3 Rivers Race 2021

[Turnoar]

5 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

Resistance is not immediate and by my reckoning it could be well into July before the more general restrictions will start to be lifted. Fingers crossed that it goes ahead.

Perhaps if those in power can see their way to finishing off the jab programme in conjunction with the local elections then we should all be sailing in June, at least those old enough to vote.

[TheQ]

If, it all goes to plan, it looks good for the 3RR as the rule of six departs a couple of weeks before the race..

[TheQ]

Boris permitting, the Race is still going ahead, you have about 1 month to get your applications in..

 http://www.3rr.uk/3RRapplicationform.html

[TheQ]

Well, that's it folk's entries are now closed, except for a few in the post or you're really good a grovelling to those in charge.

105 Entries approved so far..

[Maxwellian]

15 minutes ago, TheQ said:

105 Entries approved so far..

Is that less than usual?

[LizG]

8 minutes ago, Maxwellian said:

Is that less than usual?

Not really considering that some people might have difficulty employing a large crew or boats still not in the water (like my White boat)

[TheQ]

No it's in the normal ball park.

What generally happens you get a bad year, say pouring with rain all race or no wind, and you get less entries the next year. If you get a good year or even better several good years in a row and the number slowly build.

As for this years entries, it will be interesting to see if there is any trend toward smaller boats, rather than multi crewed big Broads cruisers.

A lot of the younger crews will not have had the vacinations yet.

 I as heading toward retirement, should have had my second jab a couple of weeks before the race. Most of the guardship crews are in a similar situation..

I suspect if this year is a good one, and those that haven't got their boat in yet, do so for next year , we may get an increase then..

 

 

[LizG]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

As for this years entries, it will be interesting to see if there is any trend toward smaller boats, rather than multi crewed big Broads cruisers.

I know of at least one situation where the helm of a larger boat (and normal large crew numbers) has down sized to crew/helm a smaller cruiser with just two on board!  That actually means one less cruiser because the small cruiser was entering anyway

[Speleologist]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

As for this years entries, it will be interesting to see if there is any trend toward smaller boats, rather than multi crewed big Broads cruisers.

An interesting question is whether there will be a significant number of river cruisers with smaller crews. This would mirror the trend in offshore sailing where there has been a huge increase in the popularity of double handed racing. Most river cruisers could be sailed with a simall crew of between 2 and 4, though maybe not manoeuvring quite as quickly. IN my days of racing on Wandering Rosethe ideal race crew was 7, but she was very manageable with just 2.

[TheQ]

With Boris's comments today, it looks like we're on for the race.

I'm confirmed as being on the guardship on Hickling broad, but my crew will be different this year, my previous crew have moved off to be on a guardship in their own right.

[TheQ]

Acceptance emails were sent out on the 13th May, If you've entered and not got one, check your spam folder, If it aint there, time you contacted the race organisers bor...

[Bertie1972]

Hi all

We're taking part in 3RR for the first time this year (in a Martham hire boat).

Although I'm an experienced dinghy racer and have sailed on the Broads a fair bit, I've not raced on a river of these widths.

Are there any 3RR tips that it might be helpful to know? Any unwritten rules etc?

Any advice appreciated.

Nick 

[BrundallNavy]

28 minutes ago, Bertie1972 said:

Hi all

We're taking part in 3RR for the first time this year (in a Martham hire boat).

Although I'm an experienced dinghy racer and have sailed on the Broads a fair bit, I've not raced on a river of these widths.

Are there any 3RR tips that it might be helpful to know? Any unwritten rules etc?

Any advice appreciated.

Nick 

Plan your route depending on the tide times, as your a hire boat you will be starting late so it might pay to miss Ludham bridge as you will probably arrive as the main fleet is coming back down. Don’t forget something easy to make but warming to eat as it still gets cold overnight.  Good luck and we will give you a wave on the way round. What boat are you on. 

[Bertie1972]

Thank you! We'll be on Violet.

Nick

[TheQ]

First you are racing against the course, not racing a particular boat.

 If a boat is fast coming up from behind , don't try and slow them  and get into a tacking match. Just find a convenient place to let them through, while not stopping yourself, tacking matches just slow both of you down.

Remember you've got half a ton or more of lead or iron hanging out below, you have to sail it round in a curve on tacks.. If you crash tack like a dinghy you'll stop dead. 

It's a displacement boat, against the tide keep to the banks if you can, with the tide keep to the middle ish unless sheltered by the wind.

