Eco Sailing – Silent, Solar, and Surprisingly Fast

 

Eco Sailing – Silent, Solar, and Surprisingly Fast

Because sometimes the quietest boat makes the biggest impression

When people think of sailing, they usually imagine flapping sails, creaking sheets, and the occasional shout of “Starboard!” But there’s another side to modern sailing: eco sailing, where silence is golden, and the wind isn’t the only power source.

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⚡ Silent Power – Our Electric Outboard

Our Whaly 455R with a 3kW electric outboard and solar-charged battery has completely changed how we think about support boats.

• No roar of a petrol engine

• No smell of fuel

• Just a quiet hum and a smooth push through the water

When we’re crewing a safety boat or filming races, that silence is priceless. We can glide alongside dinghies without startling sailors — or wildlife.

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🌞 Sailing on Sunshine

The best part? The boat is powered at home on solar panels and batteries. Every journey on the Thames is effectively powered by the sun.

It feels good to know we’re cutting out emissions, costs, and trips to the petrol station — and proving that clean energy works just as well on the river as it does in the driveway.

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🚤 Surprisingly Fast

Eco doesn’t mean slow. The Whaly can move at a decent clip when needed, even towing dinghies or charging upriver against the stream. True, it’s not breaking any speed records — but it’s steady, reliable, and gets the job done without fuss.

And when we switch back into sailing mode, we remember that dinghies themselves are the original eco craft: wind-powered, elegant, and infinitely renewable.

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🌍 Why Eco Sailing Matters

• Cleaner rivers – fewer spills and fumes

• Quieter water – better for birds, fish, and paddlers

• Lower running costs – sunlight doesn’t come with a price tag

• Future-proof – sustainable boating is here to stay

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Final Thought

Eco sailing isn’t about being worthy or joyless. It’s about embracing innovation and tradition together.

A sailboat powered by wind.
A safety boat powered by the sun.
A future powered by both.

And best of all? It’s surprisingly fun.

📖 Learn more about our eco adventures: https://pmrsailing.uk/

From Last to Less Last – Racing in the RS Toura

 

From Last to Less Last – Racing in the RS Toura

Progress measured in places (and pride)

Racing a dinghy is humbling. Racing an RS Toura — a big, family-friendly training boat — against nimble Merlins and slick Lasers? That’s heroic in its own slow, determined way.

For months now, Paul and I have been entering races at Upper Thames Sailing Club, knowing full well that speed records were not in our future. What we wanted was experience, practice, and maybe the occasional overtake. We have even been first off the line and kept the lead for a hundred metres or so.

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🥉 Measuring Success Differently

At first, we were consistently last. Dead last. The “oh, they’re still out there?” kind of last.

But each race has taught us something new:

• Tighter tacks ⛵

• Smoother gybes 🌬️

• Better crew coordination (fewer shouts, more nods) 👍

• Reading wind shifts by watching the ripples instead of the boats disappearing ahead

Now? We’re still last … but less last. We are often finishing in the same lap as the other boats.. And that feels like winning.

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🌬️ Racing on the Thames

The Thames adds its own flavour to racing:

• Shifty winds around trees and bends

• River traffic (hello paddleboarders)

• Strong stream after rain

• And banks that always look closer in the middle of a tack

It’s not just about boat speed. It’s about tactics, positioning, and avoiding the goose that refuses to move.

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✅ Why We Keep Racing

Because every race sharpens our skills. Because the camaraderie on shore is worth every slow finish. And because one day — one glorious day — we might not just be less last.

We might even… overtake someone.

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Final Thought

Progress in sailing isn’t measured only in trophies. It’s measured in confidence, competence, and the joy of knowing you sailed better today than yesterday.

For us, the RS Toura is teaching that lesson race by race. And if last week is anything to go by — the gap is closing.

What Is an A-Rater — And Why You’d Want One

 

What Is an A-Rater — And Why You’d Want One

If you’ve ever watched a Thames A-Rater at full tilt, you know there’s something special about it. Sleek hull, towering rig, sails screaming in harmony with the wind — and every other boat behind it wishing it could catch up.

But why are these beasts so beloved? And just what makes an A-Rater an A-Rater?

Today’s post dives into the history, design, and pure attraction of A-Raters — and why many sailors dream of one.

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🏛️ A Brief History of the A-Rater

The A-Rater class on the non-tidal Thames is an old racing tradition. From the mid-1800s onward, ambitious boatbuilders and helmsmen sought ever-faster craft — and the A-Rater emerged as the pinnacle of that pursuit.

Over the decades, the class evolved — rigs grew taller, hull shapes became more refined, rules adapted — but one thing has remained: A-Raters represent cutting-edge Thames performance.

