Troon yacht Hoodlum stars at West Highland Yachting Week

Aug 27 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

TROON based yacht Hoodlum, owned by Jimmy and Robin Ferguson, was placed second at the West Highland Yachting Week's annual regatta.

The X-332 yacht sailed in restricted sail class four counted five firsts and a fourth place over the six-day series to win their class and finish second behind Robin and Christine Murray's First 40 "Elf Too" for the Peter Cocks Trophy awarded for the best performance over the points series.

The crew of Robin Ferguson, Arran Cameron, Stuart Powrie and Roger Coutu handled the boat through various conditions throughout the week from becalmed to 30 knots of breeze.

As well as winning the Oban Lifeboat trophy for the class win, the team took home five other trophies including the prized Mishnish Challenge for the Tobermory to Oban race sponsored by the Mishnish pub in Tobermory where the crew were noted practising hard.

Robin: "This has been a great event and to win the class never mind come so close overall against 120 other boats is fantastic. This is our first year with this boat at West Highland Yachting Week and we are delighted with the performance.

“Initially, we were to race in the full classes but crew numbers dictated opting for the restricted class. We really enjoyed our regatta both afloat and ashore in Craobh, Oban and Tobermory and certainly look forward to coming back and fighting for the Round Lismore Trophy that we missed out on this year."

The crew are all members of Troon Cruising Club and are thrilled to be able to raise the club’s profile on an international stage.