Medway and Swale Boating Association
The voice of boating on the tidal Medway and Swale
Ken Gorton of the Royal Engineer YC invites all cruiser-racers (monohulls only) to the Mary Cup race on Saturday 28 September. If you do not have an NHC handicap please contact Ken well in advance.
Download: [Sailing Instructions] [Entry Form] [Notice of Race]
The annual Round the Island Race, hosted by the Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club, is the longest dinghy and board race in Europe. For more details click here.
The Queenborough Harbour Trust, was very honoured to have the fleet of twelve, ‘around the world’, state of the art, brand new 70ft racing yachts, prior to their start on Monday 2 September, after coming from London.
The British Sponsored Boat CV 26 Great Britain, which was on display in Trafalgar Square in London,was moored on the end of the All Tide Landing and the other boats on other moorings in the harbour!
This is the only race in the world where the organisers supply the fleet of 12 identical, 70-foot, stripped down racing yachts – each sponsored by a city, a region or a country – and man each with a fully-qualified skipper, employed to lead the crews safely around the globe. Clipper Ventures is the company which organises and runs this special event, founded by Sir Robin Knox Johnson, the first man to circumnavigate the world non-stop and solo!
The harbour trust, was also very honoured to have Sir Robin Knox Johnson as a patron of Queenborough Harbour trust and to have these yachts visiting and showing the potential of Queenborough Harbour.
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.
Peter Norris has informed us that Clarke & Carter, long established at Gillingham Marina, has opened a new office at Swale Marina in Conyer Creek. For more information, see http://www.clarkeandcarter.co.uk/brokeragenews/announcing-our-new-swale-marina-brokerage-service
Along with the racing, there’s lots going on off the water , so come and join us whether you want to sail, spectate or socialise.
On the water:
Off the water:
Notice of Race & Entry Forms are available from www.wilsoniansc.org.uk
One of two Medway regattas on the same weekend, the MYC Regatta is open for Dragons, Sonatas, Squibs, Old Gaffers and 4 other classes of Cruisers based on their NHC rating, which is the new handicapping system from the RYA, replacing the Portsmouth Yardstick. Race positions will also be calculated on an IRC basis for boats so rated. The regatta starts on Thursday evening with an evening race at Upnor Sailing Club, open to all comers followed by a barbeque. For more information visit the MYC website at http://www.medwayyachtclub.com/2013%20Regatta%20Detail/index.html
Established in 2010, the Medway Boat & Chandlery Fair is the largest boat show on the Kent Coast. There will be over 60 sail and motor boats on display.
There will be trade stands from 3D Tenders, Dolphin Sails, English Braids, GJW Insurance, Medway Watersports, Raymarine, Robert Bingham Yacht Surveyors, Suzuki. This is an ideal opportunity for you to meet and discuss with specialists all aspects of boat ownership.
For more details and fast-track registration, see http://www.clarkeandcarter.co.uk/boat-and-chandlery-fair
On Saturday a free shuttle bus will carry you to and from Chatham Waterfront where you can see the Medway River Festival.
This year’s free council-run festival will be bigger and better than ever before. It will be a fun-packed day of activities centred on and around the River Medway, best viewed from Chatham Waterfront where there will be lots to see on and off the water.
If you want to try a boat or have a go at sailing, a shuttle bus will take you to and from the Boat and Chandlery Fair at Gillingham Marina.
Races and floating river processions are among the plans with colourful displays of yachts, rowing boats, motor cruisers, barges, tugs and kayak activities taking place on the River Medway. Local clubs and associations will be offering support and advice shore side for everyone to learn more about the river. Live music, nautical-themed performances, food stalls and children’s entertainment are also planned for the festival.
Gillingham Marina’s On The Water Weekend, run on the 27/28 April in association with Medway Watersports Centre, marked what seemed to be the start of the boating season in regard to the weather by getting prospective boaters on the water. The nationwide boating and watersports event was launched by the British Marine Federation (BMF) to encourage more people of all ages and abilities to get on the water and try something new.
Clinton Lyon of Gillingham Marina said “We are very pleased to spread the addiction to boating on the Medway and put a smile on a number of faces. To top it all, the sun finally came out.”
Trevor Peen and the team from Medway Watersports Centre had a very productive weekend recruiting a number of adults and youngsters to join the weekend dinghy sailing session which runs until December from the Strand, a site next to Gillingham Marina on the River Medway.
If you missed the opportunity to join us during the On the Water Weekend, come along to the fourth Gillingham Marina and Clarke and Carter’s “Medway Boat and Chandlery Fair” to be held over the 6/7 July where, as well as the on the water experience, the marine trade will be on hand with demonstrations, technical advice and question and answer sections. There will be an array of pre-owned and new sail and motorboat to be viewed with Clarke and Carter along with RIBs, dinghies and kayaks in the Chandlery.
It is hoped that a connecting shuttle bus service from and to the Medway River Festival on Saturday 6 July, on Chatham waterfront, will swell the numbers at both events.
Medway Council intend the festival to be bigger than ever, with the landing of a seaplane, races and river processions, colourful displays of yachts, rowing boats, historical craft, barges, tugs and kayak demonstrations. On shore amongst the children’s entertainment, live music, food and trade stalls you will find the Gillingham Marinas Boat & Chandlery Fairs stand directing show goers to the bus and booking On the Water sessions. Please do come and join us for what promises to be a very enjoyable weekend.
For further details relating to the Boat & Chandlery Fair please contact Clinton Lyon on 01634 280022 or Clinton@gillingham-marina.co.uk