Edith May Blogs
Colne Barge Match 2011
Only a week on from Southend, the final match of the season was held on the River Colne, with the hotly contested Barge Championship now at stake.
Following Melissa’s win at Southend, Edith May found herself in 3rd place with Repertor right behind. Edme was leading and needing only to finish the match in the top three to secure her place. Points are awarded for starting first in class and fastest start overall, first to outer mark and for seamanship, as well as 3 points for a win, two for second and one point for third.
48th Southend Barge Match 2011
Bank holiday weekend saw the Edith May head across the Thames Estuary to Southend-on-Sea for the 48th sailing barge match.
The sail over on Saturday was punctuated with rainy squalls, typical bank holiday weather, but was enjoyable nonetheless.
39th Swale Barge Match 2011
As the season presses on into August, the Edith May returned to the Swale, along with around a hundred other boats of different shapes and sizes, for the 39th Swale Match.
Last year the barge attended, but was unable to race due to a technicality. This year there was no such problem.
81st Thames Barge Match 2011
The Thames Barge Match was started in 1863, by ‘Golden Dustman’ Henry Dodd and is one of the oldest sailing races in the world (second only to the America’s Cup). This year was their 81st match and the Edith May sailed up the London River to take part.
50th Blackwater Barge Match
A fortnight on from Pin Mill’s 50th match, the Blackwater Smack and Barge Match celebrated the same milestone and the Edith May headed over to her old stomping ground to take part.
The passage down Swin on Friday was a lively affair, with a very strong SW wind blowing. Although a favourable direction, the strength meant that a brailed main and foresail were all that was required. ‘Gale warning imminent’ was issued over the radio and raised the tension slightly, but the barge took it well.
50th Pin Mill Barge Match
The ‘Edith May’ left the Medway on Thursday 23rd June and headed to the Suffolk coastline for the Pin Mill Barge Match, who this year celebrated their 50th event.
To mark this milestone, the Pin Mill Sailing Club, who have organised the event since the 1960′s arranged for a parade of sail from Pin Mill to Ipswich Docks, where the ‘Edith May’ would have traded in years gone by. A prize was to be awarded to the best dressed barge and so the crew set-to with the paintbrush and got her old racing pennants out, making the barge look resplendent.
Medway Barge Match 2011 – Edith May wins!
The Edith May finally returned to racing after almost 20 years in the 103rd Medway Barge Match. Despite only 6 barges turning out, it was a hotly contested race.
There were two classes instead of the scheduled four, with the Bowsprits being Edme, Marjorie and Adieu and the Staysail’s being Orinoco, Repertor and Edith May.
