Category Archives: Racing

Buoybot GPS Robot Race Marks Trialling at Datchet…..!!

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(This is the controller for the Buoybot kit, in case you’re wondering what it looks like!)

Are you trying robot race marks at your Club??  We have had them at Datchet for a while, and were getting occasional position stability and range challenges.  We were probably becoming a little dis-spirited, but… all that is behind us NOW!!!

The Buoybots have just been upgraded from GPS to the new in-thing … “RTK”.   The RTK system is a combination of GPS plus a new fixed point RTK beacon on the shore.  To get position accuracy of maybe plus or minus 5cms (!), the buoys work out signal timing differences between a satellite and the RTK beacon.  Clever kit!   Honestly, traditional marks on sinker lines move more than 5cms!

Five of the marks were in use at Datchet today.  They hosted six hours of races – including course adjustments for wind direction changes.  The buoys held station and had plenty of radio range, even for Datchet. 

The buoys, the RTK station and the Controller have some pretty generous  battery capacities aboard (2200-5000mah) but after six hours generally used 40-60% of battery capacity.  So full-on race days look pretty practical !! 

Can’t wait to see more of them !!

Bouybot Trial – GPS Robotic Marker Buoys

IOM Worlds – Two Weeks To Go !!!

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As we approach the last two weeks a ton of work is underway at the Club. Nice little article at this link on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18Y2pbGVQt/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Estimated Total Number of Radio Sailors Worldwide…by AI !!

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In the last few days, we have been musing on IOM Worlds Sponsorship. We know from UK’s MYA that their number of members is 2,250 …. but for Livestream TV to a Global Audience, how many skippers are “out there”? NB decided to ask AI …… and this is what it said…..

Here are the key indicators we do have:

  • IRSA has member national authorities across many countries.
  • Four major IRSA classes (IOM, Marblehead, 10R, A‑Class) are sailed worldwide.
  • World Championships typically draw 70–90 sailors per class, with strict qualification limits.
  • Large national associations (UK, USA, Germany, France, Australia, NZ) each have 1,000–2,500+ registered sailors.

Using these indicators, we can build a reasoned estimate.

📐 A realistic global estimate

Most countries with active IRSA membership have hundreds of sailors; the largest have thousands.

A conservative model:

RegionEstimated sailorsBasis
Europe8,000–10,000Many active IRSA nations; UK alone has 2,000+
North America2,000–3,000US + Canada
Asia1,500–2,500Japan, China, Singapore, HK, etc.
Oceania1,500–2,000Australia + NZ
South America800–1,200Brazil, Argentina, Chile
Africa200–400South Africa mainly

Global estimate: 14,000–19,000 active radio sailors worldwide

This aligns with class registration patterns, national membership numbers, and IRSA event participation.

If you have nay “real data” we can think about, please send your thoughts to the the email address on our “Contact” page of this website.