The sailing directly around Erith Yacht Club on Erith Rands and Anchor Bay on the River Thames provides enjoyable but still challenging sailing conditions in a wide part of the river with clear winds and a range of tidal effects.
This part of the river lends itself to learning to sail, it’s quiet, its wide enough to allow time and space to learn to turn a dinghy – and to recover if a mistake is made! It also allows the beginners to learn about tide effects as well as immerse themselves in learning about the wind.
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For racing and shorter sailing events in dinghies we tend to stay within the area between Coalharbour Point to the west on the north bank of the river and Crayford ness to the east on the south bank. This space provides runs of approximately 1.5 miles (approx. 2.5km) up and down the river and approximately 3000 feet (approx 900 metres) across the river with good conditions to practice spinnaker sailing down wind.
Trips further up and down the river encourge passage planning that takes advantages of the tide but other clubs at Thurrock and Greenwich are within easy reach.
Current and eddy
A wide bend coming upriver at Crayford ness provides both a useful eddy on the southern side of the river and also a range of currents across the river at different tidal stages.
Traffic
Unlike the Thames in central London the sailing area at Erith has ample space for river traffic which tends to be slower moving. Information from the PLA allows us to know about larger vessel movements ahead of time and they are less frequent allowing sailors to focus on sailing.
Moorings
Club rules discourage sailing inside the moorings except when entering and leaving the river and our racing rules preclude entry into moorings to minimise the possibility of damage to club members boats. Deep-water visitor moorings are on the outer trot of buoys. A half-tide pontoon, accessible about two hours each side of high water, is useful for a quick visit.