Within
boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether Motorboat, powerboats, Sailing, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sp ...
, Raid is described as a ''sail and oar adventure'', a leisure pursuit combining
sailing
Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (land yacht) over a chosen cour ...
and
rowing
Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically atta ...
. It involves a fleet of small boats capable of being rowed and sailed, exploring a coastline or inland waterway over several days, often with some competitive element.
In describing raiding, the organiser of the 2010 & 2011 English Raids states; "The idea of making coastal voyages in company, in open boats powered by sail and oar, was given currency by the French group Albacore, led by Charles-Henri le Moing during the 1990s, starting in
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
and
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
... The word
raid
Raid, RAID or Raids may refer to:
Attack
* Raid (military), a sudden attack behind the enemy's lines without the intention of holding ground
* Corporate raid, a type of hostile takeover in business
* Panty raid, a prankish raid by male college ...
has slipped into English and lost its usual associations of
pillage
Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...
and destruction – to those who participate at least."
In Australia, RAID Sydney and RAID Port Macquarie began as Facebook groups that adopted the 'raid' concept, but without emphasising the rowing element, many dinghies being fitted with small outboard motors, including electric outboards. Their focus is on day-sailing on local waterways in non-competition-focused gatherings, and on multi-day, overnight camping 'raids', where sailors sleep either aboard or on shore at non-commercial campsites. This model is more akin with that of the 'Dinghy Cruising' fraternity, but less formal, less organised, with events often organically generated. One person posts they intend to visit a certain location at a certain day/time, and others choose to join them. Essentially a group of near-strangers sailing in company, no prizes, no fees and, as the participants insist 'no BS'!
Raiding has become increasingly popular amongst small-boat sailors, and this has fostered the development of raid-worthy boats. Examples of the type include:-
American whaleboat "Molly" crewed by The
Henley Whalers
Established in 1993, Henley Whalers is a group of sailing boat enthusiasts based in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, UK.
Notable events
The Henley Whalers have taken part in many events, the most notable being H.M. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pa ...
.
Morbic 12 and other designs by French Naval architec
Francois Vivier
Raiding is not only an enjoyable outdoor activity, it has been noted to promote family participation.
Examples
Other extant examples of this type of raid include:
* Dorestad Raid
* Raid Finland, established 2002
* Sail Caledonia
Semaine du Golfe de Morbihan
* The Vela Raid in Venice
* Shipyard Rai
* Raid Poland (active)
* Croisiere Loir
* Small Reach Regatt
* Tawe Nunnugah, every 2 years since 2007, Tasmani
* Everglades Challenge
* Texas200, since 2008
Further reading
• “Hooked on Raiding”
* and in “Raid Boats International”
UK Morbic Network
The concept of sail and oar raiding is not new;
Viking, The Vikings were infamous for it
BBC, Schools, Primary History
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References
External links
English Raid
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raid - A sail and oar adventure
Boating