A nautical fundraising adventure

Sailing alone in a single sail yacht along the South Western coast, from Falmouth to Fowey, is an impressive feat. Even more so when you're only 10-years-old.

But that's what Ollie Graffy did on 3 September 2004 to raise money for The Q Trust and the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Here you can read a first-hand account of his adventure:

"On Friday at 7.30am I left home to sail on my own in my Oppy dinghy from Falmouth to Fowey to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. Some of you already know this, but others reading it won’t, so just to fill those people in here are some facts: Fowey is 20 miles from Falmouth, an Optimist is a tiny, single handed, single sail boat and the time it was likely to take was about 7 to 8 hours, depending on the wind strength and direction, I am 10-years-old, and as far as anyone in my sailing club knows this trip has never been done in an Oppy before.


"When I woke up on the Friday morning there was no wind, but it was a clear sunny day and looked as if the wind would come later so we set off, towing me in my Oppy from Mylor, to the start point at Black Rock off Falmouth Harbour. They let me go and I was on my own by 8.00am.

"I made very slow progress until I was about 100 metres off St Anthony’s Lighthouse and then a nice South Westerly breeze started, that means it was right behind me, for those who don’t know the area! I had a towing log so could keep an eye on my speed and it also helped to keep me occupied because it is a mix of very boring and very tiring to sail for this long. To keep me going when it felt too much, I just thought about my friends with muscular dystrophy and that made me determined to carry on, no matter how long it took or how tired I got. It was quite exciting for the first bit and then I realised just how long it was going to take and I had to concentrate all the time because I was running and didn’t want to jibe unexpectedly, which can happen very easily with wind right behind you.


"The sea was ok at first with the waves following me but even at the beginning they were higher than my head because you are very low down in an Oppy. By the time I reached Dodman Point, which is about half way and I got there in just over four hours, the waves were getting bigger and it was a bit like surfing with them coming up behind me. I didn’t capsize for the whole journey, but came very close quite a few times!

"The bit from Dodman Point on was harder because the wind was stronger and the waves bigger and I was sailing an average of 4 knots, which meant that I was planing (like skimming just above the water!) and doing a nosedive now and then. This stopped me getting bored, but it was quite relaxing to be on my own sailing for so long.

"I reached Fowey harbour at 4.00pm and didn’t even feel very tired, just really pleased to have made it and to have raised so much money for a charity that I feel very close to because of my friends."

A thank you from Ollie

"Thank you to everyone who sponsored me, and if you don’t think you will be seeing me soon, could you send your sponsorship money in a cheque made out to my mum Dinah Graffy and send it to me, Ollie Graffy, at:

Tranquility
Truro Hill
Penryn
Cornwall
TR10 9LB

"My mum will then make out a cheque to the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign."

Even though Ollie has completed his twenty mile journey, it's not too late to sponsor him. You can send a cheque to the address above.