Medway and Swale Boating Association
The voice of boating on the tidal Medway and Swale
The Medway Dinghy Regatta at Wilsonian Sailing Club on the River Medway always proves to be a really good weekend. Starting on the Friday 1 July if you wish to come early for camping and small campavans. Food will be available that evening and all weekend with entertainment on Saturday evening.
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Jamie Webber, Senior Technical Events Officer at Medway Council, says this year will see the 5th Medway River Festival taking place on Chatham Waterfront. It is hoped that this year’s festival can work in conjunction with other like-minded events that are potentially taking place within the Medway area to bring them all under one umbrella. For 2016 as well as expanding the have-a-go water based actives on the River Medway we would also like to increase the number of activities, stands and demonstrations that take place on the land. These activities will better explain to visitors what takes place on the river and provide the public with information and tasters on how they can get involved in water activities themselves.
This year’s River Festival will be taking place Saturday 9 July 11.30hrs till 17.30hrs and can welcome up to 6000 people throughout the day with the land footprint starting at Sun Pier and finishing at the Cannon Green at Gun Wharf. As well as having the stands and demonstrations we shall also be having themed entertainment, walk-about entertainers, children’s activities, a small children’s fun fair, picnic area and much more.
If you are interested in attending the River Festival as part of the land based activities please complete the attached form and return to Ciara Lang, Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, ME4 4TR.
At last a date has been fixed for the Medway River Festival: Saturday 9 July 2016. This year the MSBA will assisting Medway Council with the planning of the water-based activities, which will start at 13.30 (high tide will be at 16.00).
Twelve 70 foot Clipper yachts will arrive on Sunday evening for an overnight stay ahead of the start on Monday for the 2015 Round the World Clipper race. Queenborough Harbour Trust’s patron, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, will also be arriving Sunday evening. As a result, overnight berthing in the harbour will be severely limited to just the two yellow buoys, each taking 4 boats and any available single buoys. As usual, overnights stays will be on a first come, first served basis.
For the 43rd year, the Kentish Sail Association (affiliated to the RYA) presents “probably the largest traditional boat gathering on the East Coast.”
For more details visit www.kentishsail.org
Six dinghies started but only four finished the two laps and the winners were Alan Staley for the Traditionalists and Helen North for the Bermudans. Worries about whether the tide would make enough water were overcome by just launching them in anyway, the breeze overcoming any resistance of the mud. Read more…
The Gathering of Boats, which has replaced the Maidstone River Festival, will take place on Saturday, 25 July. Some 150 boats are expected to arrive in Maidstone town centre. Read more…
The Medway River Users Association, which represents boaters on the non-tidal Medway, is a partner of the MSBA.
The keelboat regatta, organised by Medway Yacht Club, is an open event with classes for racing boats from out-and-out IRC racers to gaffers and white-sails-only cruisers. For more details see www.medwayyachtclub.org.uk
The MSBA Dinghy Regatta, hosted by the Wilsonian Sailing Club with lead sponsor MTS Cleaning Services, will be on 18 and 19 July. Other sponsors are Harken, Hyde Sails and Pirates Cave. Last year’s event attracted over 60 entrants. Starts and prizes will be provided for 5 fleets: Fast, Medium and Slow handicap, 2000 and Juniors, with 2 races on each day starting at 11.00 on Saturday and 10.00 on Sunday. The entry fee for double handers is £25 and for single handers it’s £20. Camping is available on Friday and Saturday night with catering available throughout the weekend including breakfast on both days, evening meal on Friday, lunch on Saturday and a meal (with a steel band) on Saturday evening. Kelly Tolhurst, Councillor for Rochester West and Member of Parliament for Rochester & Strood, has agreed to do the Prize Giving. For more details see www.wilsoniansc.org.uk