Colne Smack Match off Brightlingsea, Essex, 2003

There are nearly seventy East Coast oyster smacks 'invited to compete' in the Colne Match. Only genuine working smacks are invited and many in this race are more than a century old. In 2003 twenty one boats accepted.

The dramatic lighting on the fleet reflects the stiff competition which ensues over the twenty one nautical mile and one cable length course.

These boats are the survivors of hundreds which were based from the Wash in the North to the Kent shore of the London River. The famous writer on East Coast sailing Hervey Benham records that in 1913 there were more than eighty smacks and bawleys based on the river Colne alone.

The first 'official' races for smacks started in 1783 when Reverend Bates presented a £10 cup. With the demise of fishing under sail and oyster stock after the first world war racing eventually petered out. Racing was reintroduced in 1971 by the Colne Smack Preservation Society, who still organise it today.

Competitors in this picture include:

'Hyacinth' CK 256 built in 1900 by Aldous of Brightlingsea (on far right) 'Martha II' MN 69 built in 1876 by Aldous of Rowhedge crewed by men wearing multi coloured builders hard hats (center) ~ although you cannot see the hats.

'Mary' CK 252 built 1899 also by Aldous of Brightlingsea (third from left). 'Sunbeam' CK328 built 1881 by Howard of Whitstable, winner of the 2003 'Cock of the Colne' and 'King Colne Cup' (behind Martha II)

Matching photographs include 'Phantom' built 1897 in the 1999 Colne Smack race and 'Boadicea' built 1808 ~ the worlds oldest boat still sailing or contrast with 'Falmouth Working Boat' oyster dredging Carrick Roads 2006