Autumn Regatta 2026 at Hickling Broad Sailing Club

Autumn Regatta at Hickling Broad © Noël Bradshaw

Hickling broad sailing club Autumn open regatta had a different format this year. Instead of racing around the broad as usual, we decided that we would have a passage race; a race from the clubhouse at the bottom of Hickling broad, across the length of the broad, down Candle dyke, past Heigham Sounds, along the Thurne to Potter Heigham bridge and back, non-stop.

The day greeted us with a blustery fresh southerly wind which meant that after being gratefully fortified by bacon rolls provided by the team in the galley, the fleet set off on a beat across the broad and tacked all the way up Candle dyke. The broad is currently weed free, which means that long tacks using the whole of the width of the broad were possible and fully taken advantage of.

We had a good selection of boats; everything from half a dozen Norfolk punts of different ages and designs, to an Ilca 4.7, a beautiful half decker, several Wayfarers, an RS200, a sprinkling of single handers, some visitors and some intrepid juniors. The punts, as expected, were well clear of the rest of the fleet by the top of the broad, and there was some close tacking between them as they fought for places up Candle dyke.

Simon and Rachel Clayton in their beautiful 90 year old traditional punt managed to hang on to their second position throughout the race, despite being chased by newer and faster punts. At the end of Candle dyke the fleet turned right towards Potter Heigham, reaching to the gybe mark before reaching back. The wind was now gusting around 20kts which meant that every blast between the bungalows ensured the boats were struggling not to blow over to leeward, and every bungalow ensured that crews were struggling to avoid a capsize to windward.

Those that were trapezing got a good T-bagging!

Returning down Candle dyke the fleet were now on a dead run most of the time, with many enforced gybes which ensured that those with spinnakers had plenty to do. The final run across the broad home saw many boats flying, with even the slowest of boats returning in not much more than 2 hours.

Final honours went to Charlie Stewart and Seth Footer in their hardchine punt, who just beat Simon and Rachel Clayton on handicap in their traditional punt. Third place and first single hander went to Mike Gower in his Solution, and Ed James took the half decker cup, sailing with Jane Monteith and Julian Jefferies. First junior was Lucy Pitcher in her ILCA 6.

All involved felt that the day was a great success, and we will definitely schedule it again next year.

Overall Results: