Greenwich Yacht Club fundraising race for the RNLI

(l-r) John Barnard, skipper of LoFlyer; Mayor of Greenwich Cllr Linda Bird; Timandra Harkness; Sean Collins © Clive Reffell

Greenwich Yacht Club's third annual fundraising cruiser race took place on Sunday May 10. 15 boats raced to Erith Reach and back in favourable conditions of a north-east wind.

The "Start When You Like" race format enabled competitors to decide their own race plan. This involved assessing wind and tide conditions to set off on the outgoing tide, and arrive at the turning point at a good time to take advantage of the start of the incoming tide.

Trackers on board each boat enabled club members to follow the race on a big screen in the clubhouse.

Race positions were calculated on the basis of each boat's elapsed time from start to finish, plus a handicap score applied to level up the relative performance of the fastest and slowest boats.

Congratulations to all competitors. The winner was Loflyer. Skipper John Barnard accepted the winner's trophy of a ship's decanter from the Mayor of Greenwich, Councillor Linda Bird. His delighted crew, Timandra Harkness and Sean Collins, were alongside.

After the winner's presentation, a raffle represented the bulk of the fundraising efforts. Several local and boating-related businesses - including Drury Tea & Coffee, Davy's Wines, Thames Rockets,

Thames RIB Experience, the Waterman's Livery Company, British Marine (organisers of the Southampton International Boat Show) and Royal Museums Greenwich - plus some Greenwich Yacht Club members, donated a range of amazing raffle prizes. A full list is available at bit.ly/RNLI_Race_Prizes.

Over £1,800 was raised for the RNLI Tower Lifeboat Station, which is moored by Waterloo Bridge. It is the busiest lifeboat station in the country, and is responsible for the stretch of the River Thames from Battersea to Woolwich.

Royal Greenwich has the longest River Thames shoreline of all the London boroughs. Greenwich Yacht Club and its members are very proud to support the organisation and crews who could one day literally save some of our lives!

Next year is the Tower Lifeboat Station's 25th Anniversary. GYC welcomes expressions of interest from organisations that could possibly sponsor next year's race. Send an email to .

About Greenwich Yacht Club

Greenwich Yacht Club was established in 1908 to provide sport and leisure opportunities for river workers. It has remained true to its roots, and is now a not-for-profit Community Amateur Sports Club dedicated to promoting boating in all its forms on the River Thames.

Based near the Thames Barrier, GYC is an official RYA Training Centre and offers dinghy sailing, yachting, rowing, and motorboating. An internal self-help ethos relies on members volunteering to maintain club facilities and take part in the year-round calendar of activities. This also enables us to maintain fees at a level that keeps the club accessible to a diverse membership, while fostering a passion for the river and beyond. Boat ownership is not required to become a member.

In addition to a year-round calendar of races and cruises, novices who learned to sail at GYC have gone on to compete in notable events such as the Isle of Wight 'Round the Island' race, the Fastnet Race, and more. Members have sailed around Great Britain, around Ireland, across the Atlantic Ocean, and fulfilled many other bucket-list challenges. Many experiences are shared with members through a programme of insightful presentations.

In addition to fundraising for the RNLI, the club also supports local initiatives such as Greenwich Food Bank.

Join the GYC Community

GYC welcomes new members to join its vibrant community, whether you're an experienced boater or eager to learn. With a legacy of over a century, the club offers a special blend of camaraderie, adventure, and social impact.

Prospective members are welcome to attend Club Evenings each Tuesday, or email . There are reduced rates for Family Memberships and Adults Under 25, plus other categories.

About Tower Lifeboat Station

The Government asked the RNLI to establish lifeboat stations on the River Thames after the fatal disaster in 1989 when the pleasure boat Marchioness collided with a dredger, the Bow Belle. A monument to the 51 people who lost their lives is in Southwark Cathedral.

Today, the RNLI's Tower Lifeboat Station is the busiest one in the country. It covers the stretch of river from Battersea to Woolwich.

A blend of volunteers and full-time crew based at the station are on call 24/7. Some stay aboard the station, in no-frills conditions, for up to four nights at a time. Yet the station still has to rely on public donations to meet its running costs of over £750,000 a year.

Royal Greenwich has the longest River Thames shoreline of all the London boroughs, and Greenwich Yacht Club and its members are very proud to contribute.