Gumball Sponsor Deauville Rally

spectre racing · 06 August 2005, 20:09

I attach a copy of an email from Maximillion Cooper founder of the gumball rally:

Dear Gumballers,

With our passion for all things fast, furious and eccentric we've begun supporting and sponsoring athletes and events that we
believe fit our style, philosophy and attitude to living life to the full.

So in the coming months expect to see pioneers of all action sports adorning the 'Gumball 3000' logo with pride, from racing
drivers to BMX riders, pilots to snowboarders; if they are living life to the max and need a helping hand to achieve their passion,
then Gumball will do our best to give them a helping hand!

And kicking off our support of similarly creative, innovative and wild events, we are sponsoring the first Gumball style race on
water, the "Gumball 3000 Deauville Rally". Starting at London's Tower Bridge on September the 2nd next month, powerboats,
hovercrafts, and boats of all shapes and sizes, sunseekers and ribs are all racing for 3 days to Deauville in France (en route to
Paris) stopping at various points to refuel and party.

Please see the attached file that will tell you more about it. There is still the opportunity to take part yourself, and even if you
don't own a powerboat and have never tried your hand at speeding on water, it is possible to rent something suitable for the
race, take a look at the packages available on the attachment.

This is definitely not for the fainthearted especially if the weather is rough but has all the makings of an all new and exciting
Gumball 3000 water event.

See you at Tower Bridge...

Best Regards

Maximillion

donutsina911 · 08 August 2005, 16:36

why? - it doesnt add any credibility to your operation.

spectre racing · 08 August 2005, 21:38

We are not searching for credibility. However a truly different powerboat event and we are honoured to have the gumball as title sponsors who are actively promoting this event amongst a very dynamic group of people and an international database of some 20,000 potential participants. Frankly I think this is very positive for the powerboating industry and should attract some fresh faces and benefit those with associated marine businesses.

I would urge any rib netters with any sense of fun and spirit of adventure to seriously consider this event. The prices have been seriously reduced to make sure that all ticket entries are put towards partying, meals and the helicopter which is being flown by a pal of mine from the Army Air Corps.

The fact that gumball are behind it will ensure a very strong participation at exactly the right target market and rib netters should seize this as an exciting opportunity and not let people de-base the issues by constantly discussing red tape.

This is the year of Trafalgar 200 celebrations and the Deauville rally is the only trafalgar event taking the spirit of Nelson across the channel. Anyone with a sense of irony will enjoy that one.

Those that crammed in with the 300 people attending the Deauville Rally launch party at the Royal Thames Yacht Club on April the 23rd will know that the serious partying will continue.

Having formerly worked in the Defence Section of the British Embassy in Paris I am making preparations through the cultural attaché to ensure a strong participation of the French and a visit will be made by members of the Cercle Automobile to Deauville to forge a new spirit of friendship which will carry the event forward for years to come.

Hope to see many of you on the start!

Scary Des · 09 August 2005, 13:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by spectre racing

This is the year of Trafalgar 200 celebrations and the Deauville rally is the only trafalgar event taking the spirit of Nelson across the channel. Anyone with a sense of irony will enjoy that one..............

Quote:

Originally Posted by spectre racing

.............members of the Cercle Automobile to Deauville to forge a new spirit of friendship ............

Yep, I can see that working

Des

donutsina911 · 09 August 2005, 13:48

"this as an exciting opportunity and not let people de-base the issues by constantly discussing red tape."

All that has been constantly discussed so far is whether or not the organisers of the rally are involved with the Atlantic Web outfit and the impact that any link may have on the safety of participants in the rally...this isn't red tape, just common sense. As far as I can see, the link is pretty transparent and with this kind of murkyness, god only knows how you've got guys like Angus E to get publicly involved...

That said, I would be tempted to get involved. Why not..there's a chance to get the boat on the water at the tail end of the season, a trip in company with other boats accross the channel and the offer of a pint or two in France. All good, but...

1. £900 - what does this include? The website is a bit vague on details - is it all food, drink and accomodation or just some. If it really is just a welcome pack, stickers and paying for your mate to get some helo hours in then it seems a bit over the top. On the other hand, if you're going to put a driver and navigator up in the finest hostelries in London and Paris to quaff Veuve Clicquot whilst surrounded by young blondes then it starts to become good value...

2. Safety boats and helicopters - who and what? We shouldnt expect IJ and the RNLI to pitch up,but it would be good to know that the safety element doesnt consist of atlantic web ribs and your mate from the AAC in a chopper with a camcorder..

3.Small print...

" If you do not have a powerboat certificate, we can arrange for you to take the RYA level 2 powerboat course before the date of the rally (half a day)."

How are you going to train and assess RYA L2 in half a day?

