Welcome to your own special page. On this page you can check out all sorts of things related to the Club from the purchase of club Insignia to pictures of member's boats , the Maidstone River Festival and find out who are your Ex Commodores. Join our discussion group at the EFCC Forum where you can have your say on any topic related to the Club or boating and you can now read past editions of The Bulletin on line - ideal if you want to check out some of our previous cruises or just spend those long winter evenings reminiscing about the past. If you are interested in serious cruising then check out our Cruising page and if any member has anything for sale - we have a page for that. too. So please, spend a little time and browse this page and if anyone has any problems using the website or has anything they would like to contribute or see on the website, then contact Rose.

To open some of these files you will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your PC. Visit the Cruising page to download - its free!

16th October 2009. It is with sadness that we have to report the recent death of a past EFCC member, Ivor Manley who died recently. Ivor and his wife sold their cruiser and bought a narrow boat on the canals. Their son for many years audited the Clubs accounts.

Fred Grafton handing over to Mike Woolmer your new Commodore Jim Lawrence becomes the new Vice Commodore

Biggest Fish = Ray Hudson (Sabre) Biggest Catch = Jason Hares (Sunset Dancer)

Ladies Award = Valerie Sharp (Winds of Change) Alan Turner Cup = Alice Hudson (Sabre)

2009 FUN DAY

NEW!! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BUYING A BOAT THEN CHECK OUT "MY FIRST BOAT" WRITTEN BY CHRIS ANDREWS.

Recall of SEAGO Lifejackets further information is available from John Norcott (see year book for John's contact details)

Medway Ports have asked me to inform you that last summer there were a few incidents involving small vessels impeding the safe passage of commercial vessels passing under Rochester Bridge. On a number of occasions the master or pilot lined up for the bridge to be faced by a small vessel heading for the centre of the arch in the opposite direction. As summer approaches, and the number of leisure users on the river increases, Medway Ports have asked for the MYA's assistance to ensure the safety of all river users.

The Union Transport vessels which pass under Rochester Bridge are restricted to the centre of the arch. Whilst repair works to the bridge are ongoing the vessels tend to use the centre span heading up river and the Strood span down river. The vessels make a call to Medway VTS, on channel 74, on each approach to the bridge to notify the control room which span they intend to use. Other river users should be listening on channel 74 and should therefore, be alerted to their presence and intended actions.

Ahoy – River Festival is backed for the next three years.

Maidstone’s River Festival is to set sail for the next three years, thanks to a cash injection from Maidstone Borough Council.

Earlier this year the event was in doubt, but the volunteer festival committee recently decided to press ahead with a festival. Maidstone council has decided to increase its financial backing for the event, which is now its 29^th year.

At a meeting on Wednesday (June 11) the cabinet decided to increase the council’s grant from £4,160 to £10,000 this year. The river festival is also set to receive £10,000 in each of the following two years. The grants will be subject to a service level agreement between the council and the festival organisers and a full event management plan.

River Festival chairman David Knight, said: “I’m delighted with the increased financial backing from Maidstone Borough Council. As a voluntary organisation we depend on contributions by local organisations and businesses and this funding will go a long way to help stage the county town’s flagship entertainment event.”

This year’s festival is on Saturday, July 26 and will be one of Kent’s largest free events. The main activities will start at noon led by the Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Denise Joy, and David Knight. Throughout the day there will be a raft race, prizes for the best dressed boats, an illuminated boat display and to finish the night off, a firework finale.

Entertainment will include music on stages next to St Peter’s Bridge and on a barge opposite Hobbycraft; a fairground at the Lockmeadow Centre, off Barker Road and art workshops at Hermitage Millennium Amphitheatre, located opposite Lockmeadow. Maidstone Museum will be holding activities to celebrate its 150th birthday and the Mandy Ellen School of Performing Arts will be showcasing their talents behind Archbishops’ Palace - plus much more.

Leader of the council, Cllr Chris Garland said: “We promised Maidstone would be more fun – and this is just the start. It’s good news for the town that the River Festival will be a regular feature once more and we are hoping this year’s will be bigger and better. The river festival committee does a fantastic job and I am pleased that we can work together to safeguard this important event for Maidstone.”

Due to re-development there will be no boat jumbles at the Hop Farm but a new organizer has stepped in and has organized Spring and Autumn boat jumbles at the Detling Show Ground for 2008.

The annual Boxing Darts Match is always a great success. Here is a selection of photos from Boxing Day 2009

Archive editions of the "Bulletins" - you can now catch up on PAST editions of the Bulletin on-line. Depending on your system it might take a short while for the file to open.

- have you got anything you would like to sell or is there anything in particular you are looking for? If so, then simply click on the For Sale logo.

And if you are thinking of buying a new boat then why not try Find-a-Boat search facility.

FANCY A BREAK IN LANZAROTE? Then check out Graham & Deanna Newman's Lanzarote Holiday Apartments where Graham & Deanna very kindly offer a discount to EFCC members. For full details contact Graham & Deanna.

As the Boat Safety Scheme is due to be brought in on the River Medway why not check to see if your boat complies. Visit the Boat Safety Scheme website to find out more.

Ahoy – River Festival is backed for the next three years.

Maidstone’s River Festival is to set sail for the next three years, thanks to a cash injection from Maidstone Borough Council.

Earlier this year the event was in doubt, but the volunteer festival committee recently decided to press ahead with a festival. Maidstone council has decided to increase its financial backing for the event, which is now its 29th year.

Earlier this year the event was in doubt, but the volunteer festival committee recently decided to press ahead with a festival. Maidstone council has decided to increase its financial backing for the event, which is now its 29^th year.