New Year’s Day Icicle Race
Although the river may appear quiet with few boats, a stroll by the Marina reveals that plenty are still afloat. We’re hopeful that many cruisers and dinghies will join the Payne-James Icicle Race on New Year’s Day, featuring Handicap Racing and a Predicted Log. The club will be open for lunch, offering a great chance to let someone else do the cooking. If you're not heading out on the water, why not take this rare opportunity to watch the sailing and cruising activity from the club during this time of year.
Youth Team Racing Success!
Ciara Murphy, daughter of Sammy and Dennis Murphy and granddaughter of Steve and Jo Adams, recently competed in the Royal Hospital Schools RYA Eric Twiname Youth National Team Racing Championships in Holbrook, Suffolk, as a member of the RHS Blue Team.
After a strong first day, winning all eight of their races, the RHS Blue Team faced a tough challenge on the second day, going up against two other unbeaten teams from day one. In both races, they fought hard to secure victory, keeping them at the top of the standings after each team had completed ten races. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions, the usual semi-finals and finals could not be held, and the results were based on league rankings. As the only remaining unbeaten team, RHS Blue Team was crowned overall winners and Under-19 National Champions. Congratulations, Ciara!
250th Anniversary of the Royal Thames Yacht Club
Those of you at the very well supported Laying Up Dinner may remember me mentioning that our friends at the Royal Thames Yacht Club are planning a very special event to celebrate their 250th Anniversary. Their Event Website is now live and Richard Powell their Vice Commodore has sent us the following invitation:
On behalf of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, Flag Officers and members, I would like to invite you to join us at our 250th Anniversary Regatta in June 2025, in Cowes. All information including the NoR and online entry can be found on the 250th Anniversary Regatta site (https://racing.royalthames.com/).
The 250th Regatta will be a highlight in a calendar that encompasses a range of extraordinary events, on and off the water, throughout the year, a celebration of keelboat and yacht racing in the Solent. An event for all.
It will run from 12-15th June 2025, and we are delighted that so many classes will join us for their National Championships. The regatta will incorporate the RORC IRC Nationals for classes 0-4, J70 Nationals, Etchells Nationals, Elite Nationals, Sonar Nationals as well as the Cory Cup for the Daring class, Dragon Southern Area Championship and Round 3 of the RS21 UK and Ireland Cup. There will also be fleet racing for the Mermaid, Classic yacht and cruiser classes.
The Royal Thames 250th Regatta would not be complete without providing you with a fantastic shoreside experience, and we are planning some unbeatable entertainment and socials each day. We will be using all of the Cowes Yacht Haven and Shepards Marina. There will be a regatta village featuring daily live entertainment and music, lots of pop-up food stalls and of course bars. On the Saturday there is a Regatta Celebration Dinner for 400 as well as a Crew Party, that will be followed by a live band, fireworks and DJ Mark Covell late into the night.
I look forward to seeing you next June. It will be very special.
I have heard from quite a few members who have already confirmed that they absolutely will be there – it certainly will be very special!
From sailing in 2024 to planning 2025
I think 2024 has been a great season both on and off the water, but lets hope for even better participation in 2025. If you have a boat but it has not been afloat then what are you waiting for - get that sorted over the winter and early spring so you can join the fun on the water and in the club next season. Whether you would like to race or prefer a less adrenaline inducing jolly on the river there are plenty of opportunities. Extra race crew are often needed so if you are interested in a particular fleet then contact that class captain or let the office know and ask them to pass your details to the relevant class captain – the website has details of the different classes and their racing/sailing activities. It would be so good to see more of you out there in 2025.
Finally, I hope you all have a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas and a very happy New Year – I look forward to seeing you in the club soon and on the water in the not too distant future.