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🛠️ What Makes an A-Rater Unique

Some of their defining features:

• Length and narrow beam — long, slender hulls that slice through water

• Extremely tall rotating masts — to maximise sail area

• Huge sail plans — mains, jib, and powerful spinnaker

• Lightweight construction — every pound matters

• High skill requirement — these boats demand finesse, timing, and experience

In short: A-Raters are built for speed, precision, and the thrill of pushing a classic design to its limits.

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🧭 Why Sail One?

Here’s why many sailors lust after an A-Rater:

• Unrivalled acceleration — these boats leap forward when the wind hits

• Elegance on the water — when trimmed right, they’re beautiful to watch

• Pure sailing challenge — they show you every minor mistake

• Prestige and tradition — you join a lineage of Thames sailing excellence

• Community — the crew that sails them are often passionate historians, builders, and racers

But they’re not for the faint-hearted. The sail area can overpower in gusty conditions. Handling requires agility, constant adjustment, and a crew who knows the boat intimately.

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🔗 Learn More

Want the full technical history, dimensions, rules, and stories? Check out our detailed Rater boat info here:
What Is an A-Rater? | Rater Boat Info

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Final Thought

An A-Rater isn’t just a boat — it’s a statement. It’s about tradition, craftsmanship, speed, and the never-ending quest to read the wind better than the next sailor.

If you dream of a boat that demands everything from you — and rewards every little perfect moment — an A-Rater might just be your kind of madness.

“Show Me You Can Helm” – Paul’s Wayfarer Test

“Show Me You Can Helm” – Paul’s Wayfarer Test

If you want to helm a Rater, better start solo…

It was a fair and slightly gusty day on the Thames — in other words, a normal sailing day at Upper Thames Sailing Club.

Paul had arrived ready for Safety Boat duty, not to helm. But Sally had other ideas.

“If you want to helm a boat like an A-Rater,” she said, hands on hips, “then you better show me you can handle a Wayfarer solo.”

And just like that, Paul was handed a test.

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⛵ The Solo Challenge

No pressure, right?

With nothing but a Wayfarer and a breeze, Paul launched solo — no crew, no full kit, and no time to make excuses. Just experience, instinct, and the knowledge that falling in was not an option.

“What happens if you fall in?”
“Then I guess I’d better not fall in,” said Paul.
And he didn’t.

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🌀 Rounding Marks and Making Moves

The goal was clear: demonstrate solo control — tacking, gybing, and cleanly rounding two marks under full sail.

Paul zipped around both marks like a pro, overtaking a few boats who were also out practising. No drama, no flapping sails — just clean lines and confident helming.

And yes, we all thought the same thing:

“If only we could do that in a race…”

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✅ Test Passed

Sally, who has seen more river sailing than most of us have had hot dinners, gave the nod.

“You’re ready,” she said.
The Rater is next.

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Final Word

There’s no substitute for real-time experience.
Whether it’s on the Race Day scoreboard or just a quiet practice session with a Wayfarer and a challenge, every step builds confidence and skill.

And with Paul’s solo test complete, it’s on to bigger (and faster) things.

Look out for that elegant Thames Rater flying down the river — there’s a new helm in town.

UTSC Club Championships – Silver, Sunshine, and Serious Sailing

 

UTSC Club Championships – Silver, Sunshine, and Serious Sailing

Six races. Two days. One Silver Burgee.

This weekend, Upper Thames Sailing Club hosted the annual Club Championships, and what a weekend it was.

We had:

• Consistent back-to-back racing

• A bit of breeze (thankfully)

• Some glorious September sunshine for the most part

• And a brilliant turnout across fleets and classes — all racing for the coveted Silver Burgee Trophy and the Gold trophy - sadly not made of gold but named after its presnter a Mr Gold

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⛵ On the Water

Across the six races, the club was a hive of energy and strategy, with:

• Two Thames Raters going head-to-head in elegant, high-speed duels

• Merlin Rockets slicing through the gusts with tight tacks and punchy spinnaker runs

• A healthy OK fleet, trimming hard and taking every wind shift

• And the handicap boats (Wayfarers, Lightnings, Lasers, Toppers and more) battling not just each other, but the clock

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🌞 Perfect Weather – Mostly

The wind held steady for most of the event, keeping things lively without tipping too many boats over. Saturday saw the best sunshine, with Sunday offering slightly shiftier winds — just enough to keep the helms honest and the crews busy.

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🏆 The Spirit of the Burgee

The Silver Burgee Trophy isn't just about speed — it's about:

• Skill

• Consistency

• Tactics

• And sometimes just staying upright

The races were clean, competitive, and well-fought. Only two capsizes (that we saw), even though the wind was gusty at times, lots of cheers from the riverbank, and plenty of learning moments — for beginners and veterans alike.

