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   The Steam Boat Association of Great Britain

Events

This calendar shows all events known to the SBA
- however the SBA accepts no responsibility for the veracity of information about events organised by other organisations.

Note some events are "Members Only",
and you will only be able to see these if you are Logged-In to the site (and are a member!)


Future events

    • 14 Mar 2025
    • 18:00
    • 16 Mar 2025
    • 16:00
    • National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port
    • 22
    Register

                                            2025 AGM

    Provided by Bing Places for Business

    Conference Centre 

    National Waterways Museum, 

    Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 4FW

    On 15th of March 2025

    The format will be the same as in previous years with the

    Auction/Business Meeting/Presentation of Trophies etc/talk or discussion.

    There will also be space available for individual stands and

    there will be the usual Photo Competition.

    A Buffet Lunch will be available comprising of;                             

    Freshly prepared sandwiches, Indian Buffet Selection (spring rolls, samosas, pakoras, bhajis) Cheese and tomato Quiche and Mozzarella sticks, Mini Poppadum's with mango and spicy red pepper dips, and a selection of petit fours.

    Cost is £11 per head and needs to be booked by 10th March 2025

    All -day tea and coffee will be provided for all those who have booked for the AGM. If you do not wish to have tea/coffee please indicate on the booking form.

    There is also a café on site for those who prefer.

    A free pass to the Museum is included for all attendees. This is usually for the day of the meeting but the museum has agreed for this to be made available for use on the Sunday and all those booking for the AGM will receive a pass.

    There will be a pre-Event Dinner at the Holiday Inn, Ellesmere Port, CH45 2AL on the Friday night Friday 14th March. This is a pre -booked three course meal at £36.50 per head and needs to be booked with menu choices which should be typed in on the booking form and paid for via the AGM Booking Form by Monday 10th February 2025.

    MENU CHOICES are;

    Starters;    

    • Carrot and Coriander Soup (v) (ve) or
    • Chicken Liver Parfait with a sweet and spicy chutney, served with toasted herb croutes. (gf)

    Mains;       

    • Braised Beef with Colcannon mashed potato served with roasted carrots, green beans, and a red wine sauce. (gf) or
    • Prosciutto wrapped cod loin on top of a Spanish style tomato stew with spinach and samphire (gf) or
    • Risotto stuffed Butternut Squash with Mediterranean vegetables (v) (ve) (gf)

    Dessert       

    • Chocolate Brownie served with Raspberries& vanilla ice cream. (gf) or
    • Lemon Meringue Tart served with citrus balm gel and crumb topping.

    Please indicate on the booking form your menu choices and whether you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies.

    Bookings for the AGM itself can be made up to the 13th March but please note the deadlines for booking food etc as numbers have to be sorted and sent to the caterers.

    There is plenty of accommodation in the area. The Holiday Inn, CH65 2AL has offered us limited accommodation at £119 per room per night but you might find that you can book more cheaply on various sites.

    The agenda and full details of the AGM will be sent out in January/February.

    Looking forward to meeting you all at the AGM

    Dot

    (Chairman SBA)

     

    Event type 1

    Key to event types

    1 - SBA Organised Event (owner's declaration required)

    2 - SBA organised participation in 3rd party's event (owner's declaration required)

    In event types 1 and 2 the SBA organisers and SBA members are covered by the SBA Liability Insurance;

    3 - private meeting of members with or without boats

    4 - private, individual participation of members in 3rd party's event

    5 - for information only



    • 23 Apr 2025
    • 10:00 - 17:00
    • Windermere Jetty Museum
    Register


    This is the first steaming event of the Windermere Season. All welcome with or without boat. Boats will congregate at the Windermere Jetty Museum and be on display at the Museum over lunch and the first part of the afternoon. Mid afternoon the boats will steam away accompanying SL Osprey on one of her trips (time tbc). Boats can be decorated appropriately but not mandatory.

    If you wish to attend please contact Dot Bullough email r.bullough375@btinternet.com.

    Event type 3

    Key to event types

    1 - SBA Organised Event (owner's declaration required)

    2 - SBA organised participation in 3rd party's event (owner's declaration required)

    In event types 1 and 2 the SBA organisers and SBA members are covered by the SBA Liability Insurance;

    3 - private meeting of members with or without boats

    4 - private, individual participation of members in 3rd party's event

    5 - for information only


    • 09 May 2025
    • 12:00
    • 12 May 2025
    • 12:00
    • ANDERTON BOAT LIFT
    Register

    STEAM@THELIFT

     ANDERTON BOAT LIFT, 

    Lift Lane, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6FW

     Date 9th-12th May 2025

    General Arrangements and Itinerary:

    Friday 9th Launching at Winsford Marina basin. This is a public slipway, there is no charge and it is available all day. There is mooring and a water tap available to fill boilers.

