What is Burnham Week?

Burnham Week is a week of yachting events held on the River Crouch at Burnham in late August each year.

Competition takes place in the following classes -  Class 1, Class 2, Class 4, Class 5, Class 6, Hunter 707 , RS Elite , Dragons, Squibs, Sandhoppers, RBODs , RCODs , ECOD , Osprey , Dinghy Fast Handicap, Dinghy Slow Handicap, Phantom , Laser.

The four host yacht Clubs - Royal Burnham Yacht Club, Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Crouch Yacht Club and Burnham Sailing Club all host Dinners and entertainments during the evenings to allow the competitors to socialise and discuss all those ' if the wind hadn't changed then' moments.

What is the standard of yachting?

Burnham has produced many international class sportsmen including national, world and Olympic champion yachtsmen and women. Current Gold medal favourites Shirley Roberston and Ben Ainslee not only sail on the Crouch but favour local boatyards for their medal winning yachts

Who Organises Burnham Week?

Burnham Week is organised by the Joint Club's Committee comprising of representatives from the four clubs in Burnham and individuals who have specific responsibility during Burnham Week.

How did Burnham Week Start?

Burnham Week started as a series of contests in the late 1800's between the London Sailing Club and The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club. AS The Royal Burnham Yacht Club and the Crouch Yacht Club opened the contests expanded into a more organised week of sailing.

Burnham week grew in popularity as it was traditionally the last of the sailing weeks and yacht owners worked their way along the coast through the summer before finally arriving at Burnham and after the weeks racing moored their boats for the winter in the mud berths available on the Essex estuaries.

Burnham week continued to grow with nearly 200 yachts taking part in the Thirties which grew to over 400 in the early nineties although three type of yacht changes with fewer gentlemen yachtsmen paying for their crew gave way to smaller yachts with friends who crewed the yachts and  small craft requiring or two men crews.

How do I find out more?

Burnham week has a great web site full of details on photographs of the action. To visit the web site click on the below link.