Pyefleet Week at Brightlingsea Sailing Club - Preview

Big Wednesday start at Pyefleet Week © Fiona Brown / www.fionabrown.com

Pyefleet Week, the East Coast's premier dinghy regatta, gets underway on Saturday 9 August for eight days of great racing and family fun. With up to 150 entries anticipated it's all set to be a bumper edition.

Hosted by Brightlingsea Sailing Club in Essex, Pyefleet Week offers sailing for all, from grand prix dinghies and classic day boats to cadets and novices. The event opens on Saturday 9 August with registration from 09.00 and the Carole Cruickshank Pursuit Race warm up event at 14.00. From Sunday 10 to Saturday 16 August there will be daily racing for Fast and Slow Handicap, Fireball, Laser, Tera, Mirror, Wivenhoe One Design, Brightlingsea One Design and Cadet classes. The only exception to this is Wednesday 13 August, fondly know as Big Wednesday, when there will be a Gold Medal all-in handicap race starting at 14.30. This very special race is followed by a fantastic evening of celebration, which this year will have a Caribbean Reggae theme.

The competitors include a real cross section of sailors ranging from Olympic, World, Continental, National and Youth Champions to weekend warriors, cadets, and complete beginners. The racing is specifically organised to accommodate everyone's needs with committee boat starts for the serious racing classes and special starts in the shelter of the creek for the cadets and novice sailors. Brightlingsea Creek and the Colne Estuary offer outstanding racing conditions with a beautiful backdrop of the Essex marshes and gently rolling hills.

The Laser class is traditionally one of the largest at the regatta, but this year they will have competition for this honour from the Brightlingsea One Design (BOD) Fleet. Designed in 1927 by Robbie Stone, the 18 foot long, three man, clinker built BOD has been sailed from Brightlingsea ever since. Recent years have seen the class enjoy a major resurgence of interest and this year some 24 BODs are expected to compete.

Making a welcome return to Pyefleet Week are the Wivenhoe One Designs (WODs). Designed in 1935 by Dr Walter Radcliffe, the 14' long WODs, which are also built in clinker but sailed two up, are another classic class synonymous with the Colne River. The WODs have also been experiencing a revival in recent years and we expect up to eight to be racing at Pyefleet Week 2014.

As well as all the on water activities there's plenty to keep accompanying friends and family entertained ashore. The club is open from early morning to late at night every day, starting with a club breakfast, followed by the legendary Pyefleet Lunch Buffett Table featuring homemade fare, and going on late into the evening with club suppers and evening entertainments, plus the club bar will be open daily until late. The club has its own sheltered beach area which is perfect for keeping the youngsters occupied and there's also the open air lido swimming pool, Brightlingsea's historic Promenade and paddling pool, boat trips on the harbour and that old favourite, crabbing from the hard.

Each evening there are social events, which this year include Paella on the Beach, a Bavarian Extravaganza hosted by the Brightlingsea One Design Fleet, the always popular Quiz Night, a Curry Night hosted by the Laser Fleet and the Final Prize Giving evening with live band.

Online entry for Pyefleet Week will remain open until midnight tonight, Thursday 7 July, and thereafter entries can be made in person at registration at the Regatta Office between 09.00 and 17.00 on Saturday 9 August.

Further information about Pyefleet Week can be found at www.pyefleetweek.com