Burton week 2025
Brightlingsea SC, Saturday 23rd to Tuesday 26th August
Brightlingsea SC, Saturday 23rd to Tuesday 26th August
Burton Week this year will be held at Brightlingsea Sailing Club in Essex, our first return visit since 2016. The National 18 Class will also be holding their championships at the Club from Friday to Monday. The sailing water is the Colne/Blackwater estuary which provides sheltered sea sailing at all states of the tide and it is surrounded by an unspoilt coastline. The club terrace is south facing and opens onto a safe sandy beach for those relaxing ashore.
The dinghy parking, car parking and camp site are all conveniently alongside the club and the club will provide plenty of food and drink during the event. PLEASE NOTE: The camp site opposite the Club is privately owned and it has been suggested that you book ASAP, direct with the site. Details are under Accommodation below.
If you have not been tempted to sail in the championships before give it a try and experience sea sailing alongside other Twelves. Also a chance to meet and chat with lots of other National Twelve sailors. The event is open to all National Twelves and there are prize categories to suit all ages of boats and people! This year the prize list includes a trophy and prizes for 4 plank boats, so we look forward to seeing a lot of 4 plank owners competing.
Also as well as the whole event having ‘first over the line’ results, we will this year, thanks to Brightlingsea Sailing Club agreeing to record finish times, produce overall handicap results based on the PY and NTOA handicap numbers. The winner of these handicap results will be awarded a new trophy, the ‘Chair’s Square-Rigger Handicap Trophy’ as well as prizes from Blood Red. There may also be results available for Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets.
Crew or Boat Wanted? Have you considered borrowing a boat, or you need a crew for your own? Maybe you are a crew looking for a helm to sail with? Contact us here.
Use these links to:
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY EARLY.
There are new entry terms, cut off dates and prize qualifications this year. Entry is online, or you can scan and email the entry form to: NTOA Hon. Secretary (see contact details on the Entry Form). Payment is by bank transfer or cheque. Please make sure your payment reaches us within 3 days of submitting your entry form.
DINNER TICKETS – This year there is a closing date to book for the Burton Dinner.
The Burton Dinner will be held at the Sailing Club on Sunday 24th August, but this year will be organised by a catering company used by the Club. Therefore, all dinner tickets must be booked (and paid for!) by Saturday 16th August. If you need to cancel your dinner ticket after 16th August please arrange for that ticket to be used by another entrant. Tickets cancelled after the 16th August will still be charged to the N12 Association and we cannot therefore pass on any refund.
The National 18 Class are also holding their championships at the Club, beginning on Friday the 22nd and finishing on Monday 25th. Check out the race programme as it is different to our usual format, it lists times for both classes, and this plan is to give good sailing to both fleets.
Check weighing of your boat should be available, on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning before the briefing. It is your choice whether you weigh, but it’s an opportunity to find out how heavy your boat is. Add your name to the measurers list when you arrive they will give you a shout when they are ready for you.
New sails? – You should arrange to get them measured before Burton Week. If that is a problem then contact the Chief Measurer before the event to see what can be arranged, see the ‘Contacts’ below.
There will be a briefing on Saturday morning the 23rd August on the club patio at 10.30am. The race programme as well as local information etc. will be explained and any questions answered. The first race will start at 13.00 hrs, but you should leave plenty of time to sail to the race area. The scheduled race start times for each day’s racing are shown below.
Official notices will be posted at the Race Office which is in the Sail Management Centre.
Day |
Class |
|
Start times |
|
Notes |
|
|
Race1 |
Race2 |
Race 3 |
|
Friday 22nd |
|||||
HW 11.20 |
N12 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
N18 |
13.00 |
14.00 |
15.00 |
|
Saturday 23rd |
|||||
HW 12.04 |
N12 |
N/A |
13.00 |
14.30 |
Race 2: N12 released from shore under code Flag D 45 minutes before start time and not earlier than 12.15 |
|
N18 |
12.00 |
13.06 |
14.36 |
|
Sunday 24th |
|||||
HW 12.43 |
N12 |
|
12.00 |
|
N12 Burton Cup |
|
N18 |
11.00 |
12.36 |
|
|
Monday 25th |
|||||
HW 13.19 |
N12 |
11.00 |
12.30 |
|
|
|
N18 |
11.06 |
12.36 |
14.00 |
No N18 Start Later than 15.00 |
Tuesday 26th |
|||||
HW 13.52 |
N12 |
11.00 |
12.30 |
N/A |
No N12 Start later than 14.00 |
Allen Brothers of Essex who are major suppliers of sailing fittings are our main sponsor for Burton Week.
