By Julian Mannering
Photos by Seamus Masters
By the time of this year’s Swale Match, on Saturday the 10 August, the weather had acquired the distinct feel of summer but, as has been the case over some recent matches, it blew hard on the Friday and a number of entries from the Essex rivers decided not to battle their way across the Thames to Kent. But despite these casualties to the vagaries of the English summer, there was a good turnout and, including the small open gaffers, we had more than forty entries.
A magnificent orange sun rose above Shellness at dawn on Saturday and the forecast was for a Force 4 south- westerly breeze – pretty much a perfect day for racing. We started early to catch the tide – the first barges heading off at 7am – and the fleet had a gentle run out towards the wind farm and then a fast reach into Herne Bay as the wind got up; and that was followed a long beat home to Harty Ferry and the finish line. The sun shone for most of the day and the wind never rose much above 15 mph so that the smacks and smaller vessels carried their topsails throughout.
The beautifully-rebuilt smack Yet won the BMM Weston Trophy for the fastest elapsed time of any smack or barge, and was the only vessel to finish in less than four hours.
Second place went to the big Essex-based smack ADC.
The bowsprit barge Edme won Class 3 and was followed home by Marjorie. Class 4, the Fast Staysail Barges, was won by Ironsides, based at the Iron Wharf on Faversham Creek and racing in the Swale Match for the first time for some years. And she was followed by Niagara, Wyvenhoe, Edith May and then Repertor, 100 years old this year and another Faversham-based barge. Lady of the Lea, owned by the editor of this esteemed paper and being the only barge to enter the Slow Staysail Class this year, sailed a lonely race of one to win the Brents Cup.
The week before witnessed the annual race for small Open Gaffers (16ft or under), sailed in the creek off Hollowshore. A lunchtime tide and the proximity of the Shipwright’s bar have made this event grow in popularity and this year eleven gaff-rigged dinghies entered, while the skiffs from the Faversham Rowing Club also joined in to lend colour and activity to the creek. First on elapsed time and on handicap was Orion and second Lady Ann, built by the Faversham boatbuilder Dick Dadson back in the ‘60s.
The Swale Match is unique on the East Coast for welcoming a wide range of traditional and vintage craft and it was a pleasure to sea such venerable vessels as the Humber motor barge Selby Ellen, the lovely gentleman’s motor yacht Lilian of Stockholm as well as a fleet of classic Bermudan-rigged boats. They all play such a valuable role in keeping alive the story of our maritime past. And the annual Swale Match helps keep alive the memories of the creek in the days of sail and oar.
In the early evening there was a prize-giving and party for skippers and crews in the yard at Hollowshore. The beer flowed and the music drifted over the now slumbering river; it had been a perfect day’s racing.
The beautiful Kentish Sail Association calendar for 2025 is now available and can be purchased in the Information Centre, at Creek Creative, the Fleur de Lis bookshop or Tales on Market Street.
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