These are the reflections of four volunteers, (with a whopping 167 years of BSC membership between them), when asked for their favourite thing about being a member of the club!
And doesn’t that just say it all? Yes, we come to BSC to sail, but we stay for the kinship, the friendships and the feeling of family – on and off the water.
This time, we’re shining the spotlight on a brilliant example of that spirit: the fabulous volunteers who make the Mid-Week Lunch Club happen every month.
The Lunch Club was the brainchild of long-standing member Marilyn Sinclair, and set up 15 years ago. Marilyn explains:
“I felt that many of the older Members were being overlooked in the Club’s social calendar and that it would give them a reason to come to the Club, even if they didn’t sail anymore. It has also been especially popular with those Members who have lost their partners, as again it gives them a reason to come and meet up with other Members in a similar position.”
Together with an army of dedicated volunteers, Marilyn and the brilliant caterer Bridget Mellor, who always goes above and beyond, welcome around 30 members each month. In all that time, the only thing that’s managed to stop them is a global pandemic!
Over the years, the Lunch Club team has included:
Barbara, for instance, joined the club 25 years ago when the Osea Sailing Club tragically burnt down in 1996. Her experience as social secretary and running the galley across the river saw her get stuck in at BSC from the very beginning. Barbara went on to run the galley during club week from 2003 to 2021, working hard to secure the club a 5 Star Hygiene rating! (Bet you didn’t consider that when enjoying your bacon roll before racing!).
Marilyn has volunteered in a number of positions since joining back in 1969 - from Cadet Skipper to introducing the Macmillan Coffee Morning in 2011, which has raised over £12,000 to date! (BSC members clearly LOVE their cake!) Whilst serving on the social committee, alongside initiating Lunch Club, Marilyn identified there was a lack of social activities for members at the other end of the life cycle and set up the kids’ Christmas party in 2021. Now the wildest party in the calendar!
Over the last 35 years, Penny has joined many a winter working party, fulfilled bridge and safety boat duties; and, when her husband was a Flag Officer, organised and catered social events, as well as being an active fundraiser for the Clubhouse Redevelopment Project. Penny served on the main committee, taking a particular interest in HP&E, but now says, “I am happy to help out whenever asked.”
And Tricia – Alongside helping with Lunch Club, Tricia is a core part of the Webs & Comms and Membership sub-committees, helping with the day to day smooth running of the club and attraction of new members. Tricia has served many years on the Main Committee, including in the Flag Officer Roles, becoming our second ever female Commodore. Asked what she gets from volunteering, Tricia says: ‘I enjoy knowing that I am helping the club to keep the self-help ethos, which gives it its character and community feeling’.
There is no doubt that the social side of the club brings just as much, if not more, than the sailing to our members. And we are lucky to have people who are ready to roll up their sleeves, serve up a slice of cake, or even slip into a santa suit!
In the words of Marilyn Sinclair:
"I just like being involved and helping out wherever I can and am able. As I was once told “The more you put in the more you get out” and I personally agree wholeheartedly with this comment!
If you’d like to be part of the social side of the club – whether that’s Lunch Club, events, parties or anything in between – we’d absolutely love to have you.
Just drop a note to Julie Shelter at: social-secretary@blackwatersailingclub.org.uk
You never know… it might just be the start of your next 40+ years of friendships at BSC.
If you've visited the Club recently, you'll know it's been buzzing with activity. Members are laying up their boats after another action-packed season, cruisers are being hauled out on every tide and the moorings are being prepared for winter.
Managing the moorings is a big job that requires careful coordination — and much of it is led by dedicated volunteers.
To recognise the incredible contribution of volunteers across the Club, the Web & Comms team will be spotlighting individuals on the BSC news pages. And who better to start with than our Moorings Officer, Dick Garside.
Dick has been a BSC member since 1986. Before taking on his current role, he served on the Main Committee, the HPE Sub-Committee, and contributed to several Club redevelopment projects. He stepped into the Moorings Officer role in 2019, just as the moorings system was being digitised. There are up to 169 moorings available at BSC, with 120 currently in use.
