The RNLI auction has now closed, with final bids being required before 10pm on Saturday 22nd April.

There were quite a few bids coming in during the last 24 hours of the auction. The last hour, however, was rather intense with bidding ‘wars’ going on between people in the Kick Start Rally dining room and via email! The final amount raised is brilliant — £1,700 — with 100% going to the RNLI.

Emails are being sent to the highest bidders, with details on how to pay and how to claim or redeem their lot(s).

Many thanks to all those who participated, and to our generous sponsors for donating the lots.

RNLI logo

RNLI Charity Auction — Available to non-members too!

I’m sure all of us have great respect for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the work they do.

I don’t have access to the 2016 statistics, but in 2015 the RNLI rescued 9,763 people in the UK and Ireland. Their volunteer lifeboat crews rescued 7,973 people whilst the charity’s lifeguards rescued 1,790 people around UK and Irish coastal waters. Since 1824 they have provided invaluable service for marine safety and sustainability, and all this whilst being a non-government funded charity.

In support of the RNLI, the club is running a charity auction, with the winners announced during our Kick Start Rally weekend in April. Also on this weekend, at the Saturday evening AGM and dinner, a member of the RNLI is giving a brief talk on their work; please come along to support this initiative. It is worth noting that 100% of the proceeds from these fundraising initiatives will go to the RNLI, with no administration costs being deducted at all.

Auction Items

The RNLI themselves and some of the club’s preferred suppliers have donated numerous items that are being auctioned off, some of them of significant value:

  • TOP PRIZE! Mid-week charter of a Beneteau Oceanis 37, donated by Fairview Sailing. The Oceanis 37’s are frequently chartered by the club, so familiar to many members, and a great boat for cruising around the Solent. They have eight berths: three double cabins with two more berths in the main saloon. A high-season mid-week charter (Sunday evening to Friday midday) normally retails for £1,283, so this is a very kind donation by Fairview. Maybe join forces with some friends to ensure you’re the highest bidder(s)!
  • One-day boat handling course for four people, donated by Fairview Sailing. The course is appropriate for all levels, from novice to advanced sailors, that want to broaden their practical experience and knowledge of manoeuvring within marinas. The course is run on an Oceanis 37 and lunch is provided. Overnight accommodation on one of the boats can be arranged if required. The course normally costs £159 per person, so a huge £636 of value in this item.
  • Two places on a one-day training course, donated by Vortec Marine. In addition to other marine services, Vortec run numerous training courses, including those accredited by the RYA. This item is for two people on a one-day course — either RYA Sea Survival, RYA First Aid or ISAF Offshore Safety — so great for any sailor. I’ve attended some training courses run by Vortec and can thoroughly recommend them: very professional combined with a relaxing atmosphere. Where possible, the ISAF Offshore Safety course will include a session in Vortec’s unique fire simulator: an amazing experience! These one-day courses retail for up to £120 per person, so worth a total of up to £240.
  • Place on Pata Negra (Marc Lombard IRC 46) from Plymouth to the Solent, donated by Performance Yacht Charter. Pata Negra is a light-weight performance race yacht, benefitting from a carbon rig and large asymmetric sail plan. She can produce speeds in excess of 20 knots, so if the weather is right it should be a quick passage! The monetary value of this item is approximately £200, but the experience will be priceless!
  • Overnight stay for two at the RNLI College in Poole, donated by the RNLI. This really is a lovely facility — number 1 on TripAdvisor for places to stay in the area! It will give the winner a chance to rub shoulders with some of the RNLI crew and for a small additional sum they can also have tour of the training facilities. A typical rate for an overnight stay is £120.
  • NEW ITEM! Helly Hanson Skagen 2 Jacket and Trousers, donated by Fairview Sailing. The Skagen 2 sailing series is HH’s best product line for coastal sailing, being protective yet lightweight. RRP £475.
  • Helly Hanson Crew Midlayer Vest (size XL), donated by Performance Yacht Charter. When the weather calls for added protection, this waterproof, breathable vest in a keeps you warm and dry. RRP £85.
  • Helly Hanson Crewline Polo (size XL) , donated by Performance Yacht Charter. A performance quick-dry Tactel® polo shirt, keeping you cool and dry during any activity. RRP £40.
  • Shopping voucher worth £20, donated by Tesco Southampton Extra.
  • A Nocto interactive light-up bat toy, donated by Tesco Southampton Extra. Loving to hang around, sleep and listen to music, Nocto is the light-up teenage bat with ‘battitude’, boasting over 50 interactive features! Worth £33.

