BEING IN THE RACE

Peter Valentino sits with Adrian Gauci Borda, one of the SB20 Malta Association members, to discuss the Sport Boat 20 and the Association.

Nothing gives me more satisfaction than seeing the introduction and the development of a class of one design boats on the island. It’s a reminder of the good old days when Paul Ripard, who, through his love for the sport, had introduced the H-Boat Class. In those days, we had gone from two boats to six to eventually 13 identical boats, all locally built in the most meticulous of manners. These were raced every single weekend; without the complications of running rating certificates or working out results around a time factor because one of the benefits of one design is that the first across the line wins, the second is second; and so on.

Time passed, boat design changed, and eventually, the inclination pivoted toward the Sport Boat, a lighter and faster concept that offered sheer fun. The SB20, conceived in 2002 out of Tony Castro’s pen was a sudden success.

First, I can label Tony Castro as a round character, a person who designed anything from dinghies to Superyachts. A person who started his career under Ron Holland’s wing and who designed boats for dignified boat builders like Royal Huisman, Jongert, Palmer Johnson and Jeanneau, amongst others. Tony’s portfolio comes with a list of awards and winning boats; it’s a beautiful tribute to his life as an engineer as well as that of a naval architect. I can tell you how Tony, one of Portugal’s best talent sails – he does it with a smile; and rightfully so because 8,000 Tony Castro boats have been launched so far.

In choosing a boat, any organisation that wishes to develop a class locally ought to look at several aspects. Generally, the stimulus ignites after seeing a boat afloat or by being introduced to the Class through an event or boat show. Still, then things to consider are those of finance and cost, number of crew it takes, does it need to be available or not and does it meet the weather conditions of your home sailing area. To me, one intrinsic element that is often overlooked when making this choice is the strength of the international

association; because the future of the Class depends on that.

International associations are there not only to

propagate the Class in various nations and to ensure fairness through writing and updating Class Rules; but they’re there to ensure that events like European, Continental and World Championships are organised regularly. Ours is a vast and at times intricate sport where most International Classes organise their own European and World Championships together with Continental Championships like The Americas and Asia on the other side of the globe.

Now, it’s time to introduce to you the SB20 that was designed in 2002 as a one-design class with a predominantly racing personality. She’s 6.15m long, 2.15m wide, she draws 1.5m and weighs 685 kg. Her sail wardrobe includes a 18m2 mainsail, a 9.3m2 jib and an amazing 46m2 Gennaker that will see you sailing downwind with speed and thrill. Just as you’d talk of a pet or a bouncy child; she’s a bundle of joy, especially in a breeze. The excellent point is that she can take a crew of three to four people and if you want to organise a special event then you can take even a fifth on board, and I’ll amplify this thought.

Events are successful when the crew complement is made up of an even number, and the reason is that hotel rooms or even apartment rooms generally sleep two to a room. Hence, if you opt for a boat that can only and strictly take three crew members, you’d still need to book two rooms in a hotel. So, let’s say that the local association had to invite counterparts from overseas to an event here then two rooms at a hotel will make economic sense since the cost of two rooms will be shared by four and not by three. This is a salient point when considering what boat to go for, and the SB20 caters well for this.

Moreover, since space aboard is rather abundant, a fifth person can quickly be onboarded, and this could be ideal when the local Association decide to partner up with a corporate sponsor that from time to time would like to invite their office staff or guests to a sponsored event. We still don’t do much to this regard in Malta; it’s so widespread abroad, and I hope that it’s just a matter of time before this happens here. There are different ways of doing this, being that a company can choose to purchase a few boats for the association’s use, with an agreement in place of how much time they can have for their guests. Then there’s the other aspect where any sponsorship collected by the association will go toward the purchasing of boats.

The strength of any club or association all depends on membership and the number of boats. I believe that companies that purchase boats can benefit from tax incentives, mainly if these boats are being used for hospitality and event purposes; but this needs to be verified by tax consultants. Whatever it is, I’d like to use this piece to encourage companies to partner up with the sport of sailing; that is without a doubt a reputable sport; for many reasons.

I’ve been following the development of the SB20 Class in Malta, not only because I like the boats but because I look at the way, the ›

…they quickly realised that the SB20 inclusion in their racing calendar was a positive move for the sport

dedication and the eagerness it took to get it going with great admiration. Most of the sailors in the Class are friends of mine; so, I do hear what’s going on directly; rather than through the grapevine; however, to complete this piece I asked Adrian Gauci Borda, one of the SB20 Malta members a few questions.

Adrian, thank you for accepting this interview; all in the interest that our readers will get a full image of the SB20 Class Association in Malta. Where did the first boats come from; and who came up with the idea of forming an SB20 Class Association?

Interestingly, I was approached by my cousin, who wanted to purchase a boat. I knew of an SB20 that had been dormant and for sale since 2010, and to cut a long story short it was a swift purchase. At the same time, friends of mine were preparing a Beneteau 25 for the racing season, and that’s when we decided to form a Sport Boat division. After the first two races, Robert Ciantar purchased his very own SB20 and soon after that John Horn purchased four; so, with six boats this now was a point of no return – we had a class!

One of the founding members, John Horn, who owned four boats passed away just as the Association was in its initial stages. The Association survived this loss. How?

Yes, indeed so; John passed away soon after he purchased the four boats and his passing was a shock to all; it was so sudden and so unexpected. We joined forces and contacted fellow sailors, and luckily the four boats quickly got into the hands of new owners. Very interestingly, one boat was purchased by Grand Harbour Marina for the use of Superyacht crew members. One Superyacht Captain, who in the meantime retired and now lives in Spain, bought his very own SB20 and he flies to Malta every month to join in the races. Another, for instance, was purchased by three sailors from Birżebbuġa Sailing Club, and this is an excellent eye-opener toward the concept of shared ownership.

What relationship does the Association have with the various clubs around the island, and how often are races organised?

We have an excellent relationship with all clubs. Of course, initially, every club had what I call the fear of the unknown; but they quickly realised that the SB20 inclusion in their racing calendar was a positive move for the sport. Moreover, this venture was so successful that not only do we join in their events, but we also organise our own without being of any weight or burden on the clubs’ workforce, equipment or resources. We organise races once a month, and I must say that we’re delighted with the development and the progress; together with the interaction with club members who otherwise may not have the direct opportunity to experience the SB20 as a class.

Is the Association sponsored, and are you planning to attend or organise any international events?

We’re not yet sponsored, maybe we haven’t tried hard enough, but the points you raised in the preamble to this interview are worth considering. Nevertheless, we’re in this excellent position with thanks to the Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Grand Harbour Marina. I guess in the ideal world the other marinas ought to consider doing the same either by purchasing a boat or by sponsoring the Class. I’m only hinting ….! Imagine organising Inter Marina events with marina staff and marina patrons as crew.

Regarding events, we plan to venture to the World Championships that are scheduled to take place in Cascais, Portugal during September 2020. We’re going there not just to participate and to better our racing skills, but with the hope that we can promote Malta as a winter base for training purposes. Sports tourism is something we’d like to consider and cultivate; it’s good for the sport and much needed for the island.

How can anyone interested in sailing an SB20 contact the Association?

We’d be delighted to have more followers, and the easiest would be by reaching us via our Facebook page SB20 Malta Association. Also, I’m very open to receiving calls on +356 9942 3740.