As Moorings Officer, Dick's responsibilities include:
When asked what first drew him to the Club, Dick says:
"The main attraction was that it was a 'DIY' club, where members take responsibility for their own equipment and support each other. I think this spirit largely continues today — encouraging members to do as much as they can themselves, while recognising the Club must manage higher-risk activities. It would be sad to see the Club become one where members expect everything to be done for them. I was fortunate that when I started as Mooring Officer I inherited the comprehensive records kept by predecessors John Clark and Mick Sargeant. In fact the present mooring pattern was instituted by Mick’s father.”
There's no question that Dick does a huge amount for the Club. His background in seafaring, engineering, construction and naval architecture helps keep everything running smoothly. And he's keen to involve more members in the moorings team — ensuring things continue to run well in future. Could you learn from the calm and capable Dick Garside?
A heartfelt thank you to Dick for everything he does — and continues to do — for the Club. We hope his efforts inspire others to get involved. The moorings team will be happy to mentor anyone interested!
If you think there is a volunteer that should be mentioned on our news pages, then let us know by emailing – news@blackwatersailingclub.org.uk
The traditional end of season race was run on Sunday 19 October with a fleet of 29 boats for an all-in-start from the launch downriver. The start line was between the launch anchored off Clarks buoy and Osea Road buoy, with a beat downriver against the tide to Doctor buoy off Osea Pier and then a run back with the tide around the river’s official navigation marks. The turning point was at Herring Point off Maldon with the fleet finishing across the club line.
The handicap race was very close with a Wayfarer helmed by Graham Hoy & crewed by Clemency Evans winning by a 40 second margin over Dan Dixon in a Finn in second place with Rob & Katherine Carver in a Laser 2000 in third place. One cruiser participated, John Dyer & crew in “Breezy” and so won the Copsey Cup.
The bridge crew ran a race for the Short Course Fleet started from the Club line for 3 Mirrors and 1 Optimist. The winner was Julie Nelson crewed by Sarah Bakewell and well done to Oliver Keeble for finishing the race is his Optimist.
Many thanks to RO Malcom Green & ARO Judy Barnes who were in the launch driven by Steve Sharpe. The bridge crew of myself, Wendy Walker and Julie Shelter processed the results quickly.
We also ran a Macmillan Coffee morning and many thanks to Social Secretary Julie Shelter and her team for all their organisation. We raised £530 for this exceptional charity so thank you to all members for your support. The RNLI also had their usual stall which had a successful day with sales of £300.65 and donations of over £200.
Our Rear Commodore, Joe Bird organised an Open Forum for members to put forward their suggestions for improving and rejuvenating the way racing is run at the Club. Some really good ideas were forthcoming – there will be another Open Forum on Saturday 1 November at 19: 30 – the bar will be open so please come along to express your views.
BSC Commodore
(Photos: Gay Ayton)
On the 20th and 21st September the club hosted a 2-day Laser Open, with the Sunday also being a GP Event for the UKLA ILCA East Region Series. There were 3 races each day, with separate starts for ILCA 7 (Laser), ILCA 6 (Laser Radial) & ILCA 4 (Laser 4.7), downriver from a committee boat. We had a great turn out with 40 sailors, 14 club members and 26 visitors. Saturday started out with lighter winds, but then, as forecast, the wind strengthened and it was very gusty, which caused a few capsizes. Sunday was more consistent, and with the Essex sunshine it was great sailing. Thanks to everyone who helped and took part.
Tracy Haigh
Thank you to everyone who supported the Macmillan cake sale last Sunday as well as the one held in the summer. Thanks to everyone's generosity we raised £730! A fantastic achievement.
Additionally, Anne from the RNLI stall was grateful - members raised over £600 across both events too.
A special thank you must go to all the willing helpers who made these events possible.
The last weekend of August offered some feisty wind conditions for those taking part in the Reid Scott & Beastie events (the latter being part of a series of events hosted across four clubs in the Eastern region).
