3 Rivers Race 2019

[TheQ]

3 rivers race already?  Yes now the 3RR is online,  the entry forms and notice of race  are already available  www.3rr.uk

1st and  2nd June 2019 first start 11:00,   you have been warned!!!!!! 

[Polly]

Whoopeeee! Entering this year.

[BroadAmbition]

I know there is rain God and a sun God, but is there a wind God? (Other than Belgium fart bombs of course)  If so can he provide more than the odd zephyr for those poor unfortunate souls that have to endure hours of endless boredom getting overtaken by swans

Griff

[TheQ]

For those who have entered before, your invitation for this years race should be arriving. If it doesn't in the next few days, or you wish to enter for the first time,  then time to visit the web site in the first posting for your application forms..

[TheQ]

One month till Entries close, Get your Entires in NOW (Please)

[NorfolkNog]

Fascinating pictures from ECIPA on the other thread   Imagine getting amongst that lot!

I think I've got the rough route - Horning, then through Ludham Bridge and turn, then through Potter (both bridges) and turn and Acle Bridge and turn??? but not necessarily in that order?? Then back to Horning. Im guessing there wasn't much wind last year as so many dropped out.

Also a couple of questions for you sailies - presumably its OK to paddle or quant? And are you allowed ashore at any time, for comfort breaks for instance

I think one of the golden rules is that you mustn't have any outside assistance??

[ChrisB]

An "A Rater" on a reach past St Benets brings a nostalgic lump to my throat for my days in Marlow, Bourne End and Cookham. Many Many happy days on that stretch and many, many late nights at Skinners of Henley.

[ChrisB]

THE TAMING OF AN "A RATER" AT POTTER, 

in a breezy 3RR 2011.

(

[Meantime]

10 hours ago, NorfolkNog said:

Fascinating pictures from ECIPA on the other thread   Imagine getting amongst that lot!

I think I've got the rough route - Horning, then through Ludham Bridge and turn, then through Potter (both bridges) and turn and Acle Bridge and turn??? but not necessarily in that order?? Then back to Horning. Im guessing there wasn't much wind last year as so many dropped out.

Also a couple of questions for you sailies - presumably its OK to paddle or quant? And are you allowed ashore at any time, for comfort breaks for instance

I think one of the golden rules is that you mustn't have any outside assistance??

That's pretty much it Howard. The three river race gets it's name because it is raced over three rivers, namely The Bure, The Ant and The Thurne. The start and finish line is The Horning Sailing Club, and there are four marks, or buoys that have to be rounded, and these can be taken in any order. The marks are moved to either lengthen or shorten the course depending on the wind conditions on the day of the race, but are generally as follows.

1. The Ant somewhere below Ludham Bridge. Someone may correct me, but I have never known it be above Ludham Bridge.

2. South Walsham Broad, somewhere in the middle of The Broad.

3. Hickling Broad, how far across the broad depends on the wind.

4. Lower Bure, this is normally somewhere between Stokseby and Stracey Arms, but in extreme cases of little wind can be above Acle Bridge. This is the one mark that tends to move the most in terms of lengthening or shortening the course.

The two longer legs with bridges to demast for tend to be the most strategic bearing in mind when low water may be. Getting the lower Bure mark correct in terms of low water can really help or hinder. As the marks can be taken in any order, people will be watching the forecasts and tide predictions for quite a while before hand, working out the best strategy and also the best places to be to spectate and times to be there. That part makes it as interesting for the spectators as it does for the participants. Get it right and you get to watch a lot of action. Get it wrong and you end up staring at empty rivers for ages.

No outside help is allowed and very limited quanting or rowing is allowed between specified points around the bridges. The rest of the course must all be sailed. At Potter there is normally a guard boat just to the left before the turn in HW yard. You can quant from there in order to moor and demast until a similar point the other side of the new road bridge. The pros will however shoot the bridge, which is to drop the mast at the last minute on the approach to the bridge and glide through, normally quanting or rowing to the new road bridge and then put the mast back up without mooring up. You are obviously allowed ashore when mooring to demast and mast, but am unsure of any other rules around going ashore. TheQ when he sees this thread will know, or correct any mistakes I've made above.

Off course it is always worth avoiding cruising through Horning during the race starts. One of Richo's finest in the thick of it in 2008.

 

[TheQ]

13 hours ago, NorfolkNog said:

Fascinating pictures from ECIPA on the other thread   Imagine getting amongst that lot!

I think I've got the rough route - Horning, then through Ludham Bridge and turn, then through Potter (both bridges) and turn and Acle Bridge and turn??? but not necessarily in that order?? Then back to Horning. Im guessing there wasn't much wind last year as so many dropped out.

Also a couple of questions for you sailies - presumably its OK to paddle or quant? And are you allowed ashore at any time, for comfort breaks for instance

I think one of the golden rules is that you mustn't have any outside assistance??

 

Last year there was very little wind at all, not quite the worst year though.

High tide is around 12:00  so unless there is plenty of wind then going up to Ludham bridge could be difficult against the tide as the first leg.

Also if you went to Potter first that could also be difficult  as in a normal boat thats around 3 to 4 hours from Horning, you'd be near maximum tide against you through the bridge.

I suspect if there is normal amounts of wind, most will do ,

South Walshham the bouy though normally in the broad can be in the wide bit before the broad if low wind is expected..

