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| 30th
May 2009 |
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The
Medway Barge Match held its 101st event on 30th May 2009.
A wonderful day for sailing was in store for the 8 competitors
with a decent NE breeze and plenty of sunshine.
Three
classes were run and the results were as follows:
Staysail: Repertor (1st), Reminder, Wyvenhoe, Lady of the
Lea
Coasting: Pheonician, Orinoco (RTD)
Bowsprit: Mirosa, Adieu.
Mirosa had the fastest start at 48 seconds after the gun
and the fastest elapsed time at 3hrs 57mins 39sec. She won
the seamanship for sailing an exemplary race.
The course was shortened as the barges tacked out of the
river to No. 9 buoy as the tide was running out and the
NE wind was freshening so it would have been a struggle
for the slower barges to get round the course.
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31st
May 2008
It
is said of the Medway Match that it will either blow a gale or
else not blow at all and this year was true to form, with very
light and fickle winds. These are the most testing conditions
for the crews and skippers as the wind is what drives their vessels
and without it, they have restricted steerage and therefore less
control. Given the late start and lack of wind, the barges did
not have enough time to make the Medway Bell and return. As such,
they were turned around No. 11 buoy instead. Despite the course
reduction, the wind died completely in the evening as the barges
were running home and so the front two barges were finished between Darnet
Ness and Folly Forts. The other barges positions were taken where
they were so as to enable them to start their engines and return
home before it got too late.
Not
all the barges completed the race as the Wyvenhoe ran aground
opposite Kingsnorth Power Station and had to motor off, resulting
in her retiring. Also, the half-sized barge Cygnet decided that
she would abandon the race and so headed out of the Medway with
the other barges but did not turn back!
The
evening prizegiving was held in the St Georges Centre, Chatham,
which used to be a Church for the Navy and provided a grand
setting for the evening, which was attended by over 200 people.
Rather than the casual affairs of recent years, this had a more
formal feeling with a hearty meal of beef stew and dumplings or
curry – something all the barge crews appreciated! The prizegiving
finished just before midnight, when all the competitors returned
to their vessels and to the various rivers of the East Coast from
whence they came, with everyone appearing to have thoroughly enjoyed
this historic occasion, despite the lack of wind.
Results:
(skippers of winning barges in brackets)
River
class: Whippet (1st - Owen Emerson), Dinah, Cygnet (DNS)
Coasting
class: Gladys (1st - Gary Diddams), Orinoco , Pheonician, Lady
Daphne
Restricted
staysail: Repertor (1st - Rebecca Polden), Greta, Reminder, Decima,
Ardwina, Wyvenhoe (RTD), (First over start line - Reminder (four
seconds after gun).
Bowsprit:
Edme (1st - Andy Harman), Marjorie, Mirosa, Adieu, (First over
start line - Mirosa)
The
crew of the Edme won the seamanship, with the OOD Jimmy Lawrence
awarding it to her for showing great skill in sailing her around
the outer mark, with every one of her young crew working hard
to get the barge set up and sailing fast as soon as she rounded
the mark.
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REPERTOR (1924)
Another successful Horlocks barge built of steel, she has
dominated the Staysail Class in recent years under skipper/owner
David Pollock. Based at Standard Quay, Faversham. Recent
Medway Match Results: Winner 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007. 2nd
2001, 2002. 3rd 2004
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