Two young sailors set off this Saturday in an attempt to circumnavigate the British Isles by beach catamaran. Luke Yeates (21) and Mark Angell (19) will sail anticlockwise from Poole, Dorset in an 18ft Hobie Tiger to raise money for disadvantaged youngsters and the charity ChildLine. They will be supported on shore by a campervan, in which they plan to spend 26 nights, assuming they cover an average of 60 miles a day.

The pair will be clipped on at all times and carry EPRIBs and a satellite phone. They’ll have a chartplotter, but will navigate primarily by laminated paper charts, to conserve battery power.

Both men have raced on the South, West and East coasts of Britain, and are qualified to RYA Day Skipper standard. By doing the challenge they hope to become the youngest combined crew to complete a circumnavigation of Britain, as well as gaining experience to help qualify for the 2012 Olympic sailing team.

Luke, a sailing instructor, and Mark, who works at Barclays Bank, decided they wanted to do the challenge four years ago. ‘We’ve always been interested in taking the cat long-distance, but realised we didn’t have the experience then,’ said Luke. ‘We’re ready now, and besides, we have nothing better to do this summer!’