the line beating the record by over 9 and a half minutes and over 1 hour in front of the first yacht a 44' racing sled. 
The challenge was the talk of the bar in the Royal Temple Yacht Club that evening and goes to show just how great theses sports catamarans are !!
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