Photos & Video: 2011 Seagull Boat Race
This past weekend a Seagull Race was held at the Spanish Point Boat Club, with a total of 13 boats turning out, and 11 finishing.
In the Sport Class first place went to Longa Knots [Stephen Roberts & Kelsey Durham], and second place went to to Hewhoknows [Jason Whitecross & H.Henderson]
Slippery [Micheal Bean & C.Bean] placed first in the New Motor Class, while Bitedebullet [H.Conyers & H.Conyers[ finished second.
In the Old Motor Class first place went to alittletwisted [J.Anfossi & M.Anfossi], and in the Dinghy Class first place went to Quantum [Brian & Vicki Lightbourne], while Soapsuds was in second.
Click to enlarge photos:
bernews do you have anymore pictures?
Sorry no we don’t, we just managed to catch these few by accident. However, looking forward we asked the Seagull folks to let us know in advance next time there is a race so we can do it properly in future…
Now this is a uniquely Bermudian sport which has roots over fifty years old. It started typically with a “my boat is faster than your boat” between Devonshire Bay, St Davids, & Hungry Bay seagull owners. It has style. It has character. It has no Government funding (doesn’t need/want any). You can drink while partaking in it. What could be better?
The Kiwis have something very similar to this but it would be interesting to know if they got their idea from us .
I thought the idea originated with the old St David Islanders and their locally made dinghys used for towing nets powered by 1 to 4 HP olde tyme British Seagulls.
The entertainment factor in this is huge and the names for the boats demonstrates the best of Bermudian humour ..something that we seem to be loosing all too fast.
Being a Hungry Bay Bye & old enough to remember lots of tar on our rocks I have had an interest in the seagull racing from the days when there was only the round the island race which started outside of Devonshire Bay each year. This when there were traditional dinghys only, mid 60s. At some point somebody entered with a sailing dinghy type hull & the rest is history.
started between “skeets” and “ghost”