Have a practice mast lower before the race, everyone needs to know where to be and what to do, an enormous amount of time is lost at bridges.

If the lower Bure buoy is at it's usual place then it's low tide is around 15:30,

Your start I'm Guessing is going to be around 12? that gives 3.5 hours to get there in a boat that is not the fastest around. Unless it's strong winds, you're going to have to sail straight to the Lower Bure buoy, then up to Hickling and do the short legs on the way home. The advantage of that is the Ant and dyke to South Walsham will be less crowded, the disadvantage is it's going to be silly times in the morning..

If you've done OK in normal south westerly winds I'll expect to see you around 21:30 to 00:00 at Hickling buoy..

Good luck.

[LizG]

I have no idea if this link will work as it is a video being shared on FB of a dinghy race on the Loire but it makes the 3RRs look very tame in comparison!

https://www.facebook.com/nathanael.lemaire/videos/10226610924130121/

[TheQ]

 A straight race between two boats, for some reason carried out on a wide river which is in flood, so you need half a gale to sail against it. Yes probably more dangerous if someone went in. But technically no where near as difficult as the 3RR.

[Bertie1972]

On 19/05/2021 at 09:47, TheQ said:

First you are racing against the course, not racing a particular boat.

 If a boat is fast coming up from behind , don't try and slow them  and get into a tacking match. Just find a convenient place to let them through, while not stopping yourself, tacking matches just slow both of you down.

Remember you've got half a ton or more of lead or iron hanging out below, you have to sail it round in a curve on tacks.. If you crash tack like a dinghy you'll stop dead. 

It's a displacement boat, against the tide keep to the banks if you can, with the tide keep to the middle ish unless sheltered by the wind.

Have a practice mast lower before the race, everyone needs to know where to be and what to do, an enormous amount of time is lost at bridges.

If the lower Bure buoy is at it's usual place then it's low tide is around 15:30,

Your start I'm Guessing is going to be around 12? that gives 3.5 hours to get there in a boat that is not the fastest around. Unless it's strong winds, you're going to have to sail straight to the Lower Bure buoy, then up to Hickling and do the short legs on the way home. The advantage of that is the Ant and dyke to South Walsham will be less crowded, the disadvantage is it's going to be silly times in the morning..

If you've done OK in normal south westerly winds I'll expect to see you around 21:30 to 00:00 at Hickling buoy..

Good luck.

Many thanks Q

Nick

[TheQ]

Just looking at the long range forecast for the race, southerly 18-30mph for the starting period.. 

 That could be interesting,  a fast reach to the start line, then tacking down the street just after the start, long tack along the left hand bank, short across then repeat, and it'll be a long old set of tacks to the lower Bure buoy..

Slowly dropping over night to 16mph by last finishers time and a south westerly..

 

Still a lot of time for that to change yet though.

[TheQ]

5 days to go and the forecast has changed to an easterly 10mph at start time. That would be interesting with a lot of tacking through Horning at the start. With tide against wind it would increase the apparent windspeed as well.

[TheQ]

Oh, all The Horning sailing clubs 3 Rivers Race webcams now appear to be online for the race. https://www.horning-sailing.club/webcams/

At Horning Sailing club up and down river.

Potter Heigham bridge by permission of Herbert Woods Boat yard.

Acle Bridge by permission of Acle Bridge Inn,

Martham by permission of Martham Boats,

And Hickling Broad By permission of Hickling Sailing Club, if I get it right you should be able to see the boats going round the buoy this year.

[Speleologist]

Have a great race everyone. I really miss taking part, but in current circumstances arriving from overseas to compete is not an option. Next year if anyone wants a highly experienced crew member on a River Cruiser I will be very keen to take part.

[ranworthbreeze]

To be honest I think it should have been deferred until next year.

 

[TheQ]

Why? All current regulations will be obeyed, all the sailors are on separate boats in their own bubbles. Many are choosing to sail in smaller groups on board or with different crew because of this. It'll be a lot safer than the hoards of grokles down on the beaches or in GY or Hoveton.

[TheQ]

Here's a wobbly, Martham boats have every motorboat out, so we can't have one as guardship at Hickling...

So... They're lending us America instead!!! I think America is a former competitor.

As for the race,  a North Westerly to start is forecast, that's a dead run down Horning street, which should get the competitors out of Horning even if the wind is light.

 Come 15:00 it's supposed to go very light and between then and the next day there's not a wind direction not forecast. Getting your choice of course and especially tide will be more important just to get round.