Some were put off by the forecast of rain on the Friday, but for the 48 sailors who took to the water, it proved to be a glorious afternoon of steady F4-5 winds and clear skies. We had a couple of coaches out on the water, as there were a handful of novice racers in the Topper/Tera & Optimist fleets; honourable mention to Charlie C-C who raced like a pro and ended the day in 3rd place overall! Meanwhile, in the Feva fleet, the day was a close-fought tussle, with 2 boats ending the day on equal points (visitors Noah & Rory, and homegrown scratch pairing Daniel H & Bella E). We managed to fit in a third race for all 5 classes, but due to some confusion in the communications, this was not entirely successful for all (in the Gen Handicap fleet, all 4 boats managed to sail different courses, rendering the race null & void).
Saturday saw fresher winds, with gusts around 30mph recorded. The Oppie Regatta fleet briefly ventured onto the river, but swiftly retreated to the lake for more enjoyable conditions. Kudos to Hannah K for making that call, and ensuring they could make the most of the day. The challenging conditions meant that a number of boats didn’t finish the first race, but the hardy majority managed to stay out for a second, with the competition really hotting up across all fleets.
On Sunday we welcomed a large number of additional visitors in Oppies, Teras, ILCA 4s (Laser 4.7s in old money) & Fevas, swelling the ranks to over 90 sailors. Despite the late tides, we again managed 3 races for most (including 3 on the lake for the Oppie Regatta fleet), allowing some great competition in superb conditions. On several occasions, we had classes starting a new race while others were still crossing the line for a previous, making for some exciting viewing from the shore (and numerous challenges for the spotters on the bridge!).
The suspense was really building in the early evening as the bridge team valiantly trawled through results for the 13 races that day, and then had to extrapolate the Beastie results based on different age/rig size criteria. By the time we were ready for prize-giving, a number of the further-flung visitors had already had to set off home, but a number expressed their thanks for a great weekend of racing in a very welcoming atmosphere, with great support both on and off the water.
Clare Hall
Results
Reid Scott
General Handicap
1 Osea Evans & Jack Bernard/Luca Batley
2 Finlay Craig & Oscar Rogers
3 Natasha & Olivia Adkins
ILCA/LASER (all rigs)
1 Callum Marshall
2 Hugh Andrews
3 Jess Welch
FEVA
1 Noah Mathers & Rory Luddington (visitors)
2 Daniel Hall & Bella Elderton
3 Esme Thomas & Bertie Elderton/Elvie Coates
TOPPER/TERA
1 Ben Crawford
2 William Jenkins
3 Elliot Gardner
OPTIMISTS
1 Thomas Child (visitor)
2 Freddie Barnes (visitor)
3 Beatrie Long (visitor)
Beastie
ILCA 4/LASER 4.7
2 ess Welch
3 Will Keys-Batson
1 Noah Mathers & Rory Luddington
2 Amelie Fairhead & Hugh Walker
3 Daniel Hall & Bella Elderton
TERA
1 Edward Gould
2 George Panos
3 Harry Calver
TOPPER
1 Joe Crawford
2 Amelia Gilbert
3 Abigail Nicols
1 Thomas Child
2 Freddie Barnes
3 Isaac Thomas
OPTIMIST REGATTA FLEET
1 Jenson Edwards
2 Emily Steggals
3 Maddison Dove
4 Isla Steggals
August saw the highlight of the BSC Cadet year with over 153 Cadets and nearly as many volunteers taking part in a packed week of sailing and onshore fun. As well as the sailing, other activities included, field games, the traditional tractor pull contest and the Colour team competitions.
During the week our Cadets sailed in a wide variety of boats, from Oppies, Toppers, Fevas, 420s, Lasers, to Thames Barges! We also were very lucky to have Oyster Smack ‘Hyacinth’ sailed by the newest Cadets to sailing and the use of four BSC cruiser yachts for the older Seamanship and Crewing group who were less keen on the racing but wanted to enjoy cruising.
Beginners learned the ropes on the lake, while the more experienced cadets trained or raced on the river. Winds picked up throughout the week, culminating in a breezy Saturday and the sunny Sunday sail to Maldon for ice cream with nearly 100 boats.
Red team claimed overall victory in the colour team competition, shining in the lake games and the talent show.
On Wednesday night, most Cadets headed over to Madison Heights in Maldon to enjoy roller-skating and soft play. Despite the variety of ages amongst the cadets, we all had a lot of fun at Monkey Puzzle with everyone getting involved and taking part in games such as Stuck in the Mud and Splat. It gave everyone a chance to get to know other Cadets that were not in the same colour or sailing groups. After an exciting hour, we went to the roller-skating rink where there was a range of different skill levels. It was especially nice to see more advanced skaters support and guide others around the rink.
