Taking centre stage in this summer’s line-up of 175th Anniversary events being hosted and run by the Royal Southern Yacht Club is the Club’s 175 Anniversary Open Regatta.

Incorporating both its regular May and June Summer Series Regattas, this special event runs from 25 May to 10 June and will comprise 16 days of activity ashore and afloat. Encompassing all classes of day boats, keelboats and ocean racing boats that regularly support the Club, the schedule even introduces some spectator-friendly model boat racing.

The programme also includes the 50th running of the Cowes-Deauville Race on 1-2 June with VIP guests and sailors from both sides of the Channel participating.  

To date the Royal Southern is anticipating that 33 classes and over 500 sailors will participate in what will be the largest gathering of competitive yacht racing ever run under its burgee, a real Solent spectacular.

Whale’s Orca Auto 1300 is the new addition to the ‘Intelligent Control’ range of bilge pumps from Whale. The Orca Auto 1300 follows in the footsteps of the Supersub Smart Range, where no additional field sensor or float switch is needed; rather they are integrated within the pump to ensure the most effective automatic bilge water removal. The submersible pump differs to the Supersub Range in that it is vertically stacked for larger vessels with a large footprint ensuring lowest water level detection and maximum surface area exposure to bilge water.  

Price: From £79  •  www.whalepumps.com

From refurbished changing rooms to new pontoons, 17 sailing clubs and centres across the country are celebrating after successfully securing funding through Sport England’s Inspired Facility Fund.

Part of ‘Places People Play’, Sport England’s programme to deliver a London 2012 legacy of increased mass participation in sport, Inspired Facilities is investing £50 million of National Lottery funding in up to 1000 community sports projects between 2011 and 2014.

Funding will help clubs to refurbish or upgrade sports facilities or to convert existing buildings into venues suitable for sport which are accessible to the whole community.