Southern Masts & Rigging has been established in Brighton Marina since 1971 and is a long term supporter of the Royal Escape Race. Mike and George spent a lot of time in 2009 rustling up our prizes and for the 2010 race they have been campaigning on our behalf harder than ever before.

It is thanks to SM&R that we are able to award a 'Boat full of boots" with the entire crew of the top IRC boat getting a pair of Dubarry's... irrespective of how many people are on the yacht.

As I write this the boat show is raging but I understand that Mike has now also gathered in no fewer than four big tins of anti-foul from International worth over £400  along with a huge stack of computer/navigator bags, tool bags and kit bags. It look like 2010 will bring us a bigger prize fund than ever before with everything being awarded to the competing yachts.

SM&R are also responsible for getting speakers at the new Royal Escape lecture program, including Ocean Safety who's pre-race safety talk at our race briefing has always proved both popular and enlightening.

All the graft that SM&R put into this race, not to mention the generosity of the supporting suppliers, is not an act of simple munificence, it is entirely commercial. Mike and George believe that if they help their local Sussex sailors then Sussex sailors will come to SM&R for their yachting needs, and in my opinion it would be churlish not to. So if you need any of the following there's no need to drive miles to the west when you can park by their huge chandlery in Brighton Marina for free. Oh and they also open at the crack of dawn on race day just in case you've forgotten something.

• Chandlery
• Sail loft
• Rigging
• Boat sales

www.southernmastsandrigging.co.uk