Burton Week is also part of the National Twelve Craftinsure National Series and there will be separate prizes for this series
are returning to sponsor the under 21’s.
We have a new ‘Chair’s’ trophy for handicap results and those prizes will be sponsored by 
.
As is usual in the Twelve Class everyone helps with launching and recovery. This is also a chance to look at other boats, talk to the owners and maybe pick up some tips. Watch out for more information later.
There are plenty of trophies to be won and you will automatically qualify for most of them, but some need you to make a choice on the entry form. The acknowledgement of your entry will confirm your choices. A list of entrants for each subsidiary trophy will be displayed at the Race Office. Please check the list and if changes are needed let the N12 Race Office know before any race results start to appear please! If you won trophies last year, don’t forget to get them engraved and cleaned please before returning them to the N12 Race Office when you register.
There will be a helm and crew wristband tally system in use for safety and as your race declaration. If you forget to tally the penalty is to lose your position in any races on that day, or you need to pay £10 to the RNLI to be reinstated! If you have not used tallies before please ask us in the Race Office how the system works.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There will be only one tally board in use for both the National 12’s and the National 18 Class. Tallies numbered 1 – 39 will be for the National Twelves. Tallies numbered 40 – 60 will be for the National 18 Class. Please don’t tally as a National 18, it qualifies you for the Burton Brick!!!
Getting There The following link will get you to the Club. https://www.sailbrightlingsea.com/useful-information/find-us The dinghy park is across the road from the clubhouse, on the grass to the rear of the car parking area. This will only be available from Friday to Tuesday, if you wish to leave your boat outside of those days please get in touch with the club contact for advice as it will need to go into the club compound. Any trailers not under boats, or double trailers, may be in a different location. Please note that there will be separate areas in the dinghy park for the National 12’s and the National 18 Class.
Car Parking - This will be opposite the clubhouse on the grass at the rear of the council car park, NOT ON THE GRAVEL. Brightlingsea SC will provide car park tickets to display on the cars. They will be valid for the duration of the event, i.e. from Friday 22nd to Tuesday 26th August inclusive. MAKE SURE you get your free car park ticket from the club and onto the car the moment you arrive, rather than a Parking Ticket later!! Make sure you display the car park ticket at ALL times.
Accommodation You should consider booking accommodation early and this is a link to the accommodation at Brightlingsea: https://www.sailbrightlingsea.com/directory. The camp site opposite the club is the Lakeside Campsite.
The Race Office is in the Sail Management Centre which is below the BSC Start Box. This will be for both classes and the National Twelve registration will be from 2pm on Friday afternoon until a reasonable time that evening! It will be open again at 09.00 hrs on Saturday morning.
Please check in as early as possible but definitely before the first race which begins on Saturday at 13.00 hrs. You will need to give us the boat’s measurement certificate, and the annual buoyancy should be valid until the end of August 26th or later. The certificate will be retained until the final day of the event. If you plan to sail a borrowed boat please make sure you have the valid certificate from the owner to hand in. If you have any questions about the certificate you can contact ntoa@national12.org .
On registering you will receive your Entry Pack containing Sailing Instructions, trolley tally etc. Spare sponsor stickers should also be available if required.
If either of the boat’s crew are under 18 a signed Parental Consent form needs to be completed, which you may need to organise in advance. Similarly if you feel a voluntary Medical Declaration is necessary then please consider this also. These are available at the top of this site and can be emailed to ntoa@national12.org in advance.
The Official Notice Board will be located at the Race Office.
There will be a briefing on the patio outside the Clubhouse on Saturday at 10.30am with all the necessary local sailing information available. If the weather is wet this will be inside the clubhouse.
Please get in touch if you want to know more about the event or arrangements, need a crew or need technical / measurement advise.
Brightlingsea Sailing Club
Waterside
Brightlingsea
Colchester
CO7 0DY
Socials
The ‘Galley’ will be providing food throughout the event from breakfast to evening meals. Opening times will be advertised and you can book breakfasts and, more importantly, evening meals. Check what times food is served.
Important Notice - Catering will be available from Friday to Tuesday
The galley will be operating a bookings system every day for meals at the galley!
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday