Budworth Sailing Club

With one of the largest fleet of GP14s in the UK, Budworth SC has always been a strong supporter of the WLYC 24 Hour Race, held over the second weekend in September each year. Since its conception in 1967 Budworth has entered every year bar three.Often known as the Southport 24 hour race, this is the UK’s No.1 dinghy endurance race, hosted by West Lancs Yacht Club. The 24 Hour Race is the premiere opportunity for Sailing Club teams to compete for serious trophies and national status in 2-person dinghy sailing.

The event is only open to GP14, Enterprise and Lark Dinghies as these are evenly matched across the range of wind and weather conditions that prevail at Southport over a 24-hour period. The event regularly attracts entries of 70-80 teams from sailing clubs across the UK, and with at least 10 - 12 members per team, this event is a showcase for sailing clubs to circa 900 sailors.

With the desire to attract new members and to gain national prestige for Budworth SC, in the late 1980’s a consortium of Budworth SC members from across all fleets purchased a GP14 specifically for use at the 24 Hour Race. The objective was to have a dedicated, well-maintained boat that could stand the rigours of racing for 24-hours, through the night, in the hands of demanding sailors, and hopefully win the race. Over the years in excess of 100 Budworth SC members have currently contributed towards this goal.

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