Manx Sail Racer

For the second MSR sailor profile we speak to one of the islands leading big boat sailors Robin Wooton, who is currently preparing to fly the Manx flag at the 2009 Fastnet.

Name - Robin Wooton
Age - 47
Club - Douglas Bay and Isle of Man YC
Current Boat - Reflex 38 Cheetah and Cork 1720 Fruit & Nuts

What was your earliest sailing memory and how did you get started in sailing?
Started sailing at 3yrs due to father teaching sailing. An early sailing memory was my first single handed (unaccompanied) sail across Salcombe Estuary in Devon aged 8 yrs.

Most memorable sailing moment?
I have 2. When I realised we had won the 2 handed BMW Round Ireland Race.
When James Walker and I hit 21 knots boat speed in Cheetah heading for Tusker rock (SE Ireland) in a gale.

Most disappointing racing moment?
When Cheetah’s mainsail tore in two in the ’07 Fastnet with the consequential retirement.

Favorite on board race day snack?
Its got to be a Snickers bar!

What’s your number one essential item you need with you on the water?
A boat underneath you. Anything else is manageable!

Oldest piece of sailing kit?
25 yr old Victrinox knife- can’t use it anymore its completely seized!

Newest piece of sailing kit?
Latest pair of Musto HPX Ocean boots – so new I haven’t even tried them on yet.

What boats have you sailed over the time and which would you say is your favorite?
I’ve sailed most dinghies dating from the 60’s to the 90’s. Best bang for your buck has got to be a Dart 15 Sprint that I owned- I‘ve never laughed so much in a boat (never swam so much either!) The Reflex has got to be my best Cruiser, a huge sail plan and Dinghy style planing hull mean that she just keeps going faster the more wind you throw at her. Cheetah’s record is 22 knts, the unofficial Reflex record is 24 kts - so room for improvement!

What would you say is your best or hardest fought for result?
My best and most hard fought for result was winning the 2 Handed BMW Round Ireland race with Alan Bell. Psycologically hard as we “parked up” 5 times in the 800 mile race and physically hard - racing effectively single handed (as the other man is asleep) for a week!

Do you prefer sailing Dinghies or Cruisers?
They both have there advantages but ultimately I enjoy yachts more as you can share your fun for longer periods of time with a lot more people. Having said that I would definitely say that being a dinghy sailor for the first 25 years has made me a far more capable and competitive yacht racer.

What would be your dream boat to have a sail of?
It has to be a Volvo 70. I am a serious “speed freak” and nothing else comes close for me. 14 tonnes of boat doing 45 knots – awesome!!

What are your future sailing plans, any new boats or challenges on the horizon?
Buy yet another rig for F&N ( the design life for a 1720 mast seems to be around 3 to 4 years if sailed hard).
We have entered the Fastnet race this year with a mostly local crew. They are:
Robin Wootton, Sally Caley, James Walker, Pete Barlow, Robert Floate, Chris Hill, Steve Caley, John Roriston, Robin Cruickshank, Dave Pritchard.
The course runs from Cowes via Land’s End to Fastnet Rock (SW Ireland), then south to Bishop Rock off the Isles of Scilly and finishes in Plymouth. A distance of 604 nm. The start is on August 9th and we can be tracked from the Fastnet website www.fastnet.rorc.org if you wish to “follow us around”, we’ll be flying the flag for the Isle of Man.