There are just four days left to take advantage of the early entry discount for BEW and save yourself £5.  We have held last year's reduced fees and camping in Sin City is free.  The Pimms is on order and sunshine guaranteed(!)

Doh - forgot the link!  It's: http://www.utsc.org.uk/index.php?id=323

Hi everyone.  Don't forget this great event starts on Saturday 29th May, which is also a De May series day.  Why not get your 'pride and joy' to the club after the Inland's this weekend?  QM is not that far away....

Sin City will be open for all you eager campers, with plenty of social events to while away those hours after racing, so lets hope the weather's kind to us....and my mast turns up in time!

For a long time I have wondered...why is it called 'Sin City'? Is there a specific tale of embarrasment/filth, or has this name just been invented? Spill the beans!

That's a very good question.  I don't know the answer, but will try to find out....

Trust me. The name Sin City is very apt and we are not talking about the excessive amount of alcohol consumed there either..........

So that just leaves lechery, sloth, avarice, anger, envy and pride. Faites vos jeux, svp.

I don't think there'll be much of the first three, but there'll be plenty of the last three during the racing, no doubt.  If you're talking about Sin City though, that's anybodies guess.

Chris, it's over to you......

I cannot of course comment on rumours but maybe Stew Gurney would like to do so.........!In the 1980s, Sin City was (let us say) a lively place after hours. Often very bad after the Cocktail Party

What about the nineties and noughties?  Is it still a den of iniquity?

I cirtainly was party central in the Nineties, but one year we got a roasting from the club house for making too much noise at about midnight. It has never been the same since. I gave up camping there for about 5 years after and tried again a few years ago. It was fun but not what it used to be. Besides, I am a married man now so have to behave myself.

Still worth camping though for no other reason than to make the most of the functions at the club.

If you haven't already done so, you could make more time on the Saturday morning for pitching the tent (free camping) by entering online in advance - https://www.sailracer.co.uk/events/enter-v2.asp?eventid=51590

If you want to leave boats at the club after the Inlands this can be arranged.

Right then, more on the Sin City story......

Sin City was named by an American lady who was part of a Rater crew back in the 80's.  Apparently when asked where she was staying, she pointed to the other side of the railway line and said "over there in Sin City".  When trying to find out more at the club over the weekend, I was told that it started with the Merlin's (and spread to the Raters) who were responsible for the raucousness/debauchery that went on in Sin City, but it has calmed down since most are now married and have kids camping there!  As Chris said, the name is very apt......Nice to know that the Merlins are responsible though!  

If you've ever looked at the British Pathe footage of "Cowes on Thames", as it was fondly referred to back in the 20's, you'll appreciate just how important BEW is to us.  There's some great footage from 1926 of boats coming down to the finish at the club house, just as we do now, but fortunately there's no need to wear a jacket and tie while racing any longer!