Angela Shephard
Rear Commodore Sailing
13 December 2024
The season may be drawing to a close but there is certainly a great deal to report. Burnham Week (24th to 31st August) The club offered a packed social calendar to keep us entertained on land, but sailing remained the main focus. This year, the number of traditional wooden boats moored outside the club doubled, with eight ECODs joining us from the Blackwater. Petru Balu, who you might have seen capturing moments at the prize givings and on the water, has also put together an in-depth article for Yachts and Yachting. You can read it by following this link. Burnham Week 2024 Overall (yachtsandyachting.com)
With no time to rest after Burnham Week and the spectacular fireworks display, competitors rose early the next day for the briefing and to collect their coloured flags for the St. Matthew Cup team race. Organised by Race Officer Alison Osborne and her team, each club (RBYC, RCYC, BSC, and CSC) fielded a team representing various classes: 707, Elite, RCOD, RBOD, Squib, Phantom, Blaze, and Laser Radial. The menagerie fleet set off from the RBYC start line, making their way downriver for a beat and then looping back up at Cliff and Canewdon. The racing was both enjoyable and fiercely competitive, culminating in a victorious Burnham Sailing Club being awarded the St. Matthew Cup by the Mayor. A big thank you must go to Alison for expertly managing what is undoubtedly the most complex race of the calendar!
Cruise to the Pyefleet 14th/15th September
While they may not partake of the racing, the cruiser fleet have remained most active with a cruise to Pyefleet. Peter Howard’s Report along with great photographs can be viewed on the club website by following this link [here].
The Cruisers have one more event to go this season with the Predicted Log on 13th October from the RBYC start line. Members interested in joining in should contact Peter Howard on 07775 753880.
Caudle Cup (22nd September) This is the annual competition between the RCODs and RBODs. Last year the RB won the Caudle Cup by one point, but unfortunately this year it was the other way round. Always a competitive event. The Caudle Cup has been raced since 1960 between the RCODs and RBODs. This year there were four boats from each class and two boats from each class were exchanged so that each team sailed two of each class. Due to a light easterly and a strong flooding tide a short but challenging windward leeward course between Fairway 5 and 7 was agreed, started by Race Officer Clive Page off the RC line. Full concentration was required by all teams to make way on the beats up the south shore and there were plenty of place changes (as well as the odd grounding!). When the final results were totted up the Royal Corinthian won by one point with only a couple of seconds between 6th and 7th. A close-run victory and a very enjoyable race. Prizegiving was hosted by the Royal Burnham including refreshments for all competitors.
In addition to the Cruiser Fleet we have the Cruiser Racer Fleet who have been busy this autumn too.
On the last weekend in September, two trophies were up for grabs in the Cruiser/Racer Fleet.
Tucker Brown Cup (28th September) Saturday saw the Tucker Brown cup, which is an historic Cup, first presented in 1969. The race is always traditionally sailed with white Sails only, allowing no Spinnakers to be used. The weather was dry and sunny day with 10-15 knots of Breeze. It was Santa Evita that got away at the start and there was nothing that could catch her. She won on corrected time, by a massive 17 minutes.
Wizard Trophy (29th September) Sunday was the RCYC Wizard Trophy with six boats came to the line with a pleasant force 4 breeze from the SSE. Each boat had an individual start time with Trinco leading off at 10.30 followed by Voyager at 10.39, Layla and Coco at 10.43, Santa Evita at 10.44 and finally Ningaloo at 10.46. The race duration was 90 minutes with an upriver course as far as Canewdon, then back to Fairway 13 then Cliff Creek as a continuous loop until the 90 minutes had expired. Trinco maintained the lead until she was caught by Voyager after an hour of sailing. Santa Evita was close behind and with the use of their spinnaker got through Voyager on the first run up to Cliff Creek. On the next beat to Fairway 13 Ningaloo overtook Voyager at the mark to move into 2nd place. The 90 minutes expired, and Santa Evita was declared the winner with Ningaloo second, Voyager third then Trinco, Coco and Layla. All reported to have enjoyed a cracking good sail. Santa Evita, has had much success this season and it was a glorious way to finish her 2024 season, with a double whammy.
It’s a Wrap Lunch (20th October)
The RBODs and Elites will continue to race up to 20th October where an extra race is held on the Sunday morning following which all competitors sit down to a Sunday lunch in the club. Meanwhile in addition to Santa Evita and Peter Howard’s cruisers there are some enthusiastic members with cruiser racers who are sailing the autumn series on Sunday mornings which I believe continues beyond the season for the RBODs and Elites – I hope it stays mild for them!