    For those who can launch and have steam up and be away from Winsford Marina by 2.00pm steam to Anderton Lift to moor overnight. This is approximately a 2-3hr journey and involves two locks. These are manned locks and if you are not away by 2pm you will not make the second lock before the lock keepers go off duty.

    Those who cannot make it by 2.00pm will moor at Winsford Marina overnight, or launch Saturday morning.

    Trailer storage will be available at Winsford Sailing Club and adjoining farm, at a cost of £10 per trailer for the weekend. Logistics of getting skippers back to their trailers and to storage areas will be dealt with when we know who is attending and what the requirements will be.

    Saturday 10th The main event of the day is the parade from Northwich to the Anderton Boat Lift. Boats to be at the assembly point (Yarwoods Basin) for 10.30, which means that those coming from Winsford will have to be underway before 8.30am if they are to join the parade.

    The parade will leave Northwich at 11.00am to steam to the Anderton Lift where the wider event is being held. This will comprise of larger boats such as ST Daniel Adamson, ST Kerne, historic and steam narrowboats, steam launches and various other boats as well as steam traction engines etc. Walking tours of the lift, and a trip on the site trip boat are also available, book on the day at the visitors centre.

    Once at the Anderton Lift the remainder of the day will be spent in steam on display, with free steaming around the area and also with a chance to take you boat on the Anderton Lift.

    Mooring for all Saturday night will be at the Anderton Lift.

    Sunday 11th This will be a day of free steaming with a chance to go further afield, details to be confirmed based on the wishes of those present. There will also be further opportunity to ride the Anderton Lift.

    Boats will again moor overnight at the Anderton Lift with the other boats.

    Monday 12th Boats to return to Winsford Marina for hauling out. Again, logistics of moving the trailers etc will be sorted when we know individual requirements.

    This is a ‘level 2’ event, and all boats will be required to complete and return the SBA Declaration Form before the event. This will be sent to those who register.

    Costs; Launching, mooring, use of locks and use of the Anderton Lift are all free. The only costs for the event will be a £5 per person registration fee and £10 for trailer storage. 

    However, if you do not already have one, you will need to get a Canal and River Trust Licence. This can be done online and a short term one to cover the event cost determined by boat size. You do not need to get a Boat Safety Scheme Certificate for a short term license, there is a self-declaration ‘Boat Condition’ form which includes a section specific to steamboats. It will be your responsibility to get this prior to the event, without which you will struggle to get through the locks and will not be permitted to use the Lift.

    Food and Accommodation; Attendees will be responsible for sorting out their own food and accommodation. Throughout the day there will be an onsite Café serving breakfast and lunch into the afternoon, with a BBQ in the grounds and a Bar and Real Ales aboard The Daniel Adamson. If interested in a Pre-Event Dinner on the Friday night please indicate on the Registration Form

    Accommodation in the area is plentiful, including Northwich Premier Inns and Nunsmere Hall Hotel.

    There will be two types of registration forms. One will be for boats, skippers, and their guests and and one for those for those wishing to attend without a boat. Please note organisers will not be able to guarantee that those attending without a boat will be able to get a place on a boat at any given time.

    There is opportunity for those who wish to extend their stay either side of the event to further explore the river and adjoining canals. Anyone wishing to do this should indicate on the Registration Form

    Any questions, please contact.

    Daniel Hutchinson (SBA Organiser) daniel@spurstow.com

    Mike Carter & Dan Cross (Canal and River Trust Event Organisers)

    Event type 2

    Key to event types

    1 - SBA Organised Event (owner's declaration required)

    2 - SBA organised participation in 3rd party's event (owner's declaration required)

    In event types 1 and 2 the SBA organisers and SBA members are covered by the SBA Liability Insurance;

    3 - private meeting of members with or without boats

    4 - private, individual participation of members in 3rd party's event

    5 - for information only


    • 10 May 2025
    • 09:00
    • 11 May 2025
    • 17:00
    • Anderton Boat Lift, Cheshire


    Registration of Interest.

    If you are interested in attending this event please could you complete the Registrations of Interest form by 30th February 2025.

    This event is in conjunction with the Canal and River Trusts steam event based at the site of the Anderton Boat Lift.

    Boats will launch at Winsford Marina on the Friday and steam to the Anderton Lift to moor overnight. Saturday will see the participation in the Boat Parade through Nantwich. Other activities are riding the Anderton Boat Lift and free steaming in and around the area.

