12-year-old dinghy sailor to cross Bristol Channel for charity
Flo Tovey, from Swansea, is set to sail her Topper across the Bristol channel to raise money and awareness for the Maiden Factor Foundation.
She plans to tackle the 24-mile journey on 18 September 2021.
“Flo started learning to sail properly when she was about seven years old and progressed to becoming a Welsh Topper sailing squad member,” says Rob Tovey (father). “She is a very physical sailor and her favourite conditions are when the wind is blowing hard and the swell is up. She has always had an eye for a challenge and has for years said that she would like to sail from Mumbles to Devon on a clear day.
“Due to covid-19, Flo had a disappointing sailing year in 2020. She was selected to represent Team Wales in the Eric Twiname championships, the Topper national and world championships which were unfortunately cancelled due to the pandemic.
“Then she watched the documentary Maiden which she found truly inspirational,” adds Tovey. “She then took it upon herself to email the Maiden Factor Foundation telling them that she would sail her dinghy across the Bristol channel to raise money and awareness for the work that the Maiden Factor foundation does. The first that I knew about it was when she got an email back from Tracy Edwards MBE. Since then, things have started to gain momentum.”
Flo Tovey will be supported by a designated safety RIB. Other boats are also set to drop by and provide support and motivation. She’ll be using Icom’s IC-M25EURO to communicate with her support boat and other vessels.
“The main challenges for Flo are going to be the tide, the weather and the stress of being sat in the boat for between 6-10 hours,” says her father. “She has requested that the support boats keep their distance whilst she is sailing, she is keen to make sure that this is a genuinely independent effort. Support vessels will always remain in visual contact, the radio will be very important allowing her to call in the support boat if anything unforeseen happens. In addition, she has been practicing how to send VHF emergency messages.”
To donate, visit Flo’s GoFundMe link.
