2000 July
Coastguard Raft Race
Eleven rafts made it to the starting line at Thurso beach on Saturday
for the sixth annual race organised by local coastguards. David
Lord, commodore at Pentland Firth Yacht Club, fired the starting
flare and first across the line at Scrabster was "Out of Controls",
entered by Calder fish merchants, in a time of 21 minutes and 6
seconds.
They won the Glass Creations Trophy and £100 donated by the
North of Scotland Water Authority. The first fixed-oars vessel was
E. & M. Engineering. Marray Coghill won £70 for the closest
guess to the winning time.
Inspector John Grierson, of Northern Constabulary, and his wife
presented the prizes during a raft race dance at the New Weigh Inn
Hotel on Saturday evening.
The event raised more than £2000 which will be split between
the benevolent Coastguard Association and local causes.
Pentland Firth Yacht Club Junior (above) won the best constructed
raft,
made by the team of boys aged 10-13 years.
Results -
Paddles: 1, Out of Controls; 2, Pentland Firth Yacht Club Junior
Section; 3, Rolls-Royce.
Fixed oars: 1, E. & M. Engineering; 2, 'Trashy Women; 3, Northern
Constabulary.
Best dressed: Scrabster Harbour
Best constructed: Pentland Firth Yacht Club Junior Section