    Event type 2

    Key to event types

    1 - SBA Organised Event (owner's declaration required)

    2 - SBA organised participation in 3rd party's event (owner's declaration required)

    In event types 1 and 2 the SBA organisers and SBA members are covered by the SBA Liability Insurance;

    3 - private meeting of members with or without boats

    4 - private, individual participation of members in 3rd party's event

    5 - for information only


    • 05 Jun 2025
    • 10:00
    • 08 Jun 2025
    • 20:00
    • Loch Katrine, Trossachs (and others TBA)
    Register

    The SBA has been invited to help celebrate the 125th year Anniversary of the steamship Sir Walter Scott on 8th June. All based at the most tranquil and beautiful Loch Katrine.  

    There will be steam themed displays and events planned around the 7th and 8th at the Trossachs Pier with the MAIN EVENT held on Sunday 8th, when we expect media coverage as we accompany the Sir Walter on Loch Katrine.

    This provides us with a great opportunity to promote the SBA. If you would like to be part of a team who will be interacting with other visitors to the event and manning our "Information & Display Stall" please contact the event organiser (Adrian).

    SBA members attending this event on 8th are invited to join an additional sailing of the Sir Walter in the early evening, with LIVE MUSIC. During the cruise a buffet meal and refreshments will be provided for all SBA members.

    We are planning to visit another loch for the 5th and 6th and will post details ( once confirmed ) for those who are keen to join the SBA group for 4 days. We have secure storage/car parking and easy launching facilities for SBA members at Loch Katrine.

    For SBA members who are bringing a steamboat to the event, we have been offered complimentary use of 4 of the Pods owned by The Sir Walter Scott Steamship Company. These pods will be available from Friday 6th to Monday 9th of June (incl.). They are located very close to the jetty and main Pier and will be allocated on a first come-first served basis.

    • 07 Jun 2025
    • 08 Jun 2025
    • Exeter Quay and Ship Canal
    • 7
    Register

    We have again been invited by the Exeter Heritage Trust and the Harbour Master and the idea is that the steamboats will be the stars of the day, although there will be lots of other activities going on in and around the Basin.

    Details of the activities are being finalised but the initial, important information is that the maximum number of boats is 10, boats will be craned in on Saturday 7th June in the evening and craned out on Sunday evening. And a meal on Sunday is being laid on for us (brunch or lunch).

    We will be able to steam in the basin, up the river and down to the double lock on the canal.

    There will be space for trailer and car parking. There will be no charge for any of this.

    Please only register if you are as sure as you can be that you will be attending!

    This will be an SBA Type 2 Event and so Boat Declarations will be required for all boats attending.

    Organisers are Dave Biss and Gillie & Kevin Slater. Feel free to call us if you want more information before registering. Details in Funnel and on the website.

    • 22 Jun 2025
    • 16:00
    • 27 Jun 2025
    • 16:00
    • Windermere Motor Boat and Racing Club
    Register

    WINDERMERE RALLY 2025 

    WINDERMERE MOTOR BOAT AND RACING CLUB  

    Broad Leys, Ghyll Head, Windermere. LA23 3LJ

    Sunday 22nd June—Friday 27th June 2025

         FESTIVAL OF THE LAKE AND WINDERMERE BOAT PARADE   

    WINDERMERE JETTY MUSEUM

    Rayrigg Rd., Bowness-on-Windermere, LA23 1BN

    Saturday 28th June 2025

    This year the Windermere Rally will basically follow the same pattern as in previous years but with a few additions. There is an option of staying on for the Festival of the Lakes and the Windermere Boat Parade which are being organised by Windermere Jetty Museum. These will be two separate events, the Windermere Rally being a Type 1 Event and the Festival of the Lakes a Type 2. It was hoped to run the paperwork for these two events concurrently but to date we have not had the full information re the Boat Parade itself. Anyone indicating on the booking form that they would be interested in attending the Festival of the Lake and the Boat Parade will automatically receive notification as soon as it is available. Boats attending these two events will require to fill in a declaration form, which can be downloaded here, but one form will cover both events.

    Windermere Rally

    This will be based as usual at the Windermere Motor Boat and Racing Club and the basic cost per person has been held at £40.00 for Sunday to Friday inclusive or £10 per day per person. Please note that all vessels on Windermere require to have Windermere Registration. This is £35.00 for renewals and £46.50 for new registrations and must be obtained from the main Warden’s Office at Murley Moss prior to launching on Windermere. It cannot now be obtained from the Warden’s Office at Ferry Nab.

