Norfolk Punt Club Centenary Barton Regatta at Barton Broad
by Dick Roe 5 Sep 15:40 BST
29-31 August 2026
Norfolk Punt Club Centenary Barton Regatta © Robin Myerscough
August 2026 has been a busy month at the Norfolk Punt Club, it being the club's centenary year. As previously reported there was a bumper turnout at the annual Punt Championships, immediately after which 80+ Juniors took part in Junior Training week. With the Centenary Barton Regatta then being held over the following bank holiday weekend.
The Norfolk Punt Club is unusual in that it has no land based clubhouse. Instead the club facilities are located on pontoons moored on Barton Broad, accessible only by water. For Barton Regatta competitors bring a variety of mother ships (to stay on) along with their racing craft to the broad for the weekend, which are anchored in rafts around the periphery of the broad. These ranging from modest motor boats and sailing cruisers to the palatial wherry yacht Solace as well as the trading wherry Maud. As usual boats started to arrive on the preceding Friday with many getting a thorough soaking as the weather broke after the long hot summer. This heralded a change to more unsettled weather with occasional showers and blustery conditions throughout the weekend.
With the regatta WhatsApp group keeping competitors informed, the racing started promptly at ten o'clock on Saturday morning with the first of the 'Series' races for Norfolk Punts (Forbes Cup, 28 entries). Closely following the punts were Adults in dinghies (Waxwing Trophy, 13 entries), then Juniors in dinghies (Junior Challenge Cup, 30 entries) and then Optimists (De Quincy Salver, 9 entries).
A brief pause before the next series of races for punts (Sundog Trophy, 29 entries) and keelboats with starts for Yare and Bure one designs (Lycaena Trophy, 21 entries), then Broads one designs (Puffin Trophy, 5 entries) followed by a start for Yeomans & All-comer keelboats (Ali Moore Memorial Trophy/Balholme Salver, 9/4 entries). On completion of these races and with the Broad clear of competitors it was time for for the River Cruiser Class races, many crewed by those also sailing in the dinghy and keelboat classes. With two starts for the faster 'Racers' (Domino Trophy, 15 entries) followed by two starts for the slower 'Classics' (Pollitt Cup, 16 entries). With the river cruisers back on their moorings further starts for all the dinghy and keelboat classes' were held, followed by further starts for the River Cruiser Class. With the wind blowing along the length of the broad from the south, courses with long beats and runs were set, resulting in close racing with gains to be made by those who spotted the shifts and puffs while avoiding the traffic. Overnight leaders in the series races were:
- Punts; Forbes Cup - Snowgoose, Sundog Trophy - Jackdaw
- Dinghies; Waxwing Trophy - Vago 379, Junior Challenge Cup - Laser 207704, Optimists - Optimist 6209
- Keelboats; Lycaena Trophy - White Ermine, Puffin Trophy - Avocet, Ali Moore Trophy - Folly Two, Balholme Salver - Y.O.D. Pimpernell
- River Cruiser Class; Domino Trophy - Zingara, Pollitt Cup - Vacuna
It was then time for competitors to jump into a multitude of tenders to head ashore for the evenings entertainment in the boat shed at Coxs boatyard. With bar, hot food and music from the Debbie Boyd band.
Competitors awoke on Sunday looking forward to another days action and the days racing started at 09.00 with the first series races for 'Crews' who don't usually helm, starts for both dinghies and keelboats. After a short break the race programme, (similar to Saturdays), continued with series races for all fleets. Weather conditions and courses being similar to those on Saturday. At the end of the series races a 60 minute pursuit race with 50 plus entries was held for any sailing vessel with a handicap faster than 1248. The course was a large rectangle with a deviation on the downwind leg to sail around 'Pleasure Island'. First boats to start at 18.00 were the Fevas (PY 1248), with the fastest punts (PY 856) starting at 18.19 and the last boat to start the River Cruiser Stellar (PY 840) at 18.21.