On the penultimate evening we had the Curry Night, when both adults and cadets had an opportunity to dress up and celebrate. There was a photo booth where both adults and cadets captured memories with their friends. Later, there was a disco as well as a new addition to Cadet Week for the adults: the Ceilidh Night, where an Irish band performed and organised country dancing which was very entertaining! The disco gave a chance for both younger and older cadets to have fun and dance with DJ Elliott on the decks expertly mixing the music.
We also had a film night, a talent show and the very popular fancy dress competition with the challenging letter ‘O’ theme.
We raised over £1800 during Cadet Week for our four charities being CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young), Thames Barge Sailing Trust, Heritage Marine Foundation and the Farleigh Hospice. Farleigh Hospice was the charity supported by Richard Marshall’s Swim Across the Channel which took part over the last two days of Cadet Week.
It was definitely a fantastic and memorable week for both the children and all the adults taking part. The week was a huge success thanks to all the dedicated volunteers and organisers under the leadership of our enthusiastic Cadet Skipper.
Osea Evans & Katherine Carver
Photos: Anna Lau and Sophie Carver
MAIN SERIES
General Handicap for the Cadets 420 Cup
1 Bella Elderton & Hermione Cook
2 Flo Evans & Katherine Carver
3 Olivia Adkins & Henry Louis
LASER Overall for the Glendu Regatta Cup
1 Jess Welch (4.7)
2 Austin Edwards (Radial)
3 Hugh Andrews (Radial)
LASER Radial
1 Charlie Garlick (placed 5th)
Laser 4.7
1 Mara Thomas (placed 4th)
Feva for the for the Gibson Trophy
1 Amelie Fairhead & Bonnie Marshall
2 Natasha Adkins & Esme Thomas
3 Harriet Garlick & Freddie Diddams
TOPPER/TERA – for the NRD Trophy
1 Amelia Gilbert
2 Ben Crawford
3 Isabelle Miller
OPTIMISTS for the Segura Trophy
1 Oliver Keeble
2 Matthew Marshall
3 Victor Iszatt
OVERALL RACING TROPHIES
CHALLENGE TROPHY: Best points for the week
Amelie Fairhead & Bonnie Marshall in Feva
BLUE FLAG TANKARD (NO PLAQUE): Girl’s best points for the week, not winning the Challenge Trophy
Bella Elderton & Hermione Cook in 420
BEST CREW MEDAL
Bonnie Marshall in Feva: coaches described as absolute powerhouse – excellent transitions – super-responsive to both helm & conditions
COCK OF THE CADETS: Winner of Race of all Class Winners
1 Jess Welch
2 Amelie Fairhead
3 Bella Elderton
PINK FLAG TANKARD
Best results in a handicap fleet not winning the first prize
Flo Evans & Katherine Carver in the GH fleet
AWARDED TROPHIES
OPTIMIST – for the Evans Endeavour Goblet
Matthew Marshall for really developing his race acumen since this time last year
SEAMANSHIP CUP: Awarded for good seamanship or helping other competitors
Willoughby Spanton for persevering sailing back from downriver without being towed
HERON SPOON: Most Resolute Cadet
Ariana Denny from Oppie OTW – first time on river, always kept on trying, and did all that was asked of her
GINGER RICHES: Most Spirited Cadet
Charlie Nelson – always smile on face, good listener & always willing to help other cadets
It may seem like a distant memory now, but Club Week 2025 was a corker. Read on for the Commodore's report, featuring shifty winds, sea shanties and a Celebration of the Sea!
This year’s Club Week kicked off on Wednesday 20 August with the Wayfarer fleet on duty. Thanks to perfect tide times and a steady Force 4 breeze, over 80 boats took to the water for two thrilling back-to-back races — an incredible start to the week!
Thursday saw the Fast Handicap & Fireball fleet take charge, with me helping out on the bridge and Charlie Stewart masterfully running the ramp. The second race brought high drama with two fleets finishing from Lock and four shortened at Millbeach — keeping us on our toes and grateful for the trusty Line Camera! The evening rounded off in style with the ever-popular Quiz Night, brilliantly organised by Hattie Norman and supported by Drac & Marg. With 13 teams battling it out, the finish was nail-bitingly close!
