Highlights of the 76th

Pictorial Highlights Of The 76th. Match In 2006

by Mike Wignall - Webmaster [thamesmatch "at" yahoo.co.uk]

The official reports of Julian Cass, the Officer of the Day, and John Hargreaves, the Timekeeper, were invaluable in making possible the pictorial reconstruction of the match, based on photographs taken of the event. The day's highlights are presented below. Please note - if you do not have a broadband connection the complete page may take a couple of minutes to fully appear.

[1] Barges beginning to leave Gravesend, Kent, prior to the early morning start. Edme (1898) [left] [Master Andy Harman] is about to slip her buoy and Will (1925) [right] [Master Ian Ruffles] is already underway and making way down river. Others are still berthed on PLA Lighter No. 3 which is in the centre distance, and have yet to slip and proceed down river to Lower Hope Reach where the start line is located.

[2] On board the tug MV Touchstone [the Bridge Committee's vessel for the match] on the Essex side of Lower Hope Reach. The distant shore is Lower Hope Point, Cliffe Marshes, on the Kent side. The gun is fired for the start of the Coasting Class at 0800 by Jim Twyman of Gravesend Sailing Club [right]. The start line for each class is an imaginary line created by the transit between Mucking No. 3 buoy and a mark on the Touchstone, when viewed from the Kent side of the Reach.

[3] Will (1925) in Coasting Class is heading down river, and is about to cross the start line, of which Mucking No. 3 buoy [left] is part. Reminder (1929) is on her starboard beam close in to Cliffe Marshes. As she's in the Champion Staysail Class this is not her start and she will shortly gybe and return up river, in anticipation of the starting gun for her class.

[4] The gun is fired for the start of the Champion Staysail Class at 0815 and Repertor (1924) [Master Rebecca Polden] being well positioned [right] crosses it, just 8 seconds later, to become the barge making the fastest start. Edme (1898) is heading up river [left] to position herself in anticipation of the start of the Champion Bowsprit Class, which is yet to come.

[5] After the Champion Staysail Class starting gun - from left to right: Reminder (1929) still heading back up river having failed to get back above the line before the gun fired at 0815. Repertor is making swift progress down river after a fast start. Centre - is Mucking No. 3 buoy. On the right Decima (1898) [Master Tim Goldsack] is about to cross the line - 42 seconds after the gun.

[6] Edme (1898) [Master Andy Harman] [left] and Xylonite (1926) [Master Richard Titchener] [right] both on starboard tacks, practically on the start line prior to the gun for their Champion Bowsprit Class being fired. They are heading across the river on converging courses and this close quarters situation eventually culminates in the barges touching.

[7] The starting gun for the Champion Bowsprits is fired at 0830. In the centre distance [left hand barge] Edme, still on her starboard tack has been forced over the line prematurely due to her collision with Xylonite [middle barge]. The latter has gybed and is now heading up river on a port tack in order to come back down again and cross the line. This she does 1 minute 24 seconds after the gun. The barge on the right is Adieu (1929) [Master Iolo Brooks] in Champion Bowsprit Class, heading down river towards the start line.

[8] The situation after the Bowsprit Class gun is becoming complicated. From left to right: Edme is still heading up river to re-position herself for a run down over the line, Marjorie is close inshore to Hope Point intending to do likewise, Adieu (1929) [Master Iolo Brooks] also in the Bowsprit Class, is heading down river and is well placed to cross the start line. However, on her starboard beam, just visible behind her mainsail and mizzen is Xylonite heading up river to try and make her run down to cross the line. As a result, due to the lack of sea room between the buoy and Hope Point on Cliffe Marshes Adieu is unfortunately obliged to cross the line leaving the buoy to starboard [instead of port]. She is therefore disqualified.

[9] Left to right: Adieu has now crossed the line the wrong side of the buoy and Edme and Marjorie are both still heading up river. May (1891) [Master Gerald Gadd] in the Bowsprit Class is heading down river towards the line. She has Xylonite still going up river on her starboard beam. She therefore finds herself in the same situation as Adieu. There is insufficient sea room to pass the buoy on her port beam. She is therefore obliged to leave it to starboard and is, like Adieu, also disqualified.

NB. May can always be identified by the "Tate & Lyle" in her topsail.

[10] The melee around the start line for the Bowsprit Class has dissipated and Xylonite is able to have an unrestricted fast run down river to cross it. Now with plenty of sea room she is able to leave Mucking No. 3 buoy to port, as the Thames Race Regulations require. Note her ill-set mizzen - due to damage sustained during the collision with Edme.

[11] Looking south west from Thames Haven, Essex, up into the entrance of Lower Hope Reach. Beric (1896) [Master R. Payne] in the Coasting Class [left] is having problems due to a damaged leeboard. She's no longer flying her race flag [B]ravo from the end of her mizzen sprit - indicating that she has retired. Xylonite which crossed the line 40 minutes later is soon passing her, close hauled on her way down river to the Outer Mark. Cliffe Jetty can just be seen on the horizon behind Beric's mizzen with the silhouette of three slower barges still coming down Lower Hope Reach.

[12] Due to the prevailing sea and wind conditions the race course was shortened. The Outer Mark was therefore changed from the North Oaze buoy to Sea Reach No. 4 - buoy off Southend-on-Sea. Decima [left] was the first to reach it and here she has just rounded it having successfully gybed and is preparing for the run back up the river to Gravesend and the finish line. Repertor [right] is heading towards the buoy intending to round it, having approached it from closer in to the Essex shore.

[13] Edme is heading down river towards Sea Reach No. 4 buoy. She rounded it less than 2 minutes after Decima.

[14] As the Officer of the Day, Julian Cass, noted - "Not only barges were trying to round Sea Reach 4!" Here, Repertor has some close competition. MV Bit Oktania, in a class of her own, just beats her to it! Repertor successfully rounded the Mark just over 4 minutes after Edme. It was decided not to time Bit Oktania!

[15] Xylonite is making serious progress towards the Outer Mark. The wind from the ENE [from the right in the photo] is against the last of the tide which is ebbing [from the left in the photo]. This wind against tide situation can provide classic shots of water being shipped over the bows. She eventually rounded it just over 21 minutes after Repertor. Note that her damaged mizzen has been successfully re-set.

[16] Marjorie rounding the Outer Mark exactly 3 minutes after Xylonite. Note that one of her crew is out working on the bowsprit.

[17] Will [left] is making her way towards the Outer Mark and having little problem [due to her size] in coping with the short steep seas she's experiencing as a result of wind against tide.

[18] Will about to round the Mark. Note her gaff [as opposed to normal sprit] rigged mizzen. At 129 registered tons she was by far the largest barge to compete. In comparison, at the other extreme, were Edme and Xylonite, both at only 50 tons.

[19] Will [left] having rounded the Mark is heading back up river towards Gravesend. Reminder [right] is still heading down river and was the last barge to round Sea Reach No. 4 whilst competing in the match.

[20] Repertor heading back up river, passing Sea Reach No. 5 buoy [left]. May is on her starboard quarter, in the far distance, having just rounded Sea Reach No. 4 buoy - the Outer Mark.

[21] Marjorie [left] and Adieu [disqualified] [right] both having rounded the Outer Mark are heading back up river keeping close to the Essex shore. Canvey Island is in the background. There appears to be a shortage of willing hands to work out on the bowsprit to take charge of Adieu's sails.

[22] As the Timekeeper, John Hargreaves, succinctly put it at the time - "A race within a match!". Marjorie [left] and Adieu [disqualified] [centre] are being overtaken by May [disqualified] [right] as they all run up Sea Reach. Thames Haven is on the left and the green buoy between Marjorie and Adieu is Mucking No. 1. As is customary, the barges that were disqualified continued to sail round the course - thus giving their crews the experience they came for.

[23] Tilbury - bound diesel and propeller overtake Gravesend - bound muscle and sail. Edme was not the only vessel with some serious business ahead of her on entering Higham Bight!

[24] Xylonite has just passed over the finish line in Gravesend Reach and Richard Twyman [Gravesend Sailing Club] is readying the gun for the next arrival.

[25] Will has just passed over the finish line and is ready to motor round to her berth. She has lost no time in downing her topsail, stowing her mizzen, and is about to do the same for her jib, whilst her mainsail is already being brailled up.

[26] The majority of the barges are now berthed back on PLA Lighter No. 6 off Gravesend foreshore. The day has come full circle. They're having a well earned rest before the evening's prize-giving ashore.

[27] Michael Everard, Chairman of the Match Committee giving his opening speech for the evening. Amongst a variety of topics he thanked the Match Patrons [both present and absent] for their support, which had resulted in the 2006 match being able to take place. Their valuable continuing support was essential for the future of the match.

[28] Richard Titchener, Master SB Xylonite (1926) whose barge came 1st. in the Champion Bowsprit Class is presented with the F. T. Everard & Sons Ltd. Silver Chalice by Richard Everitt, the Chief Executive Officer of the Port of London Authority.

[29] Tim Goldsack, Master SB Decima (1898) whose barge came 1st. in the Champion Staysail Class is presented with the Shipowners' Mutual Protection & Indemnity Association Silver Cup by Richard Everitt, in recognition of the Master and crew's achievement.

[30] Ian Ruffles, Master SB Will (1925) whose barge came 1st. in the Coasting Class is presented with the Hayes plc Silver Cup by Richard Everitt, in recognition of the Master and crew's achievement.

[31] Robert Deards, Master SB Marjorie (1902) is presented with a special prize by Capt. Gordon Swift, guest member of the Bridge Committee for the match. It is the 1894 "Majestic" Rose Bowl which is awarded each year to the master who exhibits the best seamanship in rounding the Outer Mark.

[32] The evening of prize giving for the 76th. Thames Sailing Barge Match, 15th. July 2006 comes to its conclusion. From left to right: Robert Deards Master SB Marjorie [with his future junior bargemaster - in training for receiving prizes] holding the 1894 "Majestic" Rose Bowl prize, Capt. Jimmy Lawrence [Head of the Bridge Committee], Capt. Gordon Swift [Bridge Committee], Richard Titchener SB Xylonite holding the London & Rochester Trading Company Silver Cup [for exhibiting the best seamanship during the match], Richard Everitt [Prize Giver and Chief Executive Officer, Port of London Authority], Michael Everard [Chairman Thames Sailing Barge Match Committee] and Paul Goldsmith [donator of the 1894 "Majestic" Rose Bowl prize].