    The program is expected to follow the following pattern;

    Sun 22nd June Launching at WMBRC from 4.00pm onwards with option meal in the evening at WMBRC—£26 pp dress casual.

    Mon 23rd June Fell Foot. Steam to Fell Foot for lunch. On return Journey raft up for tea stop at one of the bays on the Western side of the Lake. Evening at your discretion.

    Tues 24th June Windermere Jetty Museum. Dress-up day. Prize for best dressed boat and crew. Boats and crew to be decorated (not mandatory but preferred) and steam to Windermere Jetty Museum to arrive lunchtime onwards. Lunch can be obtained from the Windermere Jetty Museum Café. Afternoon moored on display at the Jetty or steaming around in the vicinity of the museum. At 4.15pm to accompany SL Osprey on her last trip of the day. Evening again at your discretion.

    Wed.25th June Free daytime steaming in North Lake,,5.00pm social gathering Wray Castle Boathouse,

    7.00pm, Music Night back of Belle Isle hosted by Shamrock.

    Thurs 26th June Leisurely start with Treasure Hunt with prizes around Bowness bay and the islands (Storrs Hall to Whitecross Bay if you want to swat up on the area). 7.00pm Gala Dinner and Award presentation, WMBRC, £36.50 pp, dress smart casual.

    Fri 27th June Free steaming and haul out by 4.00pm.

    Any visiting boat wishing to attend the Festival of the Lake and the Boat Parade will need to vacate Windermere Motor Boat and Racing Club by 4.00pm as well and transfer to their other mooring.

    Windermere Motor Boat and Racing Club Menus. (£26.00 per head)

    Sunday 2 course hot buffet.

    Main Lasagne, Garlic Bread and Salad

              or

             Chilli con Carne and Rice

             or

             Vegetarian Option

    Desert Lemon Meringue Pie

                or 

                Diabetic Option

    Thursday 3 Course Dinner

    Starter Ham Hock Terrine

                  or

                 Leek and Potato Soup

    Main Roast Chicken Breast, Buttered New Potatoes, Mushroom Sauce, Seasonal Vegetables. 

               or

               Salmon Supreme, Crushed New Potatoes, Asparagus, and Hollandaise Sauce. 

               or 

              Beetroot Butternut Squash Wellington, buttered New Potatoes and Seasonal Vegetables

    Desert Raspberry and White Chocolate Roulade, Raspberries, Raspberry Coulis and Fresh Cream or Fresh Fruit Salad.

    Rally Documents

    Boat Declaration
    Risk Assessment

    Festival of the Lake and Windermere Boat Parade.

    This event will based at and hosted by Windermere Jetty Museum. Windermere Jetty first held the Festival of the Lake last year and are now expanding it to resurrect the Windermere Boat Parade. Basically the boats will be in steam, decorated and on display at Windermere Jetty Museum or steaming in the vicinity of the Museum during the day. Details of the Parade are not yet available and further details will be available as soon as we have them.

    Visiting boats will be able to moor on the Friday and Saturday night at the Museum and will need to leave the WMBRC in time to be moored and secured and trailers parked by 5.00pm at the Museum when it closes. If using the Museum slip to haul out boats must be hauled out and moved off the premises by 10.00am on the Sunday when the Museum opens to the general public. The cost for mooring is £25 per day, trailer storage £10 per day and for hauling out £15 payable to the Museum.

    Any queries please do not hesitate to contact Jill (jillemaltby@gmail.com) or Dot (r.bullough345@btinternet.com)


    Key to event types

    1 - SBA Organised Event (owner's declaration required)

    2 - SBA organised participation in 3rd party's event (owner's declaration required)

    In event types 1 and 2 the SBA organisers and SBA members are covered by the SBA Liability Insurance;

    3 - private meeting of members with or without boats

    4 - private, individual participation of members in 3rd party's event

    5 - for information only


    • 18 Jul 2025
    • 20 Jul 2025
    • Bristol Floating Harbour
    Register

     

    Steamboats @ Bristol Harbour Festival 2025


    Welcome to the Steamboat element of the Bristol Harbour Festival – we look forward to seeing old hands and new faces. The format will be much the same as previous years – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

    After a very successful handover of the organisation of the Harbour Festival in 2024 we look forward to an equally successful event in 2025.

    The 2025 format will be much the same as previous years (I hope!) with a couple of variations; however, for those with short memories (like me), and those that didn’t attend last year, this is what to expect:

    Friday: Launch (Cottage Pub, Baltic Wharf, Cumberland Road, Bristol BS1 6XG) anytime from about 12h00 onwards. 

