ECYU

Europe Week 1999

100 years of Sailing on the Blackwater

organised by the West Mersea Yacht Club

12th - 16 Juli 1999

PRINCIPAL CLASSES
	Classic Racing Yachts (including 12 metre, 8 metre, 6 metre, 5.5 metre, West Solent, ECOD, Dragon, Stella, etc.)
	Classic Cruisers & Workboats (Bermudan or Graff, Harrison Butler, Blackwater Sloops, Hillyards, Itchen Ferries, Prawners, etc.)
	Local Smacks (East Coast Smacks, Bawleys)
	Traditional Open Boats (Mersea Winkle Brigs, Sprites, Skiffs, Craft under 20ft LOA, etc.)
Class Prizes, Trophies Concours d’Elegance, Overall Championship Full Social Programme including Grand Gala Dinner & Prizegiving

RACE PROGRAMME
Monday	Start of Passage Race from Ijmuiden Class Racing in the Blackwater
Tuesday	Passage Race finish at West Mersea Class Racing in the Blackwater
Wednesday	Europe Week Championships Races
Thursday	Europe Week Championships Races
Friday	Europe Week Championships Races
Saturday	WMYC Centenary Regatta & OGA East Coast Race Stunt Flying Display - Fireworks
Sunday	WMYC Centenary Regatta & Informal Racing Parade of Sail Start of North Sea Passage Race to Roompot
MOORINGS AVAILABLE – Please apply to WMYC DAILY LAUNCH SERVICE – Early till Late SLIPPING AVAILABLE CREW ACCOMODATION – apply to WMYC

A glorious week of racing and socialising to celebrate “100 years of Sailing on the Blackwater” organised by the West Mersea Yacht Club. This will be a unique gathering of classic yachts and working sailboats from all over Europe centred on the sheltered waters of the beautiful Blackwater Estuary.

Europe Week 1999 is a revival of a great yachting tradition from the early years of the century when many of the finest yachts of the era whose owners included many of the crowned heads of Europe gathered for a week long Regatta, each year in a different location. It was last held in the UK in 1911.

Following the success of Europe Week 1998, held in Stockholm, the ECYU looked to the East Coast of England and chose West Mersea on the estuary of the River Blackwater as the venue for Europe Week 1999. West Mersea is very much a traditional centre of yachting and fishing with many fine classic yachts including a fleet of elegant West Solent One Designs and gaff rigged working boats such as smacks, bawleys and winkle brigs. Mersea is ideally situated for extensive and varied racing in sheltered waters at all states of the tide and nearly all conditions.

The West Mersea Yacht Club will host the Week with the support of the East Coast Area of the Old Gaffers Association. It is timed to take place in the week leading up to the West Mersea Yacht Club’s own Centenary Regatta and the Old Gaffers 1999 East Coast Race.

A lot of interest has already been shown, including promises from at least two 12 – metre yachts as well as other metre boats and cruisers. There is also certain to be a strong contingent of ex working boats such as smacks and bawleys.

Yachts from mainland Europe will assemble at Ijmuiden in preparation for a passage race to West Mersea to arrive in good time for the principal events of the racing programme taking place from Wednesday to Friday. Local boats and those going direct to Mersea will enjoy a preliminary programme of races on Monday and Tuesday.

Apart from a full social programme throughout the week, we plan to hold a grand Gala Dinner at the historic Moot Hall in nearby Colchester, England’s oldest recorded town, with its Roman origins and remains.

Altough the Week officially concludes on Friday, participants are invited to the part in the West Mersea Yacht Club Centenary Regatta. This, along with the Old Gaffers East Coast Race, takes place on the Saturday and will be followed by their Centenary Celebrations with entertainment including spectacular displays of aerobatics by classic aircraft and a firework display.

On the Sunday, those still with sufficient energy may take part in less formal races in the morning, whilst a grand parade of sail is planned for the high water in the afternoon.

Those returning to mainland Europe will then leave to take part in the North Sea Classic Passage Race taking them to the Roompot in time to join the Dutch Classic Yacht Regatta and Hellevoetsluis.

You are promised a week to remember!

above: Chris and Peter with Andrew McMeekin, host George Jago (OGA), Rüdiger Schach (Freundeskreis), David Cade (President OGA), and Peter Wilson from Aldeburgh.

middle left: Andrew presents the GYPAETOS trophy to Peter.

below: CARMEN on the Blackwater estuary. Rüdiger and Peter discuss tactics before the race.

Europe Week 1999 was an extremely enjoyable run–up to the centenary celebrations of our generous host, West Mersea Yacht Club. We are most grateful to Christiania Bank, Oslo, for making CARMEN IV's participation possible by sponsoring the cargo boat expenses. Rüdiger Schach, Freundeskreis international representative, who had come over from Hamburg, was invited to join in sailing her. A useful working meeting of ECYU took place and there was an extremely well attended gala dinner. The Nations Cup again took place at Laboe (August 19 - 21) and Sweden won this time. During the autumn Ludvik Sandnes, our treasurer, managed to complete a number of pages on the ECYU website: www.ecyu.org. Price Waterhouse has helped with expenses here. The 3rd AGM took place at Bremen on 30 - 31 October. Peter Ennals and Ludvik Sandnes, who did not seek re-election were asked to continue, especially because of the forthcoming Europe Week 2000 in Norway, which we hope will be well supported by the member associations sending representative boats. There are now 20 paid-up national clubs. It was decided that the entrance fee of 100 euros suffices to ensure membership status - for the time beeing there will be no annual subscription, so we hope this will encourage even more clubs to join.