Welcome back to the all new and improved Barton Regatta and the fantastic finale to the seasons sailing! Our new three-day format has been wildly successful, with over 400 starting boats last year, and a very busy (and fun) Saturday night barn dance at Cox’s Boatyard. With so many entries, we have now simplified the racing schedule, with all classes having five class races in fixed times throughout the day (Punts having 8, we are Punt Club residents after all). Plus the dramatic Pursuit Race on Sunday evening – We’re aiming to reach 100 boats on the water! – help us meet that goal! There are still our usual 30 wonderful trophies at stake, plus glasses and pennants. Camping is available at Barton Turf Adventure Centre, with ferries to the pontoon operating hourly.
Enteries and food booking now open via webcollect: https://webcollect.org.uk/npc
As many people know, we donate the majority of the funds raised from this event to local charities and businesses to continue the use of and education surrounding our incredible waterways, boats and local habitats. We donated over £1000 last year, and look forward to being able to donate even more this year. We are incredibly grateful to our Vice Presidents [more information at the bottom of this page] who support the venture of the Barton Regatta year on year, without whom we would struggle to make this event as incredible as it is.
Regatta Racing times
Full Programme
Briefing and General Information
Due to the logistics of giving a briefing with the number of boats we have, please take this missive as your briefing (and general informational bumpf!).
The main communication will be via WhatsApp. There is a QR code in various places to join that group. If you don’t have a Programme, please come and collect one from the Results Boat/Tea Hut as this has all the information you will need in it.
Sailing
The Barton Regatta Committee wishes for this event to be friendly and safe so please look out for each other and especially the juniors, who are increasing in number. We wish to encourage them and not scare them.
Please respect other boat occupants. Many have young families so please keep the noise down after 10.30pm.
Please ensure you have read and understood our sailing instructions, on the Barton Regatta page of the NPC website, taking note of:
- The entity entered for a race is the boat and the helm. A boat may have only one helm for the weekend (crew may differ), but if a helm wishes to enter and helm 2 separate boats they may.
- The starting sequences are all published on the website to make it easier to follow and for you to know which is your class flag for that race, start times may vary. This is also in the Programme.
- Please take note of what constitutes a round. There is an explanation on the website with the sailing instructions.
- The “Dolphin Mark” is a fixed obstruction. Please treat it as such.
- Personal flotation is necessary for dinghies.
- Please note the start lines and when a round starts/ finishes.
- Only River Cruisers take time penalties, all other craft will abide by RRS rule 44.1
- We will not be flying flag I therefore rule 30.1 ( round the ends ) will not apply. – You simply need to re-cross the line.
- We will try to publish the courses on the WhatsApp as much as possible.
- If there is one general recall, that start subsequently goes to the back of the series as to not disrupt other boats start times. If the start general recalls on the second start, the race will then be black flagged.
- The finish line is always between the pontoon and a round yellow mark across the broad, except in the pursuit race.
PLEASE NOTE – All boats with a H’cap of under 1248 will be automatically entered for the pursuit race. There is no need to let results know if you are not taking part.
We will be running the starting sequence as last year. Each start will have the following sequence, these are explained on the website:
- 5 minutes to go – One sound signal – class flag goes up
- 4 Minutes to go – One sound signal – Blue Peter goes up
- 1 Minute to go – Bell sounds – Blue Peter comes down
- Start – One sound signal , if all clear , class flag comes down
This is a very tight programme of race starts therefore the starting raft team will not be able to respond to individual requests. All questions should be directed through WhatsApp or come to the pontoons. The starting raft will not be calling individual sail numbers of any boat/s over the line.
River Cruisers will be given a ribbon to fly denoting which start they are in, they will also have a class flag the same colour as their ribbon. These are published in the Handbook.
Split Start sailors please note that the splits will be published as sail numbers written on white boards on both the pontoons and the starting raft. These will be published an hour before the first race in the series and will not change after this point. Newly entered boats will be added into their respective fleets at the bottom of the whiteboards. River Cruisers, please come to the pontoon to collect their coloured ribbon.
Any additional entries will be added in where necessary. We will endeavour to keep the starts down to sensible numbers of boats. If you are not sure of your start just come and ask us on the pontoon.
We reserve the right to disqualify any individual breaking the sailing instructions or treating volunteer staff or other competitors in an unacceptable way. If you have an issue please come and talk to us gently and quietly and we will endeavour to help you.
Other
We will have tea and cake on the go all day. If you don’t want our tea please come and have takeaway cake.
Both the club and the staithe have limited capacity for rubbish disposal, so please take as much rubbish home with you as possible. If you do have to dispose of rubbish please could this be done in the bins in the back of Cox’s boat yard, not the staithe bins near the black shed.
Please don’t block access to the water fill point at the staithe. This is not a mooring, only a water point.
We have a raffle on behalf of local charities, last year we raised a lot of money so we will be doing this again. If you have any raffle prizes you’re happy to donate it would be gratefully received.
The BoatShed party on Saturday night will be in Cox’s boat shed on the staithe. A change from last year – YOU MUST HAVE A TICKET TO GAIN YOUR FOOD. We will try to get tickets to as many people as possible, but tickets can be collected from the entry/results boat on the pontoons during Saturday. If you don’t have your food booked by the closing date come and talk to us as we may have spares available (no promises!)
We will have a bring your own BBQ on the pontoons Sunday. If you wish to cook your food on the NPC BBQ please book a slot on webcollect. This just makes sure you’re not waiting too long to get some space on the barbecue.
Please take great care and drive slowly when moving around the broad, there is a 5mph limit active on the broad at all times with exception of safety boats on active duty. There are a great many youngsters about and we want to keep everyone as safe as possible. Be aware that the Rangers travel through the broad regularly, and will likely come to check up on speed limits and tolls throughout the event.
Thank you for your cooperation and have a great regatta. We are so excited to have everyone back around and sailing again! Safe travels, and see you on Saturday!
Charities and VP’s
Current Vice Presidents; Anne Whelpton, Anne and Robin Richardson, Andrew and Tor Jeckells, Natalie O’Dwyer and Giles Bryan, Philip Harston and Chris Pank.