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For any queries please contact:

Sue Harris by email at

boats@tradboatfestival.com

boats

2025 Boat Entry is now open - booked on a first come first served basis  BOOK NOW TO SECURE YOUR PLACE!

The following craft are eligible to enter the Festival

  • Boats of traditional wooden construction.

  • Wooden boats built by hot or cold moulding techniques.

  • Composite craft (i.e. metal frames with timber planking).

  • Vessels built of riveted iron or riveted steel.

  • Craft built of canvas on a wooden frame

  • Steam powered craft with hulls of non traditional construction (ie GRP or ply) are most welcome but will only be eligible to compete for the Horsham Cleat, Reade Propeller, and Rosie (illuminated craft) trophies.

Otherwise, craft built wholly or partly of Ferro Cement, GRP (glass fibre) or plastics and those built of welded steel or having marine plywood hulls are NOT eligible for this Rally.

Marine plywood is only acceptable in slipper stern launches, or any craft when used internally, e.g. bulkheads, internal flooring or as the inner skin of a planked deck.

Owners of craft, which qualified under previous eligibility rules (e.g. plywood boats with planked clinker hull, which have attended in the past, may still enter such craft for the Rally PROVIDING ownership of the craft has not changed AND the continuity of entry is not broken.

Trophies are awarded under several categories and these, together with the judging criteria, are published on the JUDGING page of this website. Entry for all trophies (via the Boat Entry Form) is FREE. 

  • There will be a ‘Special Interest’ class for boats considered by the committee
    to be of special historic or constructional interest, but not otherwise eligible to enter. Entry into this class is at the sole discretion of the committee and if accepted does not confer rights of entry in succeeding years.

  • Moorings will be allocated according to classification to all entered and accepted boats.
    Owners must be prepared to raft up with similar craft to enable all the vessels to moor safely.

  • The Committee’s decision on matters of eligibility and suitability for entry will be final.

  • All owners of boats entered must pay the appropriate boat entry fee.

 

Support boats of non-traditional construction may be accepted and allocated a mooring subject to availability of space and payment of the boat entry fee. The owner of the traditional craft requiring support must make the application.

Cancellations - entry fees may be refunded at the committee’s discretion up to the closing date for entries - 1st June (or before if full) - after which no refunds will be given.

Entry packs will be sent out in late June. 

Priority Campsite booking is available to those with open boats until 1st April, when general camping will open to all.

SLIPWAY

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There will be a temporary slipway installed at the south end of the meadow  suitable for lighter craft & some but not all launch trailers. This slipway is privately owned and not the property of TTBF.

 

Usage of this slipway is entirely at the discretion of the slipway owner and at the risk of those using it. The TTBF cannot be held responsible for any mishaps resulting from use of this slipway. Safety on the slipway is the responsibility of the owners of craft using it.

 

NOTE – the slipway will be installed on Thursday pm and removed on Monday am.

 

There is also a public concrete slipway in Henley town at the bottom of New Street but please be aware of restricted manoeuvring space.

 

For larger or heavier craft – we recommend either Val Wyatt’s of Wargrave, who kindly offer free slipway use at their yard for boats entered, by prior arrangement only, or the public slipway near the Flower Pot pub in Aston, only 1 lock away, up and downstream respectively.

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