The organisation and maintenance of the club and its sailing and social activities are all done by the members, their families and friends - It is completely self-sufficient. Many adults and children have learned to sail on Fenn Creek and along the river, during the last 50 years, in spite of the physical effort of getting to the club for the first 25 years, along a dirt track between fields and hedgerows. The creek is tidal and twists and turns on its way to the river Crouch, giving opportunities for all points of sailing on most fides. The narrowness of the creek makes for relatively safe sailing and to a restriction on boat lengths to 13'00", but a dispensation has been given to our Solos. At present we also have a limit of 5 boats per start, due to the competitiveness of our helms! This frequently means at least 4 starts per race. Eyott has always prided itself on being a family orientated club. However family members grow up and while some will always prefer to potter in their boats others enjoy the challenge of racing. Every season we have a full programme from the end of March to the end of October. There is racing every weekend that the tides allow, with working days and social activities fitted in between. Today we have a growing fleet of single-handed boats (but most of these sailors learned to sail in two-crew boats). The races are mainly for handicap fleets but special races for single-handers and on a personal handicap basis are interspersed.

Our starting line is outside the clubhouse about half a mile up the creek from the Crouch and our racing can be anywhere between Battlesbridge and Burnham. This is a distance of approximately 10 miles, so we usually keep to the upper reaches. However once a year we hold The Widdy-Wid Race, an invitation cruise race to Burnham and back - Outward leg on one fide, a picnic on the riverbank just upstream from Burnham and back on the next tide. For this race we use a start and finish line across the river about 3 miles downstream from the club. If you have never taken part in this race come along and join us next year. It is great fun and you would be most welcome. The older locals have a saying, "If you can sail on Fenn Creek, you can sail anywhere". When you first view the Creek, especially if the tide happens to be out, you could be forgiven for thinking this a somewhat pretentious statement, but the Eyott sailors seem to have proved it valid. Although enthusiasm for travelling has fluctuated throughout the years, the club has produced an impressive number of winners at Open Meetings, from the very first HERON National Champion and Crew to the most recent ones and even an Olympic silver medallist. Names deserving a mention include, Keith Musto, Bob Ledger, Vernon Walters, Greg Thorpe, Alistair Woodfield, Martin Treadway, Albert Jones, Mike Pickett, Andrew Dale and Nigel Darby. To celebrate a half-century" Up the Creek" the Committee plus a band of very willing helpers, organised a special Birthday Race in June this year, followed by a grand repast, which included a barbecue, and a large cake suitably adorned for the occasion. 19 boats took part in this handicap race, over half of which were HERONS. It was won by one of our younger helmsmen, Michael Ettershank. Their families, other club members and former members who have kept close ties with Eyott, joined the sailors during the evening. We were very pleased to have with us two founder members Peter Maynard and Vernon Walters (National champion 1972) and his wife Joyce, Martin Treadway (The first National champion crew 1955) and his wife, and Mike Pickett (Southern champion 1970) and his family.

The little village of South Woodham Ferrers is now a modern town. The Town Council's publicity brochure advertises The Eyott Sailing Club as one of the town's assets and a valid reason for moving into the area. What foresight those sailors had in 1950!

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