The Boatyard Sheave Race – Saturday 3rd September 2022
The Boatyard Sheave Race is for Bursledon Gigs. It starts the Saturday Afternoon Events at the Swanwick, Bursledon and Warsash Regatta. This year the Regatta has moved from The Elephant Boatyard at Bursledon to Warsash Sailing Club.
The Entry Form is available on the Gig Racing section of www.bursledonregatta.org. You may have to go in through the ‘How to enter’ page. Please email me, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if in difficulty. The entry fee will be £10, per boat.
The Course
The course, weather permitting, will be a route of about 2 miles on the Warsash side of the River, ending in Kipper Pond, which is the water between the Warsash Sailing Club Jetty and the Maritime Academy Jetty. Kipper Pond is where the Afternoon events of the Regatta will take place.
The course may be changed if poor weather requires it The race will take place against an incoming tide, with first High Water at 16.12. It is expected that the Race will take 25 minutes for the faster boats, which will start last. The start will be after 1330 to ensure all boats finish by 1430, the start of other races in Kipper Pond.
Coxes will be provided with a laminated course map and instructions when collecting their race number from the Starter. The Start will be between a RIB, which will be in the shallows on the Warsash side of the River between Universal and Mercury Marinas, and a yellow pencil buoy. This course map should appear on the website ere long.
Race Categories and Trophies
Trophies
There are trophies for the fastest crew and for the fastest female crew (may have a male Cox), for both unrestricted length oars and for Sculling blades (max length 10ft). Trophies should be returned by arrangement with Jim Williams, or brought on the day. If necessary they can be handed to the Starter.
The prize giving will be in the Warsash Sailing Club Hall some time after 1600 in the afternoon. There will be no cash prizes.
Arrival Information
Hamble River based boats will know the Starting Area.
Boats from Langstone Harbour, and elsewhere, will be able to launch from the Slipway at Hamble Point Marina, by kind permission of MDL. Instructions will be sent to entrants. The Hamble Point Slipway is almost opposite the Regatta base at Warsash, in fact opposite the Maritime Academy jetty. These crews will be able to row up river to the Start, doing the course in reverse and seeing the various marks and hazards. There is a Half Tide Stand, with little incoming tide, from 1130 to 1330 so any mud banks/shallows will be visible. After the Finish, and the afternoon Fun and Prize Giving, they will be close to the launch site for recovery..
It is likely that there will be no possibility of launching at Warsash, on the Public Hard next to the Regatta site, and parking may be very difficult. We, very strongly, recommend you not to try to launch at Warsash.
Cox and Crew Notes
At the start of the Race
All boats should be at the start by 1315, to collect their race number and course Instructions from the Starter, before 1340. The first starts will be before 1345.
Boats will be set off, individually, at short intervals. Please ensure your crew is ready to go. Please aim to be at the start in number order.
Likely first Race Start Time – 13.45
Last start time - !4.00.
Approximate time to finish – 25 to 40 minutes
After the Race
There will be a Commentary at the Finish and regatta spectators and participantscrowds will be assembling, on the Shore, to take part in the afternoon ‘Fun’ races for rubber dinghies, etc..
As you approach the finish line, please ensure your number is visible to the Race Officers, and Commentator. If a race number is not visible it could affect your final position.
After crossing the finish line please move to allow other boats to finish, at speed. Be aware that there is an obstruction in the water half way along the long WSC jetty, about 10m off it. It is a metal Loch Ness Monster, and may be submerged. It should be buoyed.
Boats can be beached on the shore at Kipper Pond. The Tide will rise another 1m before HW after 1600. There will then be a High Water Stand until 1930. Alternatively, there may be room on the Warsash Public Hard. We recommend that you do not beach on the first 50m below the Club jetty, between it and the concrete slipway marked with a green post, it is very soft with many small obstructions, better to go down river a bit.
Prize giving will take place once all the competitors have completed the race, and timings calculated, probably in the Hall of Warsash Sailing Club. After 4pm, It will be announced on the PA.