Great Britain reach First America’s Cup for 60 Years
The America's Cup is the oldest international sporting competition in the world, having first been staged in 1851, but has never been won by Great Britain. Ben Ainslie and his team secured victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup elimination series and will now go on to challenge New Zealand who have won the past two America’s Cups. As Neil Kennedy recalls, in 1983 the RBYC’s Victory challenge got to the final of the elimination round only being beaten by Australia II, which went on to be the first challenger to wrest the 'auld mug' away from the NYYC for 132 years (although, there was another GB challenge in 1936, when Sir Tommy Sopwith's 'Endeavour' came very close, which was crewed by Burnham on Crouch amateur sailors from our neighbouring RCYC, after its professional crew went on strike for higher wages - just before crossing the Atlantic!). Of course we wish Sir Jim Ratcliff and Ben Ainslie’s team INEOS every success in the 37th America’s Cup challenge.
Angela Shephard Rear Commodore Sailing 08.10.2024
July 2024
With the summer seeming to have finally arrived, the club has been busy on and off the water. Recently the cruising fleet had planned a trip to London staying at St Katherine’s Dock.
Unfortunately the weather wasn’t as kind to them as it could have been and they had to change their plans, however it sounds like they had a great time. Peter Howard’s full report is available HERE.
The Elite Fleet enjoyed an action packed Saturday with a series of short Windward Leeward races. Roger Martin's report can be found HERE.
The Elite fleet were not the only ones to get in some Windward Leeward racing, as the RBOD Fleet joined the Royal Corinthian One Designs on Saturday 13th July as part of their RCOD Regatta.
The RBODs completed four short races, the series making up the Rubber Ball Trophy and the third race counting as the seasons points race.
The following week the RBOD Fleet had another adventure with their Long Distance Race. This year the distance covered was relatively shorter as the Fleet headed up river to North Fambridge. An afternoon of partying on the boats followed, joined by some of the cruiser fleet before they disembarked up to the restaurant at the marina. The following day the crews mustered in the morning to commence the return journey back to the club where they enjoyed the afternoon sunshine.
Angela Shephard
Rear Commodore Sailing
18.06.2024
This is a special edition Sailing Matters as it features a report of the antics on and off the river the Cadet Section enjoyed over the Father’s Day weekend involving an incredible 19 children! This fearless bunch went out sailing when the adults had cancelled their scheduled racing.
For Penny Hooper’s report please click here
You will see that they have an ambitious set of plans for Cadet Week this year and are always looking for helpers to get involved, so if you are interested in getting involved please let the office know and you will be put in touch with Penny.
Following the news on the MOCRA Nationals last week our grown-up sailors have continued with their sailing achievements. On Wednesday 5th June the Stuart Paul Trophy pursuit race took place from the Burnham Sailing Club split into two fleets with the larger keelboats going off first followed by the smaller keelboats. The larger keelboat fleet was won by Phil Collard and his team on Cobra and the smaller keelboat fleet was won by Bill Blanks in his Elite, Blind Squirrel. The following Wednesday 12th June another pursuit race took place with the same format of two fleets. The larger keelboat fleet was won by Dan Wastnage, Mike Schnideau and their team on Santa Evita and the smaller keelboats saw Bill Blanks win again on Blind Squirrel. Congratulations to all on board Cobra, Santa Evita and Blind Squirrel.
This weekend was not just about Father’s Day, but also the famous Round The Island Race which took place sailing around the Isle of Wight. Among the entrants on this windy weekend was Neil Fulcher on Celebration GBR 4572L coming 2nd in their Division and a very impressive 11th overall – Congratulations to them.
Angela Shephard
Rear Commodore Sailing
RBYC Members Win MOCRA National Championships 2024
The MOCRA National Championships 2024 have taken place from the 11th to the 13th of June at Royal Victoria Yacht Club on the Isle of Wight.
