Competition

Win a day sailing with Alex on the People's Boat Class 40

We will be making regular prize draws from all the sponsors of the People's Boat. Each square = 1 entry in the draw, so the more squares you have, the better your odds (www.peoplesboat.com). Also as we are still in the early days of the campaign, the odds of winning are also greater.

We will make the draw on the first of each month for the next six months and the lucky winners will be announced and notified by email.

The sailing day will take place in the Solent during the Summer.

An opportunity to join the campaign, help Cancer Research and have the chance of a blast out on the boat.

Good Luck

Radio Show Podcast

You can listen to the Radio Show 'Yacht Blast' which interviewed Alex on Sunday 29/11/09.

Click on the link to listen - Radio Show

Press Release - David Thomson

PRESS RELEASE 25 Nov. 09
British yachtsman, Alex Alley, was the sixth entry to sign-up for the Global Ocean Race 2011-12 and while the total number of confirmed entries now stands at nine Class40s, Alex is the second team to formally announce a co-skipper for the circumnavigation. Earlier this week, he verified that Gosport based, offshore sailor, David Thomson, will be co-skipper in The People’s Boat campaign (http://www.peoplesboat.com/).
Thomson competed in the Portimão Global Ocean Race 2008-09 taking third place in the double-handed class with Jeremy Salvesen, an adventurer and entrepreneur, on the Akilaria Class40, Team Mowgli. “David has just got back to me and said ‘Let’s do it’,” explained Alex on Tuesday. There were two potential co-skippers, but the choice of Thomson was fairly straightforward. “The reason I chose David was due to his immense Class40 experience,” explains Alex. “He’s also like me and he’s in it to get a result and do very well. We’re not planning to cruise around,” assures Alley.
Thomson – aged 34, five years younger than Alley – has very broad experience as a professional racer, sailing teacher and project manager. He has broken several world speed records as crew on the maxi-catamaran Playstation, competed in the America's Cup and Classic British Yacht Regattas and has also sailed on many of the latest generation IMOCA Open 60s, including Hugo Boss currently being campaigned by his brother, Alex. Added to the enormous number of offshore miles logged in the Portimão Global Ocean Race, this accumulated knowledge will be invaluable on board the duo’s Class40. “David has all the right experience and I’m happy to go to sleep and let him drive the boat and I know that he’ll make the right decisions while I’m asleep and I’m certain he feels the same way about me,” confirms Alley.
For Thomson, the partnership with a sailor who has extensive and diverse experience racing Global Challenge yachts, Mini 6.50s and Class40s presents a second opportunity to race around the planet. "The Portimão Ocean Race was challenging, but fun and exhilarating,” says Thomson, who is currently based in the USA working with David de Rothschild’s conservation campaign on board the recycled plastic catamaran, Plastiki (http://www.theplastiki.com/). “I am looking forward to repeating this experience in the Global Ocean Race and working in a competitive team,” he adds. “Alex has proven successful as an offshore sailor and enjoys the adventure that racing a Class40 brings as much as I do."
Race Director, Josh Hall is particularly pleased to welcome Thomson back for the second edition of the race. “David is a fantastic offshore sailor with a wealth of experience and this duo will be a formidable entry in the race. It is very rewarding for us all that we have yet another sailor from the 2008-09 event returning for the next race,” he said. “On a personal note, David is a close friend and I am delighted that he will be competing again as we will get to spend some more time with an exceptionally good guy!”

Radio Show

Just been interviewed by Gary Brown from Island 92 FM.

Yacht Blast is broadcast online at Island 92. It goes out on Sundays and afterwards will be available as a podcast.

There will also be a copy on the People's Boat website.

Thanks very much Gary

Co Skipper Announcement

People's Boat are pleased to announce their co skipper for the Global Ocean race 2011/12.

David Thomson will join Alex on the Class 40 and they will race together for the next three years.

34 year old David from Gosport, has a wealth of racing experience. The younger brother of Alex Thomson, who skippers the Open 60 Hugo Boss, has already raced around the world in the Portimao Global Ocean Race and brings with him a lot of Class 40 experience.

'We are in this race to get a result - not just finish.' Between them they have a massive amount of ocean racing experience to draw on and together will be working on getting the most out of their Class 40.

Ramsgate Week

Good News

The People's Boat has been booked by the Royal Temple Yacht Club to act as the host yacht for the event sponsors. Although we will not be racing in the event, we will be out on the water demonstrating to the sponsors what the boat is capable of.

Come down and see us in Ramsgate next August 26-21

Website

The website keeps going from strength to strength. Yakimbi, the designers, have done a fantastic job in getting the pixel layout sorted as well as keeping the regular updates going. If anyone wants a top notch website designed and hosted then these are the guys to do it. Very professional, and dedicated group of people.

We are very lucky to be working with them as they 'get' the whole idea behind the campaign and are quick to respond to any changes.

Thanks Andrew and the team

Business Scene Berkshire Network Evening

What a great evening.
We were invited by Daniel McLaren to attend the Berkshire Business Scene networking event last night at Reading Audi.
There were around 70 business people there and what a buzz there was. The interest in People's Boat was fantastic with many people offering support both on a presonal level and also on a business level. I think the offer of a day out sailing on the race boat, AND the chance to bring along clients swung it for many people.
Also the charity donation at the end of the race proved very popular with everyone.

We expect the campaign to begin gathering momentum, especially after meeting with one particularly interesting gentleman - Graham Hill, who I look forward to chatting to again in a week or so's time.

Watch this space...

New T Shirts

As well as receiving our new Polo shirts and Musto jackets today, we also got a box of printed T shirts. Also available to buy at £10 each plus postage.

Team Clothing

We have just received our first delivery of embroidered team clothing from Wild Group and it looks FANTASTIC.

The jackets are light grey Musto snugs with the Global Ocean Race logo and the People's Boat logo embroidered on the front. There is a union jack on the right sleeve and the website on the back under the collar.

There are also some rather nice white polo shirts with a dark blue flash at the top of each arm, again they have the same embroidery as the jackets.

If you want to buy any, the jackets are available for £145 each plus postage and the polo's are £35 each. Drop me an email at alex@peoplesboat.com

Another sponsor for the People's Boat

We would like to welcome on board 'Strawberry Fields' hotel in Brighton as the latest sponsor on the People's Boat.
A great hotel only a stones throw from the pier with plenty of rooms. Ideal for a short break and a stroll along the beach. The first hotel in Brighton to offer 'brunch in bed!' with breakfast delivered to your room.
http://www.strawberry-fields-hotel.com/index_1.html

Yesterday we collected our first consignment of clothing from Wild Group in Southampton. They have done a great job in transferring Chads images onto the new jackets and shirts. Thanks to Kizzy there for helping it all go through smoothly.

Unfortunately, due to a spate of sickness, todays planned meeting with Cancer Research has been delayed until next week, after which we hope to have a major sponsor on board soon.