    We will get together for a communal evening meal event of some kind on Friday evening - details later

    Saturday: You are at liberty to steam around the festival site (except as commanded by the Harbour Authorities whilst other ‘spectacles’ take place) plus we will have 1, maybe 2, coordinated ‘Steam Processions’, with live PA commentary, through the day – a great chance to show off, especially our whistles and sirens. These processions are where we earn our keep, so to speak, and, whilst participation is not obligatory, they are both good fun and our way of saying ‘Thank You’ to the Festival for their generous hospitality. The Processions will be ‘topped and tailed’ by Harbour Launches so it is a really easy case of ‘follow the leader’. Would those of you that want to promote your boat let me have some ‘blurb’ for the commentator to use – interesting snippets about the boat over and above the basic length, engine and boiler specs are good. We are, again, promised to be featured in the Harbour Festival Programme and I don’t know how much they will print but I will let them have all that you let me have – info sooner rather than later please.

    Saturday evening – Meal - venue yet to be determined. This MUST be pre-booked with us. 

    Sunday: Lazy steam-up (10h00ish) and one procession through the Festival but, instead of turning around, we will just keep on going up the harbour/canal/river until we reach the pub (actually two pubs side by side through a lock). This will give you a chance to see where the ‘Floating Harbour’ joins the River Avon, observe some of Bristol’s industrial past (and present) as well as having a nice chug through some pleasant countryside. Lunch can be taken at either pub or onboard before returning via the reciprocal route either straight to pull-out or to another over-night on your berth.

    I will be assisting those going home on Sunday to pull out and suggest that you steam straight to the Cottage Pub slipway and moor up on the dinghy pontoons whilst preparing to pull out. This is when a degree of tact and cooperation is required as there will be a large number of other users all wanting to access the slip at this time. I will try to referee and coordinate with the other ‘team leaders’, but please be patient and cooperative in order to ensure that all goes as smoothly as possible.

    I will also be in attendance on Monday morning to assist those of you that are pulling out. In some years we have had more of a ‘traffic jam’ at the slip on Monday than we had on Sunday afternoon, so please note the comments above and I am sure it will all go ‘swimmingly’.

    Any queries, please contact me on 01275 331074 or Mobile: 0790 528 6711 or via email Kevin@ManorFarmEngineering.co.UK
    or snail mail: Manor Farm, Scot Lane, Chew Stoke, BS40 8UW.

    We look forward to seeing you all.

    Kevin & Gillie Slater

     

     

    The Member of the SBA coordinating with the Event Organiser is Kevin Slater.

     

    Event type 2 

    Key to event types

    1 - SBA Organised Event (owner's declaration required)

    2 - SBA organised participation in 3rd party's event (owner's declaration required)

    In event types 1 and 2 the SBA organisers and SBA members are covered by the SBA Liability Insurance.

    3 - private meeting of members with or without boats

    4 - private, individual participation of members in 3rd party's event

    5 - for information only


    • 10 Oct 2025
    • 12 Oct 2025
    • Royal Windermere Yacht Club

    The Lay-up Rally is provisionally booked for Friday 10th October to Sunday 12 October. We thought, after about 15 years of much the same programme, we might change it a bit:

    Friday - launch and steam in the North Lake or Bowness Bay. As in previous years, bar snacks will be available at the RWYC in the evening.

    Saturday - steam in the South Lake, with lunch at Fell Foot: picnic or pay-as-you-go at the café. Return for the Lay-up Supper at the RWYC in the evening - a menu choice form  will be available in due course

    Sunday - Steam in the North Lake. Visit Windermere Jetty Museum at lunchtime; picnic or pay-as-you-go at the café. Return to the Yacht Club to haul out.

    The registration form will go live sometime in the summer of 2025. Please indicate on the registration form if you expect to go to the cafés - no commitment.

    Launching facilities for small boats will be available at RWYC, others can launch at the Ferry Nab. All boats must have a Windermere registration, which can be obtained on-line from the Lake District National Park office in Kendal. It can no longer be bought at the slipway. All boats must submit a declaration, which will be available in due course.

    Please note the Risk Assessment (2024 version - will be updated in due course if considered necessary) for the rally.

    Location, launching and mooring information

    Some suggestions for accomodation: Accomodation2021.pdf

    For further details, or to express an interest, contact Roger Calvert.

    Event type 1

    Key to event types

    1 - SBA Organised Event (owner's declaration required)

    2 - SBA organised participation in 3rd party's event (owner's declaration required)

    In event types 1 and 2 the SBA organisers and SBA members are covered by the SBA Liability Insurance; 

    3 - private meeting of members with or without boats

    4 - private, individual participation of members in 3rd party's event

    5 - for information only



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