Long Distance Races
One key benefit of sailing on such a large expanse of water as the Severn Estuary is the opportunity to run long distance races, rather than always sailing around the cans.
Our Long Distance Series is run over the course of the season from Spring to Autumn and ventures as far as Hen and Chickens under the Severn Bridge to the South, a tactical battle against the tide, and Lydney to the North, a 25 mile dash of a round trip with the tide. The series is very popular with both the Dinghy and Cruiser fleets, and every race has it's place in the club's history.
It's well worth getting a basic understanding of the courses and other rules before setting out, so please read on ...
Beachley Race
This is the only long distance race in the calendar which is predominantly raced against the tide.
A single fixed start around 1hr 30min before HW. Typically the race will comprise of a windward leg along the shore towards Aust, with boats then timing the fetch out to the Hen & Chickens channel marker (located just off of Beachley slipway) to try and stem the tide across the channel. Hen & Chickens is a large tower structure and is usually left to Starboard.
Depending on conditions it is possible to add the Counts channel marker into the course before returning to Plantation and then the finish line.
It is possible to go across the river early to get into Slime Road and carry the back eddy close in shore to the Hen and Chickens, a high risk strategy but sometimes fortune favours the bold!
The results are calculated in the usual way.
Sharpness Race
The Sharpness race heads up the river towards Sharpness. Historically we have used an anchored cruiser as the 'Stake boat' but Tom Skuse can be used or as a last resort the Beacon near Berkeley Power Station. The stake boat is usually anchored near the mouth of Berkeley Pill which is located between Berkeley Power Station and Sharpness Docks.
The official start time for this race is the earliest you can start. Competitors can start at any time following the official start and their individual start time will be recorded. The aim is to allow sufficient time to arrive at the 'Stake boat' as close to HW Sharpness as possible.
The 'stake boat' will lift its anchor at an agreed time (typically 30mins after HW Oldbury) and any boats that have not rounded will be scored a DNF. The OOD should set the lift time before the race start.
The course will include the Counts channel marker on the way upriver and downriver to ensure competitors avoid the Oldbury Power Station tidal reservoir. The 'Ledges' channel marker should not be used on the return leg due to it forcing competitors too close to the reservoir.
The results will be based on the elapsed time of each competitor from their individual start time to their finish time. The elapsed time will be corrected in the standard way.
The first cruiser on corrected time in the Sharpness race wins the Bristol Fashion trophy (Bristol Blue Glass) donated by Norman Knapp and presented in his memory.
Lydney Litre
The Lydney Litre heads upriver to the port of Lydney on the Northern bank of the river. All competitors will start at the listed start time. The race will include the Counts channel marker to Starboard on the way upriver.
Historically the rules for this race were simple. All boats started together and raced to Lydney YC where all competitors had to consume a litre of ale before racing back to Thornbury Sailing Club. The winner was simply the first boat to return!
While this made for an interesting race when all competitors were in YW Dayboats, as sailors moved into F18s, A-class catamarans etc. Where they could make reasonable way against the tide it simply became a sprint there and back with little time spent ashore, and generally the fastest boat won.
At the request of Nick Russell, who's father donated the trophy, the race rules were changed in the noughties to make the race fairer and to encourage people to enjoy the hospitality of Lydney YC.
The new rules require a finish line between the Lydney pier head and a suitable craft (Tom Skuse, RIB, Cruiser) and finish times will be recorded as competitors cross the line. Competitors will then go ashore at Lydney. The history of the event is that competitors should consume a litre of ale before returning but it is now customary to partake in refreshments at Lydney YC and wait for the tide to turn.
It is very easy to get swept past Lydney YC as the tide runs particularly quickly in that area due to the narrowing of the river between Lydney and Sharpness old docks. As such you should be aiming to pass very close to the Pier head and be prepared to quickly lift foils and ease sheets to get ashore near the Lydney YC slipway. Heavier boats can be pulled up on the mud and grass, while lighter boats can be carried up the slipway and placed on the flat grass on the right at the top of the slipway.
Once refreshments have been consumed competitors are free to start the return race by crossing through the start line created by the Lydney pier head and the craft used to define the outer end of the line. Your start time for the second leg will be recorded. The OOD should set a "latest re-start time" to stop fast boats making too much of an advantage from the quickening tide and to discourage stragglers who might not make it back in good time.
If anchoring proves difficult or if suitable craft are not available an assistant to the race officer can be dropped at Lydney and can use the posts on the pier head as a transit in order to determine the finish/start line.
The return leg to Thornbury will include the Counts channel marker which is to be rounded to port.
The race officer will record the finish times through the normal club finish line.
Results are calculated by adding the elapsed time of the outbound race to the elapsed time of the return race. The boats handicap is then applied in the usual manner.
Around the Lights
The Around the Lights race usually includes all of the upriver channel markers. These include: Counts, Ledges, Hill Flats and Haywards.
The typical course is: Counts (S), Ledges (P), Haywards (S), Hill Flats (S), Counts (P)
All boats start together in a single start.
Times are recorded as boats cross the normal club finishing line and results are calculated in the normal way.
Charity Pump
The Charity Pump is a charity race with an entry fee for each boat which is donated to the charity chosen by the winner. Suggested entry fee is £2 but this could be increased as necessary due to inflation!
The race must include the White House bouy. This used to be a mark laid by TSC in the bay on the opposite bank of the Severn. Overlooking the bay is a large White House. The bouy was previously used by TSC Cruiser owners to moor up for a cup of tea but in recent years it has been swept away and not replaced. As such a suitable temporary bouy will be laid in the bay for this race.
Depending on the conditions, there is a large variation in potential courses.
If it is light the course could be to sail to Cowhill (S), White House (S), Plantation(S), but if there is a reasonable wind we have sailed this triangle followed by multiple small triangles close the club, or we have utilised channel markers further up the river such as Ledges, Hill Flats or Woolaston.
The race is a single start with finishing times taken and corrected in the usual way.
Bernie Scoop
The Bernie Scoop race, like the Lydney Litre is a two-part race with a refreshment stop in the middle. In this case the finish line for the outbound race is created between a suitable craft (Tom Skuse, RIB) and a buoy placed in the mouth of Woolaston Pill. All boats start together and an assistant on the committee boat (Tom Skuse or RIB) will record the finish times of all competitors at Woolaston Pill. Once the upriver race is completed, boats sail into Woolaston Pill and beach themselves and can partake in any refreshments they have carried. Shortly following high water, the committee boat (Tom Skuse or RIB) will signal the start of the return race with a standard start signal. This will be performed using club flags and appropriate sound signals. An air horn or whistle are needed by the race assistant on the committee boat.
All boats start the race back to TSC together and their finish times are recorded by the race officer as they cross the normal club finish line.
Typical course is:
Leg 1 - Cowhill (S), Counts (S), Ledges (P), Woolaston
Leg 2 - Counts (P), Plantation (S), Limit (S)
Last updated 16:29 on 19 June 2025