Why not come to the Boat & Chandlery Fair at Gillingham Marina and then take a walk over to the Medway Queen? The restored paddle steamer will be open to the public on 26 April from 1100 to 1600 hours, see www.medwayqueen.co.uk for details.
Category: Classic vessels
Medway Queen Open Day, 26 April
The restored paddle steamer will be open to the public on 26 April from 1100 to 1600 hours, see www.medwayqueen.co.uk for details.
MSBA Classic Boat Event, 12 July 2014
Medway Council are holding the third river festival on Saturday, 12 July 2014. The Medway and Swale Boating Association (MSBA) supported by the Medway Yacht Club and the Wilsonian Sailing Club are supplementing the 2014 Medway River Festival with a Classic Boat and Ship Event.
The Medway Dinghy Regatta will take place on the Saturday and Sunday under the flag of the Wilsonian Sailing Club. If we can attract a sufficient number of classic racing dinghies, the club will offer a dedicated start.
Of particular interest are the classes that raced on the Medway in the classic era; when that was depends how old you are! These classes included; Flying Fifteen; 18ft National; Swordfish; Snipe; Hornet; 5-0-5; Firefly; Wayfarer, and; in smaller numbers within handicap fleets; W.E.C. Redwing; YW Dayboat; Heron; Mirror etc. etc.
In addition to the classic racing dinghies, we hope to have local historic tugs and a dockyard VIC on the water along with visiting ‘Gaffers’ by sea and road. Many historic vessels in the Medway area, that are not able to leave their berth will be open for interested visitors and, of course the Chatham Historic Dockyard has much of interest to offer.
For further details contact Brian Corbett on medwayclassics@aol.com
Sun Pier problem resolved
Thanks to everyone for your replies, which you can read below. Cllr Kelly Tolhurst (Vice Chair of MSBA) is working with Medway Council to ensure that officials do not make rash promises regarding use of the pier by commercial operators with large vessels. The council will be drawing up some rules to ensure that the pier will remain available for all, especially recreational boaters for whom the restoration was carried out at significant public expense.
Medway Queen has arrived
Film by OCR Studios
Source Kentish Times
The Medway Queen, which was rebuilt in Bristol with a new riveted hull just like the original, berthed at Gillingham Pier on 19 November with a welcome from crowds of cheering onlookers. It is hoped that the “Heroine of Dunkirk” will soon be able to act as a floating museum and venue for events. One day she may even venture out under her own steam. Those who have given their time and money to revive the old girl can only hope!
Excitement reaches fever pitch for Medway Queen’s homecoming
We understand that the tug Christine is waiting in Bristol to tow the venerable paddle steamer home to the Medway. However the port authority there is waiting for a 48 hour clear weather window before giving permission for the tow to take place. [Update 5 Nov: tug and tow still in Avonmouth Docks waiting for better weather]
Last sea-going paddle steamer visits Medway
PS Waverley, run by volunteers of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society, seen here during her visit to the Medway on Sunday 29 September. Our own Medway Queen is now afloat and will soon be gracing our river on a permanent basis.
Swale News
To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of the cancellation of the Swale Regatta were greatly exaggerated. Alan Thorne, Rear Commodore of Hollowshore CC, informs us that the regatta did take place on the Friday. It was a great race around the island from The Receptive Buoy, Faversham, to Queenborough. Only Saturday and Sunday races were cancelled. The prize-giving was held on Friday July 5th.
The Swale Smack and Sailing Barge Match, organised by the Kentish Sail Association, was exceptionally good on Saturday with ideal conditions.
The next MSBA Business Meeting, on Tuesday 8 October at 7.30 pm will be at Hollowshore Cruising Club. All our member clubs and organisations are invited to attend.
Faversham Creek: it’s not a street
At Faversham Creek sailing barges and other traditional craft are still moored and repaired, but for how much longer? Planners and developers seem ignorant of history and geography, also blind to what is lost if the edges of such navigable waterways are simply covered with housing and shops as if the creek was a suburban street.
Dr Arthur Percival, director of the Faversham Society’s Fleur de Lis Heritage Centre, has written a wonderfully eloquent letter to the clerk of the council on behalf of Faversham Creek Trust: http://favershamcreektrust.com/2013/06/30/arthur-percival-its-a-creek-not-a-street/
Medway Queen Re-dedication
T
he hull of paddle steamer Medway Queen is nearing completion in the Albion Dockyard, Bristol. A re-dedication ceremony will be held at the dockyard on Saturday 27 July.
The ship will not leave the dry dock immediately. When the weather conditions are right and the tug is available the ship will be moved back to Gillingham without further ceremony. The MQPS website (www.medwayqueen.co.uk) has a page dedicated to the “tow home” and details will be posted there as they become clear.
The fitting out phase will then commence in earnest. The society’s Gillingham Pier workshops will be open to the public on all 4 days of the Heritage Open Days weekend of 12-15 September.