The Three Peaks       Yacht Race

Yacht Name:            Joy 

Length:                   10m

Yacht Type:             JPK 10.10

IRC Rating:              0.999

Hull Colour:            White

Draught:                 2m

Sail No:                   GBR 4796L

Port of Origin:         Poole

Tilman Trophy:       No

​

Dave, Pete and Ian have been sailing together on various boats for a number of years. In 2018 Dave bought the JPK 10.10 “Joy” with the intention of doing more distance and short-handed racing (before it’s too late?)... since then we’ve done various inshore regattas, PYRA and RORC passage races, and the 2019 Fastnet (crewed). Our “adventure” challenge that year was the double-handed Azores and Back race (Dave & Ian out, Dave & Pete return) covering over 1200 miles each way. To follow that up we had set our sights on the 3PYR in 2020, but of course COVID-19 had other ideas!

 

Now in the spring of 2021 with the start only a couple of months away we are once again beginning to wonder whether what seemed like a good idea a few moons ago really is actually such a good plan... but looking forward to it nonetheless. Although we have a good deal of sailing experience, the thought of running up a mountain (let alone three in quick succession) is definitely a step too far. It didn’t take long to exhaust our limited pool of friends and friends-of-friends who might just be crazy enough to contemplate it either. Though a somewhat convoluted route, we were introduced to two strapping young Royal Marines who apparently think that running up mountains sounds like excellent fun?! (not sure if we mentioned the rowing though?)

 

Sam and Neil have plenty of outdoor experience in their line of work, and both enjoy running for fitness and competition. They are pretty limited on the sailing side of things, so that will certainly be an additional element of adventure for them...

 

This will be the first 3PYR for us all, though we hope to be able to keep up with some of the more experienced teams.

   

Dave Butters – Skipper

Occupation: MD Civil Engineering & Building Contractors

Age: 62

Gender: Male

Nationality: British

​

Dave has too many years of sailing to list, and has almost as many boats in his “fleet”... you really don’t want to see his garage! Buying “Joy” has opened up more competitive racing and certainly gets places more quickly than with his previous cruising boats, albeit in considerably less comfort... ask him during or just after a race and he’ll swear blind he’s going to sell her, but he loves it really, even if he doesn’t always realise it... :)

​

Pete Butters - Sailor

Occupation: Commercial Pricing Manager – Insurance

Age: 32

Gender: Male

Nationality: British

​

Pete has gown up with sailing in the blood, as the eldest of Dave’s four children. By far the youngest and fittest of the sailing team, Pete will be pressed into action if there are any injuries with our runners. For some inexplicable reason only drinks cold coffee

​

Ian Millard – Sailor

Occupation: IT Consultant - Systems Architect

Age: 40

Gender: Male

Nationality: British

​

Ian has been sailing since childhood, initially in various dinghies but for the last ~25 years predominantly in keelboats. No relation to Team Butters, but apparently it’s not uncommon for people to think/assume there is.  Don’t let him near the Nav PC or he’ll never make it on deck.

​

Neil  Golding - Runner

Occupation: Royal Marine

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Nationality: British

​

With at least 10 years running experience, and having collected several racing trophies over the years, Neil is hoping that what he lacks in sailing experience - he makes up for on the running elements of the race. Born and raised in the rural County of Somerset - which is notorious for Glastonbury’s Tor hill, amongst other famous feats of elevation, Neil is no stranger to running up hills either. That and his military background in the Royal Marines makes for a good mix of competent fitness, good determination, and being no stranger to operating outdoors across all terrains in all weather conditions!

 

Neil swears by beetroot as the secret to his strength - eating a whole one every morning and every night without fail.

​

Sam Deller  - Runner

Occupation: Royal Marine

Age: 26

Gender: Male

Nationality: British

​

Sam is a simple man really. Sightings of him are usually up a hill somewhere in the shortest shorts he could find. He has been running competitively for the past three years with a more recent win at Endurance Life Coastal Exmoor Half Marathon & a new Fastest Known Time on the Coleridge Way (50 Miles, 8600ft). He has no sailing experience but he is hoping that because he is so small he’ll hardly be noticed on board.

​

Ruth Taylor  - Support

Occupation: Autonomy Technical Specialist

Age: 31

Gender: Female

Nationality: British

​

Another life-long sailor and just as crazy as the rest of them, Ruth was supposed to be cycling to Japan when the original 2020 plan was hatched. That adventure was abruptly cut short, and always itching for another one Ruth hopes to be visiting the three peaks shore-side by driving our support van... (they are supposed to be returned with scratches and dents right?)