Taking place over the weekend of the 13th and 14th of September, the 12th edition of Bart’s Bash was another fantastic occasion. Thousands of water lovers joined in across the globe, and whether they sailed, paddled, raced, fundraised, barbecued, or simply cheered from the shore, they were part of something truly powerful.
We hope you all enjoyed the weekend as much as we did across our centres.
The energy, smiles, and spirit of Bart’s Bash continue to inspire us all.
ASC Birmingham & Bartley Sailing Club
Birmingham played host to an action-packed celebration, with 28 boats racing, featuring both Bartley’s club sailors and our cohort of Wavemakers. Sunny skies and medium winds, with the odd heavy rain shower, greeted our racers.
Beyond the racecourse, up to 350 people from inner-city Birmingham joined in us for the latest Watersports Festival collaboration with Street Games and Paddle UK. Participants got a taste of watersports including bell boating, kayaking, sailing, plus archery and ergo sessions, many of whom were taking part in these activities for the very first time.
Centre Manager Tayla Donovan shared: “It was fantastic to combine Bart’s Bash alongside our collaboration with various partners bringing watersports to the forefront of Birmingham over the weekend. This was a brilliant way to mark the end of the summer season, and we hope everyone who visited us, whether they’re racing regulars of first timers, had a great time.”
ASC Reading & Burghfield Sailing Club
Over 30 boats took to the water as we teamed up with our on-site partners Burghfield Sailing Club for the main Bart’s Bash race, with competitors ranging from first-time Bart’s Bashers to long-standing supporters of the event. Despite a forecast that swung back and forth in the run-up, our Sunday morning race delivered gentle winds and just a sprinkling of rain. The diverse fleet included everything from an RS Tera, dwarfed beside the larger RS 400s, to dinghies helmed by instructors and regular youth sailors.
Adding to the event, 11 young sailors aged seven and up competed in a special Optimist Round the Island mini race, capturing the spirit of Bart’s Bash, a race truly for all.
Sébastien: “I thoroughly enjoyed my second Barts Bash. It was great fun, and a good opportunity to practice my race skills learnt during my regular ASC sail race clubs. Hopefully a little windier next year!”
Olivia: “It was really fun and exciting taking part in Barts Bash. I was really happy that instructor Dan provided me the opportunity to experience my first ever race, and my first time learning how to use a spinnaker!”
ASC Portland
Bart’s Bash 12 in Portland brought the wind as gusts of up to 33 knots delivered challenging conditions, with the sailors switching it up this year by competing in a fleet mainly comprising of RS Zests, RS Fevas and Laser 2000s.
As always seeing sailors of all ages and abilities competing together at the World Class venue of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is a joy to be a part of and all participants should be especially proud of themselves for getting onto the water and sailing in tough conditions.
The event wrapped up with our Raffle with prizes being donated by local providers; Boatfolk, Apollo Marine, Moatt Sails, OTC, Luna Nails and Beauty, and Sea Kayak Dorset.
“It is fantastic to see after 12 years of this event the passion and enthusiasm the sailing community still have for Bart’s Bash, and we are looking forward to seeing you all again next year, hopefully with a bit less wind”- Nathan Bloss, ASC Portland Centre Manager.
ASC Portsmouth
Portsmouth brought together both racers and families in a lively day on and off the water. Twenty people took part in racing as helms and crew, while another 22 tried tasters in stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, windsurfing, and foiling. On shore, family and friends turned out in force, warming up with tea, coffee and biscuits as they cheered the sailors on.
Adding to the fun, our online raffle, featuring some fabulous prizes, raised almost £600 for the Andrew Simpson Foundation.
The positive feedback from newcomers to racing summed up the spirit of the day:
“Just wanted to say a massive thank you to you and your team today for our first race! We felt very supported and the whole team were extremely friendly and patient with us (even despite our turmoil in the mud getting to the start). Your team were very helpful and clear with instructions, and we felt very safe out on the water given our little experience. We had great fun and loved the whole day! It was great to be part of such a big event with such a lovely friendly bunch of people.”