"You must also ensure that your boat meets the required maritime health and safety regulations (flares, paddles, etc)"

What does this mean - what are the required maritime health and safety regulations? Does my boat have to be MCA coded, just have flares and a paddle, neither or simply meet the requirements of my insurance company and my own safety kit list?

Like most people, i'm up for a bit of fun and I'm definitely not a traffic warden but you need to do a better job of convincing people that you've got all your ducks in a row - at the moment your website, ribnet comments and marketing hype looks to me like a whole lot of fur coat and no knickers...but I'm willing to be proved wrong..

Rogue Wave · 15 August 2005, 20:23

Nicely put 911

I sometimes wonder if the Deauville Rally might find a less critical welcome from my mates over on Boatmad

They would have to augment your safety equipments to include condoms and sunglasses

timw · 16 August 2005, 09:53

OK all you red tape loving traffic wardens....

Look at latest Notice to Mariners on the www.portoflondon.co.uk website.

Guess whose going to be the Pace Boat.

Rogue Wave · 17 August 2005, 01:41

Wow !

Auracle · 23 August 2005, 20:43

In response to questions from Dognutsina911, if you go to the website www.deauvillerally.com you should be able to download the full program from the "About" page.
I can assure you that the £900 per boat entry fee for this four day event is exceptionally good value.
For example:
Thursday 1 September: Champagne canape reception on the deck of HMS Belfast overlooking Tower Bridge followed by VIP entry into Londons most exclusive nightclub, Movida.

We really want this to be an amazing yearly event and appreciate everybody who has been positive about this.

RIVA · 27 August 2005, 10:21

to fly over the sea ,

????

can i go in the helicopter please pritty please

RIVA · 27 August 2005, 12:54

just asked a firm we know for a quote for the chopper

took me a while to get back on my chair

lets just say its going to take 5-7 boats @ £900 each to pay for every hour of flying in it

thats just cost covering no profit
so please please pritty please can i go in the chopper

timw · 27 August 2005, 13:55

Riva,

You are assuming the chopper is being chartered from a commercial company.

Perhaps it could belong to someone with a connection with the rally. If that is the case the cost would be considerably less, and could even be offered free?

RIVA · 27 August 2005, 15:01

yes i was asuming a charter company , as i presumed you would be useing a twin engine helo as well ?

timw · 27 August 2005, 16:44

I know nothing about the Helicopter.

CJL · 09 February 2006, 23:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by timw

OK all you red tape loving traffic wardens....

Look at latest Notice to Mariners on the www.portoflondon.co.uk website.

Guess whose going to be the Pace Boat.

Er am I being truly dim or something but I can't see anything....................

Plus I don't understand how if the event organisers are arranging for some boats to taking fee paying passengers then the boats don't have to meet the Port Of London Authority Bylaws????

Coding isn't enough to operate a commercial boat on the Thames, you must be a Lighterman or Waterman. A commercially endorsed advanced poweboat ticket means diddly squat. The boat has to be inspected by the PLA nobody else, before it is allowed to take passengers.

Why should some dipsticks in swanky boats be allowed round this when locals can't even get their own boats MCA coded to do this??

CJL

CJL · 10 February 2006, 00:06

Is this it????? I was expecting a fleet of big ribs, plastic fantastics and general muppet types.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/webmonk...in/set-869428/

As you can see from the picture below we get more boats on a day out on the Solent!!

Its not really an event at all. Its a small cruise.

ADS · 10 February 2006, 00:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJL

and general muppet types.

Cookee · 10 February 2006, 07:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJL

Er am I being truly dim or something but I can't see anything....................

Plus I don't understand how if the event organisers are arranging for some boats to taking fee paying passengers then the boats don't have to meet the Port Of London Authority Bylaws????

Coding isn't enough to operate a commercial boat on the Thames, you must be a Lighterman or Waterman. A commercially endorsed advanced poweboat ticket means diddly squat. The boat has to be inspected by the PLA nobody else, before it is allowed to take passengers.

Why should some dipsticks in swanky boats be allowed round this when locals can't even get their own boats MCA coded to do this??

CJL

Sorry to say you're right about the dim part as far as I can see. I wasn't involved or there, but here's how I see it.

You can't see any notices to mariner because it was all last year (see posting dates).

NO-one was paying to be on the boats - the fee was an entry fee to the event, if people were charging they were breaking the law.

Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong!

Carl · 10 February 2006, 08:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJL

Is this it????? I was expecting a fleet of big ribs, plastic fantastics and general muppet types.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/webmonk...in/set-869428/

As you can see from the picture below we get more boats on a day out on the Solent!!

Its not really an event at all. Its a small cruise.

that is the solent,and mines the rooster in front

Srellom · 10 February 2006, 08:35

From what I can make out from last years photos, there appears to have been half a dozen ribs, a couple of Gin Palaces and about four (probably hired in) cracking looking birds. The one in the red top is bloody lovely! Now, who do i give my £900 to? Looks good value.