Author: Pat Shaw

Pat is Marconi Sailing Clubs, Rear Commodore (Sailing) he might occasionally be seen driving a power boat :-) Or falling off the front end of an RS800.........

Last weekend saw Marconi Cruisers representing the club in local, and offshore events resulting in the fleet racking up quite an impressive mileage total. Woozle Hunter and McGregor IV competed in the 125 mile East Coast Night Race from Burnham to Ostend via the North Shipwash. Light winds and a flood tide meant a slow start for everyone, and as the wind finally died the fleet drifted towards Sunk Head Tower before hoisting the kites up to the top of the Shipwash. On the long leg across to the Belgium coast the wind built gradually up to 30 knots requiring…

Read More

A Busy Race Weekend for Marconi Cruisers at the Marconi Cruiser Cup Race 21 boats took to the startline of the Marconi Cruiser Cup race on Sunday 10th May. The race, part of the Blackwater Joint Racing Committee race series and the first leg of the Blackwater & Colne Open series, started off Bradwell from committee boat Charlotte by Frank Burgess and Roger Mander. The white sail fleet started first, followed by the joint local handicap and IRC boats who set spinnakers across to Mersea beach. The fleet took a course out to Bench Head and up the Colne before returning…

Read More

The BJRC race series started early this season (26th April), and Marconi almost achieved a clean sweep of the podium positions. Despite the very wet and cold NNE wind blowing, 5 Marconi boats joined a very congested pre-start area. McGregor IV (Peter Ward) just made it to the uptide side of the line with 20 secs to spare before the 5 minute gun, whilst Blue Moon (Richard Robarts), who charged at the line early, performed a 360 and lost all speed before crossing the line towards the back of the fleet. Caroline (Andy Ellis) and Woozle Hunter (Ian & Laura…

Read More

Andy Ellis collects BJRC trophies. Over 90 BJRC racers and guests attended the annual prizegiving dinner where Marconi’s Andy Ellis and crew of Caroline were presented with silverware. In a remarkable season, Andy and Caroline won 2 of the races in the 9 race series which saw them finish a very close 3rd overall in the Championship which allows 4 discards. On the night Andy’s crew left the prizegiving with their hands full of glassware and impressive trophies having been presented with the Stone Sailing Club Rosebowl and the Maldon Little Ship Clubs Paget Cup. Marconi boats were well represented…

Read More

Calling all Topper Sailors – Saturday 4th April Marconi Sailing Club Top sailing coach Sally Dugdale will be running a coaching day specifically tailored for Toppers. If you race a Topper at any level this is coaching you will not want to miss. In fact if you can borrow a Topper you will get a lot out of it, even if you normally sail a Laser or Pico. This course is “open” to all sailors regardless of which club they normally sail from. This is a great way to kick-start your sailing this season and to learn new skills you can bring…

Read More

Marconi SC boat Woozle Hunter to race in this years Fastnet. Just 24 minutes after the online entry system opened at midday on 12th January, over 300 boats had registered for the Rolex Fastnet Race and the entry limit had been reached. Marconi member Laura Ivermee was quick on her keyboard having registered Woozle Hunter within the first few minutes and has been rewarded with a place in the biennial 608-nautical miler. Woozle Hunter will qualify for the Fastnet race through completing another EAORA offshore season which includes the North Sea Race (180miles) and the East Coast Race (120miles) amongst…

Read More

2014 saw success for Marconi’s Cruiser racers in local, regional and international fleets. With boats representing the club in east coast passage races, numerous cross channel events from East and South coasts, and offshore racing around Ireland, the fleet racked up thousands of racing miles.  Ian Ivermee and the Woozle Hunter crew returned to the club with an impressive haul of silverware from their EAORA campaign that should keep them busy polishing until the start of the new season. Series winners of class three and a superb second place overall from the smallest boat in the offshore fleet was a…

Read More

Cadets make good use of two recently acquired club dinghies Recently Marconi Sailing Club has been very fortunate in being able to increase the number of club owned sailing dinghies it is able to offer to its members for use. The purchase of a very good condition used Laser with a 4.7 rig has been possible due to a very generous donation by a club member, this boat was given its maiden outing on Sunday by cadet fleet captain Beth Spencer. Obviously the capsize we witnessed was a “deliberate” act of christening for the boat, it also gave the opportunity…

Read More

On Sunday 21st of September Marconi Sailing Club Joined forces with 6 other clubs on the River Blackwater to help host and take part in The River Blackwater Barts Bash. Participation: A total of 209 boats took part in the event:  18 cruisers, 46 juniors and 146 dinghies/cats.  It was, quite simply, the most amazing spectacle most of us have ever seen on the river. A total of 54 Marconi boats took part:  12 cruisers, 6 juniors and 37 dinghies/cats which was a fantastic turnout – so thank you all. So WOW! over 200 sailing boats from a vast number…

Read More

Bart’s Bash – Sunday 21st September – The Largest Sailing Event in the World! LINK TO EVENT REPORT Many of you will have heard about the Bart’s Bash race on Sunday 21st September in support of the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation.  Over 650 clubs around the world and some of the world’s top sailors have signed up to take part.  Event organisers are also hoping the event will achieve a Guinness World Record! We are pleased to confirm that Marconi SC in conjunction with other sailing clubs on the river will be holding a Bart’s Bash race as part of…

Read More