Robots set to work at Falmouth Sailing Week 2024
by Jane Wright 8 Jun 11:09 BST
10-17 August 2024
MarkSetBot shines On-Water for America's Cup © MarkSetBot
Falmouth Sailing Week will be only the second regatta in the country to have GPS controlled robots for race marks on the water as this August.
The Port of Falmouth Sailing Association (PoFSA) have now partnered with five key sponsors and the six yacht and sailing clubs in Falmouth, to bring the racing for the Bay Fleet during Falmouth Sailing Week into the 21st century. This initiative driven in response to feedback from competitors for better options for course laying and a social commitment to making the best fit environmental choices.
When placed in position, the MarkSetBots remain in place using a battery-driven electric motor, in response to commands from a computer operator within the committee boat team.
The MarkSetBots which will be supplied by Fourth Cape Ltd in Cowes are not anchored and will not impact on the seabed. This reduces the workload on volunteers in the Bay support boats from anchoring traditional marks and subsequently adjusting their position, to towing them out to the race area before racing and towing them back into harbour after racing.
Course changes in response to wind shifts and changes in wind speed are carried out by the operator keying in the new coordinates on his computer; the robots then move automatically, at approximately 3.5 knots, in immediate response to those commands. This is much quicker and less physically demanding than the traditional method of pulling up anchors in 20 to 25 metres of water and relaying the marks. This procedure is never easy and depending on the skill of the mark layers, marks when moved may need to be re-set more than once. This increases the waiting times between races for the competitors.
In addition, traditional marks can sometimes break out their anchors and move, as the tide rises or the wind speed increases, and this can cause abandonment of races. Unnecessarily long waiting times between races or abandonments are never popular with competitors. The organising race committee has decided that this year, racing in the Bay will take place on a trapezium course. This will require seven of these robots.
The batteries in use on the MarkSetBots last at least eight hours in normal use, with top-ups during the day by integral solar panels, but will need to be fully charged overnight using a normal shore power charging point, such as those found in any marina. The environmental benefits are obvious and include:
No anchoring, so no damage to the sea bed. No carbon fuels used by the bot engines and solar panels are used to top up the batteries during use.
PoFSA hopes to roll out this method of course laying to cover both racing fleets in future years. It takes partnerships to make it all happen. For Falmouth Sailing Week 24 that comes with the support of Cornish Lithium PLC in Penryn. They are at the forefront of a sustainable and environmentally responsible extraction industry in the UK, for those minerals that can contribute to the global goal of decarbonisation through clean growth and a transition to a green economy. Their partnerships with industry, academia and events support innovative thinking that foster new approaches to dynamic challenges.
Likewise, Cornwall Council through the Fal and Helford S106 fund which helps to protect the habitats and features from recreational pressures have also chosen to support the PoFSA initiative.
Pendennis Shipyard Ltd and Mylor Chandlery and Rigging have also shown their support of local sailing events for many years. They have both stepped up once again, to champion the racing in Falmouth and continue to create strong partnerships between local business and leisure by sponsoring a MarkSetBot each.
Further afield, Marlow Ropes from East Sussex are committed to supporting the marine scene and are first time sponsors of Falmouth Sailing Week 24.
The Royal Cornwall Yacht Club are very kindly providing the berthing and charging facilities for the seven MarkSetBots throughout Falmouth Sailing Week.
Falmouth Sailing Week 24 runs from August 11th through to August 17th - see falmouthweek.co.uk/sailing-week