Hopes are high for a record entry in the 5th annual running of Thurso Bay Raft Race which this year is planned for 5th August at 1.00pm from Thurso Beach.

Winners for the last 2 years Johnson Controls are to come head to head with previous undefeated champions E&M Engineering.  Will the race be a battle of the giants, or will a new challenge emerge to take the day?

Copies of the rules and entry forms are available from Mike Martin or contact the Webmaster of the north coast branch of Coastguard Association.  Or write to any of the committee listed here.

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North of Scotland Water Authority sponsor Raft Race prize

Prize money for this years raft race has received a boost of £100.00 from the North of Scotland Water Authority (NOSWA) which is to be awarded to the 1st raft to cross the bay irrespective of handicap.  This special award should attract more entries to this years race.

The Glass Creations trophy will still be awarded to the overall winner of the race which takes the handicap into account.

Prizes as follows:

Glass Creations Trophy - Awarded for the fastest time (inc handicap).
Special Prize £100.00 - Sponsored by (NOSWA) for the first raft to complete the course
Class Winners                £75.00 + trophy
Class Runners up           £50.00 + trophy
Class Third Place           £30.00 + trophy
Best Constructed            Trophy
Best Dressed                  Trophy
Came in at a crawl        Wooden spoon

Competition to guess the time of winning raft (excluding handicap)            £75.00

Raft to collect the most sponsorship            Bottle of Old Pulteney Malt Whisky

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Thurso Bay Raft Race
1999

Thurso Bay Raft Race was again a great success with a large amount of money being raised for local worthy causes.

The quality of raft building for the race gets better as each year goes by, with all of the entries making it to the finish, even if one of them was minus a crew that had to be landed by one of the many safety boats at hand throughout the race.

As the rafts came across the bay, it became clear that two of them were pulling away from the rest of the flotilla, and by the half way mark the eventual winner’s had pulled out an unassailable lead and cruised in 4 minutes ahead of their second place rivals.

Our special guest Mr. Rab Taylor, Chairman of the National Coastguard Association made the presentation of Trophies and cash prizes to all the winning entries.

Mr. Alistair Jack, local coordinator of British Divers Marine Life Rescue, accompanied by BDMLR local secretary Jonie Guest accepted a radar reflector for their new rescue vessel. One of the many presentations that are made possible annually from money raised at the raft race.

Yet again, we must thank Ian & Maureen Pearson of Glass creations, Thurso, for their continued support in supplying the overall trophy. As with previous years the trophy was a true work of art and a worthy prize to win.

Paddles                -             Fixed oars

Out of Controls         1st          Trashy Women

Vulcan Store           2nd         Thurso Police

Brasses Babes         3rd          Ormlie Motors

Best Dressed - Scrabster Harbour Trust

Best Constructed - Trashy Women

Came in at a Crawl - 1^st Scrabster Sea Scouts

Guess the time - Wilma Munro

Most Collected - Trashy Women

The winner of the GLASS CREATIONS trophy for the overall winners was 
‘Out of Controls’ 
in a new record time of 17min 48sec.

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Branching out

Mike Martin has informed newsletter that the north coast branch membership is expanding on Orkney. Present numbers are now approaching 50, which is oddly enough the age most of our membership are pushing!!

Latest arrivals are John Adams and Ian Hemmings from Pentland Coastguard.

With the ever increasing interest in the association on Orkney, newsletter will try to develop more content for our readership over the firth to enjoy.

Items for inclusion into newsletter are very welcome, and will be printed both here on the web-site, as well as hard copy in 'Newsletter'.

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Sea Cadets presentation

Members of the North Coast branch recently made a presentation to the Thurso Sea Cadet unit of navigational equipment which will help with their task of plotting positions on charts.

The equipment which was supplied by Kevin Hughes (Glasgow) was handed over to PO David Mowat by local Chairman, Gordon Mackenzie who was accompanied by members Mike Martin, Alison Smith, Brian Cardosi and Donald Bain.

Mike Martin, who is the full-time Sector Officer based at Thurso is currently running a navigation course in the sea cadet unit for operational waterborne instructors.

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