Medway Barge Race
Medway Barge Match - Saturday 31st May 2025
The Thames Sailing Barge Racing Season is underway with the first one being the annual Medway Barge Match which traditionally runs from Gillingham Pier to Medway Bell Buoy and return, a course distance of 29 miles.
Along with the Thames, the Medway Barge Match is one of the most historic races in the world.
Officially, the Medway Barge Match was established in 1880 and has been held almost every year since, only temporarily being halted for the World Wars.
There are a number of ways to participate in the match this year, either part of the racing crews aboard the historic working vessels as they try and put points on the Champion Barge League table for 2025 or as a spectator soaking up the whole field as race to the marks along the course.
Falmouth Classics
Falmouth Classics – a prestigious three-day regatta of racing, parades and onshore events
The River Race
Organised by the Oyster Challenge Race Team , this is another opportunity to stretch our legs out in the River.
Open to all Smacks and Bumpkins
More details to follow
Swale Match
The Swale Match
The 2025 Swale Match
A great day's racing was had by all last year, the sun shone and there was a brisk breeze, but not too brisk, was the perfect accompaniment. Many thanks to all the owners, skippers and crew who attended last year and The Kentish Sail Association are looking forward to seeing you this year. Put the date in your diaries – 2nd August 2025.
More details http://www.kentishsail.org/about.html
Cobmarsh
Handicap Dinghies for Mersea Fisherman’s Open Boats*
Fast Division for The Oswald Lewis Challenge Cup
Slow Division for The Gladys and Ed Wyatt Trophy.
The Wyatt Cup for the first ex-working boat not winning another trophy.
The Pinky Hewes Memorial Trophy for first over the start line.
* Note: Strictly for open boats with NO decking and to be sailed under M.F.O.B. Class. Rules and handicapping. Rules available on request from David Cope 07764 559380.
Mersea Week
A week of racing for many types of vessels including lots of opportunities for EHWB
For all the details on how to enter and the details on each day’s events
Blackwater Barge Match
The annual race for the Thames Sailing Barges up to the Maldon Quay. Organised by the Blackwater Sailing Barge Match Association
For more details https://www.facebook.com/Blackwatersailingbargematch/
Mersea Town Regatta
West Mersea Town Regatta takes place on Mersea Island in Essex, and has been running since 1838
Sailing, Watersports and Fireworks and even an Essex Heritage Workboat taking centre stage. SB Wyvenhoe will again be the Regatta Barge.
More details at https://www.mersearegatta.org.uk/
MFOB Sloe Gin Saturday
As the name suggests it a Sloe Gin Saturday that can only mean that there might be a sideline competition going on to find the best tasting bottle of sloe gin hopefully brewed by the crew and not Mr Gordon !
MFOB SLOE GIN SATURDAY RACE
Start time 12:00 Start Line West Mersea Y.C
More details from merseafishermansopenboats@gmail.com
Turkey Race
Now very much part of the Calendar for smacks, bumkins and winklebrigs who are literally racing for their Christmas Dinner !
Salcott Challenge
One of the favourites of the MFOB sailing year when the boats and crew are put to the test
Salt + Oyster Relay
This is a relay from Maldon to Mersea on the tide for our wonderful Maldon Class Three oyster smacks and our Mersea Bumkins.
Maldon Town Regatta
Smacks and old gaffers, traditional and modern yachts race up river from West Mersea to Osea and from there to the town in a second race, berthing at high water.
2024 Colne Smack & Sailing Barge Match
The Annual Colne Smack & Sailing Barge Match from Brightlingsea, with the additional spectacle of the Bumkins and MFOB racing off East Mersea,
Mersea Dredging Match
Oyster Dredging Match starts at 1100h to 1300h for heritage working vessels that were originally built for the fishing industry in the Blackwater and Colne.