There will be a bar, food stalls and Ice Cream van at Warsash Sailing Club, and the Rising Sun next door.
The Regatta Fun events will take place, in Kipper Pond, from 1430 to 1800. There will be bands playing later on. The Firework display will be at about 2100, with fireworks set off from the end of the Warsash jetty, with crowds watching from the Club and Kipper Pond shore.
Race Fee
The entry fee for the race will be £10.00 per boat. The Entry form tells you how to pay the Race fee.
Regulations and Eligibility
Entrants must complete the Entry Form in advance including the Declaration that the boat is seaworthy. It is for the boat’s crew to decide whether she and they are fit to row in the conditions they find themselves in. Completion of the Entry Form, by the Entrant signifies that Entrant/Cox and Crew accept and will abide by the Racing Rules.
Notice to Coxes (distributed on race day) include the Instruction that boats, when Racing, must stay out of the Main Channel.
Every boat must be covered by public liability insurance up to £2 million for any one claim and for any loss, injury or damage to property or persons, including all persons aboard the craft.
Coxes are reminded that the River is used by many leisure craft including Kayaks and SUPs. Marshals will attempt to keep the Course clear, but Coxes must adhere to the ColRegs.
Should a Gig touch/collide with any other boats, under way or moored, the incident must be reported to the Race Controller, Jim Williams, with boat names and position.
Use of buoyancy aids is at the discretion of the Crew. The Race is held in sheltered water of the River but it is up to crews to keep themselves safe.
Each boat must have a method of bailing water from their boat.
Tow lines must be secured to the bow and stern of the boat. Any towing will be undertaken at the boat owner's risk.
The minimum age for any person aboard is 16 years. If, however, some orvall of your crew are below this age please contact Jim Williams to see whether it may be possible to accept an entry.
In addition to the rowers, each boat must at all times carry a coxswain
Course description
The Course may be changed to suit conditions. A Course Map will be posted on the Website closer to the Day, and a laminated copy given to Coxes at the Start.
Start
In the wide stretch of water between the Chinese Bridge and the southern end of Universal Marina. Opposite Mercury Marina. Boats will start one at a time at intervals set by the Starter, In an order set in advance. The start will be between a RIB and a pencil buoy.
General description
Down the eastern side of the River to just beyond the Warsash Sailing Club Jetty, round a yellow pencil mark (to port) and up to a finish line close to the Warsash jetty. At no time, during the Race, should any Gig enter the Main Channel, unless to avoid a collision. There is, of course, a stronger incoming tide in the Main Channel.
Course detail
From the Start down to the corner of Stone Pier Yard, at Warsash, all Gigs must take a course between the moored boats and the Shore. No Gig may go in the Main Channel or between moored boats and the trots
The water by the Chinese bridge is fairly narrow and is the reason for not starting boats in pairs. There will be a Marshal boat directing kayaks and SUPs going up river to go between the Trots and the moored boats
Half way between the Chinese bridge and Stone Pier Yard there is a bank extending out from the shore, it may be shallow.
300m from Stone Pier Yard there is a green post with a cross on it, marking the end of a ledge. It should be left to port.
From Stone Pier Yard down to the Regatta courses (in Kipper Pond) there is a secondary channel marked by 3 green pencil buoys. Gigs must stay in this secondary channel as there will be leisure traffic and, possibly, racing sailing dinghies in the Fairway.
While passing down this secondary channel there may be sailing dinghies crossing to get into their sailing compound, stay well clear of the landward side. There should be a Safety boat here.
Once past the Warsash Sailing Club Jetty, and after 200m, there will be a yellow pencil mark, and a Safety RIB. This is before the College jetty with the Orange lifeboats hanging from it. Turn to Port (180°) and then the Finish line is up river 50m down river from the long Warsash Sailing Club Jetty, close to the hammerhead.
After the Finish please be aware that Gigs may be finishing, fast, behind you. You may beach your Gig on the Shore of Kipper Pond or on Warsash Hard, if room. High Tide is not until after 16.00!
Tide times and Tidal curves can be found on Easytide