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Falmouth famous and popular working boats will be missing from all sailing events during Falmouth Week for the first time this year as well as from the popular Classics, a spectacle of sail preceeding the week, and the Falmouth Town Regatta.

Skippers and association members argue that PoFSA, the organisers of Falmouth Week have failed to change their minds over finishing lines making it impossible for the boats to race and finish in the Carrick Roads.

When the Packet exclusively revealed last month that the working boats were considering boycotting the Falmouth Week, hopes were high that PoFSA would change its mind. That has not happened.

This week an official from the working boats association said they and the sailing clubs had been "hoodwinked" by the race management committee.

In a statement, secretary Arthur Williams said: "Falmouth Working Boats Association reaffirmed its resolve not to sail Falmouth Week and extended its boycott to include the Falmouth Classics and Falmouth Town Regatta, which come immediately before and after the Henri-Lloyd Falmouth Week and are associated with PoFSA.

"It is the FWBA's sincere wish that next year the sailing clubs will make their wishes more clearly understood by the race management committee and encourage a more flexible approach to meeting the FWBA's reasonable and feasible requests.

"The working boats regret that their presence will be absent from Falmouth Week this year and hopes that all those that take a keen interest in its races will understand and empathise with its decision.

The FWBA wanted everyone in and around the area to see the spectacle of its members' boats finishing in the club regattas on the clubs' finishing lines, not a mile or so out in the Carrick Roads.

"We are loosing one of the best events of the year in not sailing in Falmouth Week, but we feel that negotiation and persuasion have failed and we have no option other than standing firm with our boycott."

Boat owners now looked forward to Fowey Week where they had been requested to finish in the harbour on the Royal Fowey Line at the end of each race in the bay.

"They have asked us to stay for an extra day for more racing. They clearly appreciate the value in terms of atmosphere and spectacle afforded by our boats sailing in confined waters in the harbour," said Mr Williams.

Mark Osborne, chairman of the Port of Falmouth Sailing Association said he was "disappointed" at the decision made by the Falmouth Working Boat Association. "The Working Boats, with their colourful top sails, have always added to the spectacle of the event," he said.

But PoFSA was the Association set up to promote sailing in Falmouth. It was the voice of the six main sailing clubs in the area. It was following the feedback from competitors last year the race management committee proposed the format of the racing and courses for 2008 should remain similar to 2007.

A group from the working boat association argued for a special finish for their class. That was not agreed. It was agreed that all classes in the Carrick Fleet would start and finish upwind at the committee boat in Carrick Roads.

He said members of PoFSA had met again but there was no change. The situation would, however, be looked at again for 2009.

Falmouth Week, with around 350 boats racing in 25 classes is one of the busiest weeks of August.

This year there should be a website feedback questionnaire at which the troubles involving the working boats are expected to feature.

Among the races this year will be the Pendennis Cup' classic super yachts racing in Falmouth waters for the first time and sponsored by Pendennis Shipyard. Falmouth Week will be from August 9-16 and although not part of the official week, will kick off with the traditional classics, alas without the Falmouth working boats.

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