"The hotly contested Rat Island Race for the coveted perpetual trophy is on again as part of the Swiftsure Regatta on Sunday 10 December - bring your own boat or sail one of the LBT’s fleet. The course will start off the LBT shed, then down to south Franklin to round Rat Island, leaving the island to starboard, and then back to cross the finishing line near the LBT shed. The published timetable is what the regatta coordinators hope will happen but it is a relaxed event, that is until the racing starts! The start will be sometime in the afternoon – if we need to use Grebes that are also doing the Roger Harwood rowing race we will allow enough time for them to be rigged. The perpetual trophy for this sailing race was first awarded to Bill Foster, winner of the open sailing event held at the Franklin Wooden Boat Festival in 1993 and has been an occasional feature of Swiftsure Regattas ever since."