On Friday, the Sprites took over. A slow start with very little wind (shifting a full 270 degrees!) meant a 45-minute postponement, but things eventually settled at NNW Force 2. Fleets were launched, though conditions were tricky, leading to shortened courses for three fleets and the Cruisers. True grit shone through with Victor Iszatt (Optimist) and Amelia Gilbert (Topper), both refusing offers of a tow and determinedly completing Course 1 in over two and a half hours! Spirits were high later at Fleet Night on the Terrace, with plenty of fun and games.
Saturday was another action-packed day, with the Short Course & Optimists fleets running two races. Meanwhile, the club transformed for my Commodore’s Supper, themed “A Celebration of the Sea”. The costumes were incredible — from Chris Mills’ larger-than-life Jellyfish to Alan Coday’s creative Seaweed! Alison from Annie’s Caterers wowed us with a hearty fish pie supper and a show-stopping meringue dessert. Entertainment was top notch too, with the Motley Crew from Brightlingsea leading us in rousing sea shanties, followed by music and dancing on the terrace with Sam from Friday Sailors and his band.
Sunday wrapped things up with the Medium Handicap fleet, run by Guy Welch. Only one race went ahead before the legendary Cock of the Club showdown. Excitement was sky-high with 2 heats of 5 boats in our Club Zests, and a 6-boat final that kept everyone on edge. In the end, it was Mike Iszatt who sailed to victory and claimed the title!
The week concluded with a celebratory Prize Giving, led by Rear Commodore Joe Bird and myself. A huge THANK YOU to all the volunteers, organisers, sailors, and supporters who made this week such a success. What a fantastic Club Week — full of racing, fun, laughter, and memories to last until next year!
Commodore, Sheena Berney
Photos: Zoë Nelson
FULL RESULTS:
Optimists: Victor Iszatt
Mirror: Mirror Goblet & Gilbert Trophy – Kevin Dowley
Short Course: Trebor Topper Salver & Sinclair Tankard: Esme Thomas & Iola Thomas/ Florence Fenton
Fast Handicap: Mike Iszatt
Fireball:
Goldhanger Trophy: Steve Jarred & Jack Bernard. Blobs Trophy: Mark Maskell & Luca Batley
Goldhanger Trophy: Steve Jarred & Jack Bernard.
Blobs Trophy: Mark Maskell & Luca Batley
Medium Handicap:
Committee Trophy: Dan Dixon Osea Handicap Trophy: Jon Simpson
Committee Trophy: Dan Dixon
Osea Handicap Trophy: Jon Simpson
Firefly Trophy: Ist Solo: Mark Osborne
Silverdene Cup: 1st 420: Sam Glover & Dom Carver
Laser:
Laser Pot Tankard: Jessica Welch
Broken Mast: Matt Bernard
Wayfarer:
Brown Tankard: Graham Hoy & Rob Haigh
Tom-Tom Trophy & Pippin Trophy: Alan & Janet Hoy
Sprite:
Terry Cup, Thursday Cup. David Marlow Salver & Bunting Trophy: Marcus Gallo & Gill Callander
Fast Cruiser: Mike Sargeant & crew
Club Cruiser: Harry Coday & Duncan Clark
Cock of the River: Mike Iszatt
It was another bumper weekend of activity on the river with BSC Regatta Day on the Saturday and Round the Islands Race taking place the following day.
As is tradition, Regatta started with racing on the river and it was great to see 68 boats across twelve classes taking part. Whilst the winds were light, there was plenty to get the races going and the finishing guns were a welcome sound for those crossing the lines first. (See Results below).
When everyone was back on land, it was time for the games to begin! And after much concern about how to accommodate the greasy pole in light of the new pontoon set up, it rose triumphant once more. And thank Poseidon it did, as one contestant in particular gave quite the show. Each time Freddie Diddams took to the pole, he strolled effortlessly towards the flags with the control and poise of a Russian gymnast, taking SIX flags home in total. Special mention also to Jessica Welch who also was the only female to take the flags this year.
