Investors have been given a chance to profit from the popularity of sailing, after the company behind a new round Britain yacht race that’s open to all listed on the crowdfunding platform, Funding Tree.
Circular Sailing, which has already attracted substantial equity investment, is now seeking a loan of £50,000 via the Funding Tree platform in order to get its fleet ready to race in 2016. The minimum investment is just £50. In return for lending to the company, investors can receive an 8%-13% return on investment.
Circular Sailing is also the organizer of the Round Britain and Ireland Challenge – a new “pay to crew” yacht race that will run up to three times a year. Competitors can take part in as much or as little of the race as they like, from a single leg lasting just a few days to the full four-week, 2,500-mile course.
The race will be competitive but fun, and will be contested in a fleet of six identical 44ft yachts. Each boat will be crewed by six paying racers under the watchful eye of an experienced professional skipper and mate. It is divided into 10 legs, each separated by stopovers of a day or two to give competitors a chance to explore a new part of the UK and Ireland and bond with their rival crews.
Crucially, the race is open to everyone. No previous knowledge of sailing is necessary, as full training is given. And while yachting has a reputation for being an expensive sport, competitors can complete a week long leg of the Round Britain and Ireland Challenge for less than £1,000.
Chief executive and founder of Funding Tree, Dillen Iyavoo stated, “Yacht racing is the most glamorous watersport on the planet – and its popularity will surge this summer when the America’s Cup comes to the Solent. The high cost of owning a yacht puts it out of reach for most people, but Circular Sailing’s “pay to crew” model will open the sport up to thousands more would-be sailors.
“The company has identified an attractive niche in the market. While there is already a very expensive and time-consuming round the world race, the Round Britain and Ireland Challenge is much more affordable and doesn’t require contestants to quit their jobs in order to take part. With a highly qualified and experienced management team, and thousands of affluent potential customers, Circular Sailing is set to make waves. Investors can share in its success by lending to the company.
“With a minimum investment of just £50, Funding Tree is giving investors both large and small the chance to invest in start-ups and growth-stage companies, and providing British business with a comprehensive alternative to conventional bank finance.”
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