History
Creeksea Sailing Club
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Established in 1957 and affiliated to the RYA, the club owes its existence to the war years. The slipway was built to service RAF fast
rescue boats and the Navy's Motor Torpedo flotilla which used the Crouch. One can well imagine the scene, with MTB's on moorings,
ready to race out into action around the East Coast.
jEast coast convoys saw numerous vicious small boat engagements, and these continued throughout the War; whilst the RAF fast
rescue boats were much engaged in recovering downed aircrew struggling back to East Anglian airfields.
With peacetime the chance to relax and the restoration of Creeksea Hall allowed the development of the Caravan site which remains
to this day.
rescue boats were much engaged in recovering downed aircrew struggling back to East Anglian airfields.
With peacetime the chance to relax and the restoration of Creeksea Hall allowed the development of the Caravan site which remains
to this day.
The abandoned slipway was used by weekenders to launch their boats, and with the increase in popularity of sailing and the profusion of self build designs, a club was founded. By 1959 the club had purchased a caravan chassis with an 8ft by 6ft garden shed on top to serve as a Race Officers hut. This was moved too and fro as far as the railway bridge after racing, as permission was not available for a permanent structure on the river bank.
Subsequently in 1976 the Race Officers Hut was built and opened by none other than the then Prime Minister and famous yachting enthusiast Edward Heath
In 2013 the old slipway was replaced with a new one, funding was generated from within the club along with a grant from ECC, the slipway is what makes the club and has greatly enhanced the ability to luanch boata on your own.
In its history the club has seen a changing profile of classes sailed and activity. The heyday of the club was Burnham week in the 1970's when presentation dinners regularly hosted 140 to 160 people. Since those days of Ospreys and similar classes, the club has moved on to single handed boats, with the Phantom proving an ideal choice for helmsmen moving over from the two man classes. With improvements to the clubs facilities, it continues to attract the racing enthusiast, and the clubs reputation for friendly competitive sailing bodes well for the future.
In 2020 the club raised funds for the current Race Hut to be built, it was opened by the Mayor of Burnham, this enhanced Hut it should last as many years as the old one. The Design was based on the old Hut so that passing sailors will still recognise it as CSC.