FINAL Highest Bids and Bidders

ItemDonated ByApprox. Value (£)Reserve Price (£)Highest Bid (£)Bidder NameLocation
Mid-week charter of a Beneteau Oceanis 37Fairview Sailing1,283150705P. ConwayIsle of Wight
One-day boat handling course for four peopleFairview Sailing63675270T. HailsBarnet
Two places on a one-day training courseVortec Marine24050125L. ScullNottingham
Place on Pata Negra from Plymouth to the SolentPerformance Yacht Charter20035150C. EastonBerkeley
Overnight stay for two at the RNLI College in PooleRNLI1202585J. RookeExeter
Helly Hanson Skagen 2 Jacket and TrousersFairview Sailing47575250D. GreenSouthampton
Helly Hanson Crew Midlayer Vest (size XL)Performance Yacht Charter851040O. CookeLondon
Helly Hanson Crewline Polo (size XL)Performance Yacht Charter40525O. CookeLondon
Shopping voucher worth £20Tesco Southampton Extra20520T. HailsBarnet
Nocto interactive bat toyTesco Southampton Extra33520A. TravellSouthampton
Cash donationn/a0No reserve10J. NicolsonDerby
Total Raised So Far1,700

The Auction Bids data feed was last updated on Thursday, 08-Sep-22 19:23:06 UTC.

Bidding Process and Rules - AUCTION NOW CLOSED

The auction opened on Friday 17th March and is available to all, both members and non-members, under the following rules:

  1. Bids under £100 must be in multiples of £1 (no pence); bids over £100 must be in multiples of £5. Bids not complying with this rule, or under the reserve amount, will be rejected.
  2. Bids are to be submitted by email to rnli.auction@dhsc.co.uk, stating the item and amount you are bidding.
  3. Non-members must also provide a valid contact number and postal address; phone numbers will be verified.
  4. Bids will be confirmed by return email within three days of receipt at the latest.
  5. Bids are the amount to be paid (so unlike eBay which automatically increments up to the specified amount).
  6. Every few days, and at least weekly, the latest highest bids will be published here.
  7. New, higher bids from existing bidders are allowed.
  8. The auction will close at 10pm BST on the evening of the club’s AGM (Saturday 22nd April); in-person bids will be allowed at the AGM.
  9. Highest bidder at this time wins. In the event of duplicate bids, the earliest bidder wins based on the received date & time in the administrator’s inbox.
  10. The auction administrator (Simon Jackson) is eligible to bid, but only until 23:59 on Wednesday the 19th April.

Points to note on the prizes before bidding:

  • All items that require booking are subject to availability on the dates requested by the winner, and must be taken during 2017.
  • The mid-week charter requires at least one person with appropriate skipper qualifications; if under any doubt, contact Fairview to confirm their requirements. Boat check-out is Monday morning, but arrival can be Sunday evening. A security deposit will be required at the start of the charter, to be refunded upon return (assuming no damage to the boat). Charters are permitted during high-season, for no additional cost.
  • Overnight accommodation before or after the boat handling course is subject to availability.
  • Provision of the certificate for the ISAF Offshore Safety course requires the attendee(s) to have already completed RYA Sea Survival. A session in the Fire Simulator is subject to availability of appropriately trained staff, and not a required part of the ISAF Offshore Safety course.
  • The passage from Plymouth to the Solent on Pata Negra is immediately after the Rolex Fastnet Race 2017, the exact day of departure is yet to be confirmed by PYC.
  • The Helly Hanson Skagen jacket and trousers are brand new items, but have been unwrapped and hung ready for the season in the Fairview Sailing office. All sizes are available. In the unlikely event your size isn’t available, we will work with Fairview and Helly Hanson for a solution (or a refund).
  • The Helly Hanson vest and polo are available in size XL only; other sizes are not available.
  • All conditions and restrictions normally associated with the items apply to these auction items (except for payment!).