Crabbing attracted a crowd too, making use of the extended pontoon area, with Arabella and Anna catching the most crabs, Victor & Alice catching the largest crab and the TG Family the smallest.
Of course, the cake stall was on hand to keep up people’s spirits (and sugar levels), raising a whopping £400, which will be split between RNLI and Macmillan charities. Tommy had the bar working over time and the galley team was on hand supplying hungry sailors with food, tea and coffee – so a BIG thank you to everyone who helped to make the day go so smoothly.
After prize giving, many members stayed on for the dinner and Barn Dance where Gill Calendar prepared a delicious meal ahead of the Hoedown, followed by a lil' something sweet from Zoë (much mentioned baker of the BSC newsfeed).
All in all, it was an awesome day. Here's looking forward to next year!
RESULTS:
Short Course winner: Howard Knott (H) Susan Hilton (C) - Gull
Medium Handicap, Ripple Regatta Tankard Winner: John Simpson – Finn
Fast Handicap Boothby Cup Winner: Jessica Berney (H) Julian Berney & Kim Waterfield (C) – National 18
Optimist winner: Leonie Fairhead
Mirror One Stop Trophy winner: Richard Evans (H) Poppy Evans (C)
Topper Regatta Cup Winner: Amelia Gilbert
Fireball Jennifer Rose Bowl Winner: Charlie Stewart (H) Kevin Hopper (C)
Laser Regatta Tankard Winner: Jessica Welch
Wayfarer Regatta Platter Winner: Paul Truman (H) Judy Barnes (C)
Sprite Marks Cup Winner: Ian Barbrook (H) Mick Terry (C)
Cruiser Commodore’s Castor Winner: Mick Sargent & Crew
Alicia Mellish
Photography: Zoë Nelson
The forecast was less than favourable for the Commodore’s cruise this year, but that didn’t stop a hardy few from casting off and heading out into the Blackwater Estuary last Sunday.
After some deliberation over our destination, (and spurred on with news that Zoë had made brownies and lemon drizzle cake), six boats left for breakfast at Osea Pier. I was crewing on Adagio with the Commodore and after a gentle run in the sunshine to our first stop we rafted up with Akela. Sheena got the bacon on the grill, Julian regaled Akela’s new owner, Ollie Scammell, with stories of passages past, and I contemplated my next house purchase. (With any Tom, Dick or Cruiser able to moor outside my bedroom window, I decided to pass on putting an offer on Osea).
Steve Moore from Harmattan consulted the weather app, updated the flotilla with a plan over the radio and it wasn’t long before we were off again, headed for an anchorage in the vicinity of Thirslet Spit. As we passed the boats moored at Marconi, the ominous black clouds that had been hanging over Maldon, gathered pace (and precipitation) and it wasn’t long before a 28 knot wind, peppered with hailstones and rain, was washing through the fleet. With a strong wind and the tide underneath us, we were storming towards Bradwell. Members of the cruise peeled off one by one, with Zoë and Ian doing an amazing job at corralling the cruisers back to the calmer waters.
The weather eased as quickly as it had escalated but soon enough we had all returned to the peace of Osea Pier, where the wind had eased; and, the afternoon was an ever-changing seascape of sunshine and showers.
Although it was a shame everyone didn’t make it ashore together for beach games and Pimms, Julian, the Berney grandchildren, the dog and I did make it onto Osea for a much-needed run around and a quick river swim. We only lost one beach ball and the dog for five minutes!
At around four o’clock Adagio put out an urgent call on the radio for tea bags and cake, to which the stewards responded with professionalism and speed. And with the sky promising a short reprieve, there was an opportunistic excursion to look for seals at Lawling Creek. As we approached with caution, there they were, sunbathing on their bellies, with babies in tow - a magical afternoon treat!
After a bit more cake, it wasn’t long before the cruise made for home. As we beat back to the club, criss-crossing each other’s bows, a full rainbow framed the flotilla, rewarding those who had been robust enough to venture out.
Whilst it wasn’t your conventional commodore’s cruise, if the squeals of delight from the four-year-old I sat next to on deck during the hail storm are anything to go by, it was a joy nonetheless!
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