Acle, low wind it has on at least one occation been before the bridge, normally though at the Stracy arms

 Potter  with Hickling beiing most open to the wind the buoy shpuld be outside the club house I hope so as I'll be on that guard ship

Ludham you Never go under Ludham bridge. The bouy is in the widest bit just 100 yards or so below it.

Very fast boats like A rater and punts will likely do ludham first as they are on the water not in it..

Each bridge has defined limits as to paddling or quanting, At Potter its from the Bridge over H woods dyke to a permanent sign beyond the main road bridge. You are not allowed to capsize to go under Acle bridge, nor pull the boat through from the bank.

You are not supposed to go ashore at any time except to tie up to lower or raise the mast. it's bucket and chucket of any functions...

The only outside assistance permitted is going through potter bridge, you are traditionally allowed to have packets of fish and chips dropped to you from a certain place near by..

There are 10 to 12 guardships around the course radioing in the boats as they go past.

They are normally at,

 Horning church

ludham bridge

St Benets straght.

South walsham broad.

thurne Mouth

Acle bridge,

Stokesby

The lower bure mark

Potter bridge

The entrance to  hickling broad

The Hickling broad turning mark.

Each guardship has a rescue boat with radio  and first aid trained crew.

[NorfolkNog]

Wow, thanks Mr Q and ECIPA  That's really informative, makes me want to have a go but not this year! My Dad would have loved it. Much appreciated. 

[Gretzky]

I remeber a couple of years ago late on a staurday watching for the first boats coming back to Horning, seeing the green nav lights rounding the bend before New Inn only to be dragged slowly back by the tide, repeated several times until one got light whisp of air to them going. I guess that where the skill come in!

[TheQ]

Unless you're in an A rater or Punt, then staying out all night and sailing in light winds overnight are definately skills you will need.

You've got a week left to get your entries in Folks!!!

[BrundallNavy]

A few years ago we finished at 00.30 Sunday morning and that was in a 23% river cruiser. 

[TheQ]

Must have been a windy night with near perfect tides.

The best I've done was in the top 20 in a Yeoman, and that year we had an elapsed  time of something like 11 hours arriving at HSC around 10pm.

Though years ago I did the race in a Lysander, and one year had I been allowed the correct handicap of 35% I would have been 16th. Sadly to discourage very slow boats the maximum handicap you can have in the 3RR is 25%

[Willow]

I remember the very first time seeing the 3 rivers race we were in a bungalow at potter, we'd never heard of it with 3 small lads sat on the front watching these yatchs racing up &  down the river what a magic site, we sat up all night watching these big sails coming across the lawn , the lads were hooked ,that was back in the mid 80s, 

[TheQ]

The entry list is now officially CLOSED, however for the rest of this week if you have everything ready to go , they might just let you in.

[TheQ]

OOOh I think the cat is among the pidgeons this year.

Reading a note at the other place .

For many years it's been A Raters Punts and fast keel boats have been in the first groups to start. With broads cruisers and production boats last..

 It seems from the notes I've read the order has been reversed, many cruisers first,  A Raters and punts near the back with more cruisers.

it looks like it's slowest boats to start first and fastest boats  to start last

 This could be interesting, lots of overtaking required by the hot rods...

[Poppy]

57 minutes ago, TheQ said:

OOOh I think the cat is among the pidgeons this year.

Reading a note at the other place .

For many years it's been A Raters Punts and fast keel boats have been in the first groups to start. With broads cruisers and production boats last..

 It seems from the notes I've read the order has been reversed, many cruisers first,  A Raters and punts near the back with more cruisers.

it looks like it's slowest boats to start first and fastest boats  to start last

 This could be interesting, lots of overtaking required by the hot rods...

A few have been calling for such a move for a while.  Back before closing time ? not this year perhaps

[TheQ]

if it's a light wind race and there is a log jam of boats early on,  it will really hit the hot rods.. if it's at least a reaomsonable wind they shouldn't have too much problem.

 The slow boats if they can make it to Ant mouth out of the trees before being overtaken will greatly benefit.

[TheQ]

The web cams on the Horning SC site are beginging to come back to life for the race,  the Acle bridge one is now looking at the bridge and the Martham one appears to be in an office at the moment..

https://horning-sailing.club/webcams.php

[TheQ]

The competitors documentation has been sent out, if you haven't received it,

then Email..   the3riversrace@gmail.com

[TheQ]

Just looked at the long range forecast for the start of the race, this means it's not very reliable yet and anything can change..

Temperature 17C not too hot or cold..

Wind North North Easterly, not too bad, perfect is North Westerly as it blows everyone down the street out of Horning.

That amount of North in it could make it interesting trying to get up the Ant..

Wind speed, 4mph,  gusting 11mph, lets hope for plenty of gusts.. Good job after the first hour the tide will be with you, it could be an interesting Log Jam in Horning for that first hour though.

Overnight the wind switches to SW 8mph min temp 10C

Sunset is 21:08 but there is only 4% moon showing so even if there is clear skies, it's going to be a dark night for the race.

Sunday's wind NW 11 mph better, but tacking all the way back to Horning..

 

[TheQ]

The wind forecast has changed,  it's back to a traditional south westerly 10mph with 22C forecast,  suntan cream is required..  That direction makes it easy to sail up the ant to Ludham bridge if you can get to Ant mouth before the tide gets too bad against you. 

The cameras round the course on the HSC website are all on except Hickling sailing clubs. I'm sure that will be sorted soon. 

[Polly]

Wish I was going.