Richard Blowman - Finnspiration.

Since the tragic and fatal accident that befell Richard Blowman whilst competing in his beloved Finn dinghy at the UK Master’s Championship in Keyhaven on 30th April, we have been thinking of the best way to create a lasting and fitting memorial in his name. Richard had only bought his Finn last year and showed considerable promise in his first event at Warsash last October. This year he had organised 6 weeks away from his work as a ship’s engineer to train for the UK Nationals and then travel on to Helsinki, Finland to fulfil his ambition to race in the Finn World Masters Championship. He was only 45. Rich was hugely passionate and enthusiastic about racing the Finn and had made several good friends who helped him get going in the class.

Richard was an active fundraiser himself for the Steve Prescott Foundation, a cancer charity set up by his Hull Kingston Rovers hero, Steve Prescott, whom himself passed away early from bowel cancer. But it is Richard’s love of the sea and his long-held aspiration to sail a Finn that we would like to remember and focus on a positive campaign to help others, particularly U 23 sailors, get into Finn sailing. Over the last year or so we have seen several new members, just like Richard, move into the Finn and others have asked where and how they can try the boat.

Our ambition is to raise funds through donations on this page in Richard’s name to buy his boat from his estate, naming it the Richard Blowman. It would be branded accordingly and then lent to sailors who wish to try the boat or ideally an Under 23 sailor who would commit to racing it in a number of events. The British Finn Association will also contribute to the cost, but we would need to raise the majority of the cost through philanthropic donations. Richard’s family are delighted with the idea and they are sure that Richard would have been too.

The British Finn Committee hopes that you will be able to spread the word amongst the wider sailing community and that we can then help others realise their and Richard’s goal to sail a Finn.

Sail on Richard…