The windy conditions helped the faster punts to overtake most of the fleet but there wasn't quite enough time for them to catch the leading Feva 'Purple Pirate', sailed by Henry Drew and Finn Elson. The race being finished with a demonstration firing of a large punt gun aboard a wild fowling punt! The decisive moment in the race might have been when the diminutive 'Purple Pirate' called 'starboard' when crossing tacks with the fastest yacht racing, 'Stellar'. With some place changing and no discards counted the overnight leaders in the series races were:
- Punts; Forbes Cup - Snowgoose, Sundog Trophy - Greylag
- Dinghies; Waxwing Trophy - Mirror 67497, Junior Challenge Cup - Feva 7076, Optimists - Optimist 6209
- Keelboats; Lycaena Trophy - Fritillary, Puffin Trophy - Avocet, Ali Moore Trophy - White Spirit, Balholme Salver - Y.O.D. Pimpernell
- River Cruiser Class; Domino Trophy - Bewitched, Pollitt Cup - Vacuna
With the weather man predicting rain the planned 'Film Night' on the club pontoons was held ashore in 'Cox's Boatyard' boat shed, of course it didn't rain! A showing of Arthur Ransome's 'The Big Six' was enjoyed with copious amounts of popcorn. Back afloat many had taken up the call to 'Illuminate the Broad' with the anchored fleet bedecked with twinkling lights as well as the usual bunting, creating a fairytale atmosphere.
Monday morning, the last day of the regatta and the wind had shifted round to blow across the broad from the west, to make life tricky for the race team. One more race for each class was held to complete the races for the series trophies.
The highlight of the day for many was a triple flypast of the regatta by a 'Hurricane' from the 'R.A.F. Battle of Britain Flight'. Then while the final results were checked with discards included, the sailors gathering on the club pontoons for the prize-giving were entertained by a series of rowing races. The drawing of the raffle with beautiful donated prizes was then held before the prize-giving. A big thank-you to Ronstan and Jeckles for the fantastic prizes given out with the trophies and glassware.
A heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers, supporters and sponsors of the Regatta including in no particular order, Ronstan, Jeckles Sailmakers, Jeckles Upholsterers & Cover Makers, Cox's Boatyard, D.R.E. Marine & Civils, Alan Boswell Group, Jarrolds, Norfolk Yacht Agency, Stalham Marine Services, Nancy Oldfield Trust, Seafarers Trust, Wherry Maud Trust, The R.A.F. Battle of Britain Flight, Barton Turf Adventure Centre, Norfolk Punt Club, White Horse Inn, Cawdrons Butchers, The Ice Cream Float, Barton Turf Parish Council and the people of Barton Turf. As usual some donations from the proceeds of the Regatta will be made to local/sailing orientated charities.
The regatta may be over but the centenary celebrations don't end there as the following weekend sees the club hosting the annual Broadland Youth Regatta with H.R.H. Princess Anne firing the starting gun of the first race!
Barton Regatta Series Trophies:
Punts
Forbes Cup - Snowgoose, Charlie Stewart & Lucy Boreham
Sundog Trophy - Comet, Richard & John Whitefoot
Junior Helms - Swallow 2, Amelia & Edward Daniels
Dinghies
Waxwing Trophy - Mirror 67497, Ben Field
Junior Challenge Cup - Feva 8831, Henry Drew & Fin Elson
Optimists - Optimist 6209, Jack Aitkin
Keelboats
Lycaena Trophy (Y.B.O.D.) - Fritillary, Chris Pank
Puffin Trophy (B.O.D.) - Avocet, Nico Bentall
Ali Moore Trophy (Yeoman) - White Spirit, Christopher Davies
Balholme Salver (Allcomees) - Pimpernell, Simon Jenner
River Cruiser Class
Domino Trophy (Racer) - Bewitched, Colin Chettleburgh
Pollitt Cup (Classic) - Vacuna, Simon Bryan
Crews Races
Dinghy Trophy - Feva 7076, Amelia & Edward Daniels
Presidents Cup (keels) - Y.B.O.D. Marmoress, Andy Wood
Pursuit Race Trophies
Barton Broad Challenge Cup (overall winner) - Feva 8831, Henry Drew & Fin Elson
Punt Challenge Cup (Punts) - Merlin, Drew Wilton
Open Regatta Challenge Cup (dinghies) - Feva 7076, Amelia & Edward Daniels
Jan Mackintosh Trophy (Y.B.O.D.) - Marmoress, A. Wood
The Silver Cup (B.O.D.) - Puffin, P. Harston
The Rogue Tankard (R.C.C.) - Vacuna, Simon Bryan
The Wherry Cup (Yeoman) - Folly Too, R. Lambourn
The Ant Challenge Cup (local boat) - Feva 8831, Henry Drew & Fin Elson
Lloyds Challenge Cup (juniors) - Laser 207704, Kit Bentall
The Ramuz Cup for best dressed yacht was awarded to Bewitched and the Seafarer Trophy for best illuminated yacht was awarded to Limelight.