The Oyster Challenge Match
Join the Bumkins and Smacks as they take part in the The Oyster Challenge Match at West Mersea
Essex Heritage Workboat Oyster Season is Open
It’s the 1st September and that means the start of the EHWB Native Oyster Season.
Mersea Oyster Tendle Group
We have reached the end of our lovely project to discover more about the basket known as the Mersea Oyster Tendle. Over the past months we have worked with a wonderful group of fishermen, historians and of course basket makers to unpick the secrets of the process of making the Tendle. With the grant awarded by The Ratcliffe Trust we have been able to hold a series of meetings at the Mersea Island Museum over the winter.
What we have learned especially from the local boat builders and fishermen about
Tendle components and construction.
Materials required; species, dimensions, when and where to harvest them.
What physical characteristics of the materials were key, I.e. flexibility and strength.
How to twist and make the grommets.
The use of formers to create the correct shape to the handle and rims.
It was harder than we thought it was going to be!
The amazing skill of past tendle makers.
Steaming!
Mersea Oyster Tendle Group
We will be at the end of the investigation this week and we plan to round up the findings we have collected over the past few months
The Mersea Museum have kindly invited us to put on an exhibition in the early summer to enable us to show a wider audience what we have been working on and where this may lead to in the future.
Dates to be confirmed but we do hope you will pop in and find out what we have been busy investigating.
Mersea Oyster Tendle Group
It is hoped we are able to look at the weaving of the sides by this stage of the season and reach the point where we can start to have a correctly constructed Mersea Oyster Tendle.
Mersea Oyster Tendle Group
More investigating the construction of this very rare basket made by local craftmen on the island of Mersea for the oyster trade.
We are looking into the heritage of the trade as well as the people who used them.
Mersea Oyster Tendle Group
Following on from our first five sessions at the Mersea Museum to investigate the construction of the basket made for the native oyster trade, we are pleased to say that there are to be a further set of get togethers at the same place same time.
This one we are hoping to have some ash that is ready to be used and therefore we can begin the construction of the frames and the handle and of course the grommet !
Turkey Race
The annual Turkey Race is here again where we race for a wonderful Turkey, yes the first prize in each class is a Christmas Turkey !
Got to be in it to win it though…
There are lots of vessels looking for crew so do enquire if you would like to join in.
Harris Rally
The Harris Rally invites you to join them as they celebrate with The Rowhedge Heritage Trust the fishing vessels built there
Tollesbury Smacks & Classic Race
Tollesbury Sailing Club are pleased to announce that this year’s races will take place on Saturday 1st October.
The entry forms will be available on website or use link below
Prize giving will take place at Tollesbury Sailing Club straight after the race.
Beer and food will be available.
Maldon Regatta
Maldon Town Regatta has been held for generations and in its present form since 2002. Smacks and old gaffers, traditional and modern yachts race up river from West Mersea to Osea and from there to the town in a second race, berthing at high water.
Mersea Dredging Match
Dredging for Oysters of the Mersea Shore. Under a sail alone using Traditional methods and Heritage Working Vessels. Catches counted ashore and prizes awarded on the packing shed Island.
The Mersea Dredging Match will take place on Sunday 4th September starting at 11.00am and finishing at 1.00pm.
Weighing in of the days catch of Native oysters from 1.30pm onwards. Prize giving at 3.00pm.
As usual there will be a raffle with lots of prizes, proceeds going to the cost of MDM.
Colne Smack & Barge Race
Thames Sailing Barges start 08:00h
Smacks start 08:15h
Brigs start 10:00h
A great place to view the start and finish is East Mersea Stone as they race right up to the beach there.
Blackwater Barge Match
60th Addition of the Blackwater Sailing Barge Match -
Historic Fishing Smacks & Thames Sailing Barges Racing on the Blackwater Estuary.
8:15 start from Osea Pier for the 1st Class Away. Most vessels return to Maldon Quay on the Afternoon Tide. A good viewing spot offered from Heybridge Basin and Maldon to watch returning vessels.