Thames A Raters are high performance sailing dinghies designed for the challenging confines of river racing. Their traditional design reaches back 150 years but today they bring the latest carbon fibre technology and design skills to achieve top-level competitive class racing. Come and enjoy the spectacle!
The Thames A Rater is the fastest river sailing boat in the world, and YOU can be a part of the class.
We sail from two locations near you:
Thames Sailing Club in Surbiton
Upper Thames Sailing Club in Bourne End, near Marlow
The Raters have been exciting those who sail them since the late 19th century, always fast and also moving with the times so the original skimming dish hulls are now powered by sails made from the latest materials, set on carbon masts.
Raters are a classic class that is a brilliant blend of old and new, based at two clubs oozing character and charm and conveniently located on the Thames.
Sailed in syndicates they are also surprisingly affordable, and, with a three-person crew open to be enjoyed by those with a wide range of experience.
Why not give it a go? TSC & UTSC are offering ‘Try a Rater’ days.
TSC: Sunday AM – 23 & 30 April. Tuesday evening – 25 April.
UTSC: Sunday 23 April, 10am – 4pm.
Email: rater.captain@thamessailingclub.co.uk for more information.
Tracing the history of river sailing on the River Thames with a focus on Thames Sailing Club, it’s a fantastic addition to anyone’s bookshelf who is interested in river sailing, history, and the River. Written by Thames Sailing Club’s historian, Mark Laity, the book has over 200 pages and 400 photos and illustrations. It’s the most comprehensive history of the last 150 years of sailing on The Thames you’ll find, and coincides with our own 150th Anniversary.
Available in softback at £20, you can get your copy at Thames Sailing Club, or by emailing book@thamessailingclub.co.uk.
Raters are sailed between March and October on the Thames at Thames Sailing Club in Surbiton (Tuesday evenings and Sundays)
and Upper Thames Sailing Club in Bourne End (Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons). Spectators are always welcome!
There are also usually several boats competing at the Three River Race on The Norfolk Broads run by Horning Sailing Club]
Check out the new pages added in The Boats section for Kingfisher, Spindrift and Wings.
We’ve added some old photos of some of the early boats here: The Boats. Follow the links from the top of the page.
Also, an obituary for Denis Peters from a few years ago, a great read.
Feel free to have a look around the site, some of the pages are blank, but we’ve got a great start on The Boats page and a lovely write up by David Frost of the history and of Tara.
Thanks for joining us here as we build this site up. Our plan is to document the history of our favourite boat, the Thames A Rater. The boat has been in existence for over 100 years, and continues to wow sailors and spectators with highly competitive racing, grace, and speed.
Thames A-Rater Association - high performance sailing 