Announcing our newly recruited Boat Captain
Mike Barham, from Gosport, Hampshire has been chosen to lead our intrepid crew.
Captain Mike, who has raced a variety of sizes of boats in places including Monaco, Cowes, Weymouth and Ireland, started his sailing adventures with 1st Southbourne Sea Scout Troop in Prinsted in 1980.
"My first boat, a wooden Mirror dinghy allowed my Dad and I the opportunity to sand and varnish, paint and service it together.
As a young scout I trained with The London Sailing Project, receiving recommendations for Watch Leader and the Scott Award and while at university (Portsmouth) Dad and I started out in keelboats, racing an International H-Boat, a National Sonata, and then a Mustang 30. We raced every year at Cowes from 1991 until 2010, only missing 2 years when I was out of town with the Army!
My wife and I bought our first boat together in 1999, and then our family cruiser in 2001, which we still have and sail together in the Solent. Our daughter, Rachel, now moors the boat up and confidently takes charge of her crew tasks, having had her first passage to the IoW aged 4 months.
Service sailing, either on the lakes in Germany, racing, or on Adventurous Sail Training has been a major part of my career. The RYA recognized my contribution to Service Sailing in 08, with a coveted community award presented by the Princess Royal, a very proud moment for my wife and I.
2011 Season has been one I have dedicated to two new challenges. Double Handed Racing being one - this has been very exciting sailing, with the highlights being a race to Weymouth, and a Round the Island Race, both in strong winds and always in good company!
Along this passage I have met some wonderful people, sailed in all but one of the countries I have visited with the Army, and have acquired the necessary RYA qualifications to make things happen. I am a Yachtmaster Instructor, Keelboat Coach, and Dinghy Instructor. The Boat Project will require the crew to master a wide range of multi-disciplinary sailing skills, it is a high performance boat, cruising in demanding waters, and we have our work cut out for us in making the passages safely and on time."