I can confirm that the championship was convincingly won by Nick Wood on Origami, crewed by Nick Geaves and Bobby Wells. The championship consisted of eight races, with Origami achieving an incredible 8 firsts!
Two of which they then had to discard.
I’m sure you’ll all agree that not only is this a spectacular achievement but it is so great to see them back on winning form, given the tragedy that befell them on the Round the Island race 2023 when Origami was capsized and initially lost, to be salvaged and restored later.
Angela Shephard Rear Commodore Sailing
June 14th 2024
We were reasonably fortunate with the weather over the Whitsun weekend. The sunshine on Friday evening tempted many members to enjoy drinks on the Sundeck, which coincided with a wedding as the bride and groom arrived by boat in their beautifully embellished outfits to walk up the pontoon to the beat of traditional Asian drummers. It was a wonderful atmosphere.
It was very pleasing to see the new Racebox looking finished, but unfortunately a problem with the air horn forced a decision to run the Regatta Line from the RCYC race box. Many thanks to the RCYC for allowing us to do so.
While many of the Whitsun Regatta competitors may still have been tucked up in bed on Saturday morning, the crews preparing for the EAORA were heading out to an RBYC Committee Boat Start Line to race round to West Mersea for the Pattinson Cup. After an overnight stay, the racing is then reversed on the Sunday for the Ralph Herring Trophy with a start at West Mersea then finishing at an RBYC Committee Boat Finish Line.
When the Whitsun Regatta competitors arrived on Saturday we were treated to plenty of sunshine and a reasonable amount of wind for the sailing, for which all fleets did a town course due to a large squib event taking place further downriver. The RBOD fleet certainly found the course challenging! Once all ashore, stories of the trials and tribulations encountered were shared on the Sundecks until the Commodore hosted reception drinks in the courtyard from 1800 before we headed up to the dining room for the delicious regatta dinner cooked by Dan Hull.
Sunday seemed more overcast at first, with the fleets taking an upriver course to Canewdon, again to avoid tangling with the numerous Squibs. The sun did come out later in the day and as the sailors returned ashore, the cadets were out in full force having a fun afternoon of crabbing etc on the pontoon.
In the evening competitors were joined by the returning EAORA fleet to enjoy a lovely barbecue. The addition of the EAORA crowd made for a very lively evening in the bar.
The only fleets planning to head out on Monday being the RBODs and the Cruisers, of which those with sails would race and those without sail propulsion undertaking the Predicted Log exercise.
On Monday in somewhat windier conditions than the rest of the weekend the Cruisers and RBOD fleet ventured out and completed their race or exercise. The prizegiving then took place in the bar because the temperature had turned decidedly chillier. Thanks must go to our Regatta Racebox team of Fianne Stanford, Sue Hooper, Liz Wastnage and Sidney Livingstone for all of the courses, starts and finishes which they ably handled despite their team’s depleted number that weekend. Thanks must also go to Andy Wise and team for running the Committee Boat for the RBYC side of the EAORA.
I hope that you have visited the club website recently and noticed that it has undergone a considerable and much overdue revamp. Unfortunately one consequence of this is that we have been unable to upload the results to the old software. It is planned that we will start using a different software, SailWave, in conjunction with the RCYC shortly, which should provide better integration and upload of results directly from the Raceboxes.
The Whitsun results are now on the website but in a slightly different format from before.
Please bear with us while we implement these changes.
For the RBOD report please click here
For the Cruising report & EAORA report please click here
Angela Shephard
Rear Commodore Sailing
Well done to our Fleet Winners 2024
RBOD's
1st Red Jacket
Stephen Herring & Crew
2nd Mandarin
Will Dallimore & Crew
3rd Aquamarine
Angela Shephard & Crew
RS Elites
1st Serious Moonlight
Richard Bavin & Crew
2nd Blind Squirrel
Bill Blanks & Crew
3rd Excalibur
Roger Martin & Crew
Multi Hulls
1st Origami
Nick Wood & Crew
2nd Wandering Glider
Andrew Scurr & Crew