Cowes Week 4-10^th August 2007

Skandia Cowes week saw two Artemis 20’s being sailed out of the UKSA under the Try A Boat feature of Cowes Week. Under the control of the UKSA instructors, there was much interest in the boats, and the reports were coming back that many boats would detour off their course to get a closer look and enquire about the boat.

Throughout the week individuals booked at the main booking point on the parade, and once they had made their way to UKSA, spent up to a couple of hours on the water. Many who were lucky enough to experience the boat first hand where so enthused about the boat that they would then book multiple sessions to get out again and again.

Whilst the programme was aimed at disabled sailors, there were also a handful of other sailors keen to try the boats as they were not as agile as they once were, with some seeing the Artemis 20 as a way to keep up their sailing.

The UKSA instructors were superb in their help and instruction of the boat, with many of them aiming to get down to the boats early to go and match race against each other early in the morning, and again help raise the awareness of the boat.

The profile of the boat was not only seen amongst participants of Cowes Week, as there was also media interest in the boats with footage on ITV Meridian and BBC South Today.

Throughout Cowes week, there was further communication with the UKSA who are now exploring the possibility further about the boats on a long term basis, with much enthusiasm from them for the UK side of the Even Keel Challenge being based out of their operation in Cowes.

The final Sunday saw an extremely successful test sail from Kerry Gruson of Shake-A-Leg in Miami, with Simon Rogers and David Allen-Williams from Rogers Yacht Design also in attendance. (See separate release).