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👏 Thank You

Huge thanks to the race committee, to my safety boat crews, all the other volunteers, and the house committee who kept everything running smoothly in the clubhouse (and everyone fed).

Whether you were racing for silver, supporting from the bank, or just watching in awe as the Raters flew past — this was the Club at its best.

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Final Word

Events like the UTSC Club Championships remind us what makes club sailing so special: camaraderie, competition, and that unbeatable moment when the wind fills your sail and everything clicks.

Until next year – tack well, gybe clean, and may your mainsheet never tangle.

Learning to Round the Mark – Practising the Skills for Racing

 

Learning to Round the Mark – Practising the Skills for Racing

It’s just a buoy… how hard can it be?

One of the most important skills in dinghy racing — and one of the most deceptively difficult — is rounding the mark.

To the untrained eye, it’s just a coloured float in the water. But to anyone in a race, it’s chaos, collisions, strategy, shouting, and moments of sheer triumph (or confusion).

And like all things in sailing, mark rounding needs practice. Lots of it.

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🌀 Why It’s Harder Than It Looks

A perfect mark rounding is part geometry, part teamwork, part bravery, and part guessing what the wind will do next.

The aim?

• Approach fast

• Turn tight

• Exit cleanly

• Don’t tangle with the competition

• And definitely don’t hit the mark (or anyone else)

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🧭 What We’ve Been Practising

This week, we took the RS Toura out just to practise mark roundings. Repeatedly.

We worked on:

• Wide in, tight out (the racing line)

• Positioning the crew to keep balance through the turn

• Reading the wind to avoid stalling or overshooting

• Timing the tack or gybe to perfection (or something close)

• Avoiding the dreaded “iron zone” — when the boat stops dead, facing the wind

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💡 Tips from the River

• Look ahead: Don’t stare at the mark, think about your exit

• Communicate: “Ready about?” means nothing if no one’s ready

• Ease the sheets before turning sharply

• Anticipate wind shifts, especially near trees or bends in the river

• Practise gybing under control, not in panic

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📉 Our Scorecard

Did we hit the mark? Yes.
Did we round it backwards? Once.
Did we improve? Definitely.

Each attempt got cleaner. Tighter. More confident. And with every pass, we got a better feel for how racing is as much about preparation and control as it is about speed.

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Final Thought

In sailing races, the mark is the moment — where decisions make or break your position. Practising those turns turns you from just a sailor into a racer.

So if you're new to racing, spend a day rounding a buoy over and over.
You’ll get better.
You’ll get faster.
And one day, you’ll make it around cleanly — and sail off into clear water.

Sailing Terms You’ll Hear Before You Get Wet

 

Sailing Terms You’ll Hear Before You Get Wet

Because if you don’t know your port from your starboard, you’re going to get very damp, very fast.

Learning to sail is like learning a new language — one that’s shouted into the wind, muffled by lifejackets, and often accompanied by the phrase “No, the other left!”

Before you get into a boat (or get thrown out of one), there are a few essential sailing terms you’ll need to know — or at least fake confidently while nodding.

At pmrsailing.uk, we’ve compiled a full glossary of 75 sailing terms every beginner should know — but here’s a fun taster of what you’re likely to hear before you even leave the slipway.

https://pmrsailing.uk/sailing-lessons/Sailing-Terms.html

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🧭 1. Port and Starboard

Your new left and right.

• Port = left (when facing forward)

• Starboard = right
  💡 Just remember: "No port left in the bottle."

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🪢 2. Sheet

Not the thing on your bed. A sheet is the rope you pull to adjust a sail.
Confusingly, it's not a sail — and yes, you can sheet in or out, but never sleep on one.

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⚓ 3. Tacking and Gybing

• Tack: Turning the boat through the wind (usually more graceful).

• Gybe: Turning with the wind behind you (usually more dramatic).
  💡 If someone yells "Ready to gybe?" – duck first, ask questions later.

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🚤 4. Boom

A long horizontal spar that holds the bottom of the mainsail — and swings across the boat during tacks and gybes.
It’s called the boom for the sound it makes when it hits your head.

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⛵ 5. Helm

The person steering the boat.
The crew blames them when things go wrong. The helm blames the wind.

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🧵 6. Tell-tales

These are little strips of wool or ribbon tied to the sail to help trim it properly.
If they’re fluttering wildly, you’re doing something wrong.
If they’re sticking to the sail, you’re probably still doing something wrong.

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📚 Want More?

Our full glossary has 75 terms explained simply — from clew to cunningham, gunwale to goosewing.

We promise it’ll save you:

• Time

• Confusion

• A trip to the chiropractor from dodging the boom

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Final Thought

Sailing is full of odd terminology, but once you speak the lingo, everything starts to click.

So learn the language before you get in the boat — because once you’re out on the water, there’s no time to Google what a kicker does.