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A yachtsman who sailed the wrong way along the English Channel has been fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £4,200 costs.

It doesn't matter how good at sailing you are, or how big your boat is, you still have to obey the rules, Folkestone Magistrates confirmed at a hearing on Monday (2 July).

Sailing star Dirk De Ridder, skipper of the Volvo 70 race yacht Mean Machine was sailing from Portsmouth, to Scheveningen in Holland prior to taking part in a race.

The yacht's plan had been to follow the separation line/zone between the South West lane and Inshore traffic but De Ridder failed to realise that wind shifts would cause him problems. The yacht passed close ahead of a crossing vessel before passing between two South West bound vessels.