THE SKIPPER:

Personal Details

NAME                      Richard Smurthwaite -  ‘SMURF’

NATIONALITY          British                   

DATE OF BIRTH       17-Oct-57

Background

Brought up on the South Coast of England where started sailing at an early age. 

Sailed Mirrors, Herons (Worthing         Beach and Shoreham Harbour) and  Bosuns (Cobnor Point) with 8th Worthing Sea Scouts.
Mirrors and Wayfarers with St Andrew's School Sailing Club.
Sailed and raced own Scorpion locally for many years.
Co-owns Westerly Fulmar based in Fareham, Portsmouth since 1998. Extensive cruising of Solent, Channel, Channel Isles and Northern France and Brittany.

Richard holds a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore certificate and a Yachtmaster Ocean (astro navigation/weather) theory certificate. He has also completed a RYA sea survival course and has recently taken a refresher RYA first aid course.

Recent attainments

  - Watch leader on IMX 38 competing in RORC races during 2000 and 2001 including:

• De-Guigand Bowl

• Morgan Cup

• Myth of Malham

• St Malo

• Fastnet  

  - Skippered in the ‘Round the Island Race’ in 2001, 2002, 2005 

  - Bought and sailed new Pogo 2 since May 2003.

  - 2004 Double-Handed Mini-Fastnet with Pete Marshall.