This page contains the following additional information.
1/ PARKING AT THE START AND FINISH
2/ BOOK A HOSPITALITY PITCH AT THE FINISH
3/ RAFT RACE HISTORY
4/ OVERNIGHT ACCOMODATION
5/ RAFT BUILDING SUGGESTION AND EQUIPMENT
6/ ABOUT THE ROTARY ORGANISATION
7/ ABOUT ST DAVID’S HOSPICE CARE
1/ PARKING AT THE START AND FINISH
There are two official car parks: One at the START at Monmouth (NP25 3DP) and one at the FINISH (NP25 4TT) at Whitebrook.
The car park fee of £5 gives entry to both car parks.
For the START Car Park, follow the signs off the Dixton Road roundabout on the A40 trunk road at Monmouth, towards the River Wye.
To get to the FINISH Car Park, take the A466 valley road from Monmouth towards Chepstow. Cross the River Wye at Bigsweir Bridge, 7 miles south of Monmouth, and turn immediately right. Follow the lane for 1.5 miles. The Car Park is then on the right.
Every paid raft race entry attracts three free vehicle parking passes. These are for your raft delivery vehicle and cars bringing your raft crew.
Additional vehicles cost £5 each.
All passes allow for parking in both Start and Finish car parks.
Please note that neither the Start or Finish car parks are accessible by articulated vehicles.
Coaches can be accommodated in a remote car park, but need to be pre-booked. Please contact Norman Williams on 07748 853328 or by email at monmouthrotaryclub@gmail.com
2/ BOOK A HOSPITALITY PITCH AT THE FINISH
Hospitality pitches are available at the raft race finish. The cost is £100 for a 20 x 20 metre pitch upon which you can erect your own Tent/Gazebo, Marquee or BBQ. You are able to serve drinks and food to your friends and supporters, provided no money changes hands.
Hospitality pitches can be booked when you complete the raft entry form. Otherwise, please contact Raft Race Secretary, David Forbes. Telephone 01600 712665
3/ MONMOUTH RAFT RACE HISTORY
In 1963 Abergavenny Young Conservatives challenged Abergavenny Young
Farmers to a Raft Race. Originally it was intended to hold it on the river Usk.
However they were advised by Bill Keen of the ICI Canoe Club that the river Usk
was too dangerous for this type of event. The venue was altered to the
river Monnow, with the start being at the Bell at Skenfrith and the finish at
Monmouth. The Abergavenny Round Table decided to enter a raft. As a result
of ‘certain’ publicity, in the end there were 23 rafts. The river Monnow was not the most suitable venue and there are no records of the winners and where or if
they finished. However about £35 was raised and donated to the Freedom
from Hunger Campaign.
The 1966 race was moved to the river Wye with the start near Symonds Yat and
finish at Monmouth Boathouse
Due to lack of start facilities and viewing points it was decided to look for a
different course for 1967. The Whitebrook area was investigated for the finish.
The late Vic Cullimore offered the use of his fields. His great enthusiasm, and the ongoing support of his family over the years has enabled the event to grow into a significant fundraising event. In 1968 over £400 was raised for Tenovus and sponsorship of the rafts started, the first being Whiteheads Iron and Steel of Newport with catering by the local pub, The Crown.
The Raft Race became an annual event, being organised by Abergavenny Young Conservatives for a number of years. It was policy to select a different charity each year. These included Multiple Sclerosis Society, RNLI, Guide Dogs forthe Blind.
After the Abergavenny Young Conservatives disbanded, the running of the event was taken over by the Monmouth Conservative Association and the money raised was for various different charities.
In 2004 the organisation of the event was taken over by the Monmouth Rotary Club, who continue to run it. The event has grown to an average of 75 rafts per year, and a total of £347,898 has been raised for charity since 2004. St David’s Hospice Care are the principal beneficiaries of the 2023 raft race.
A total of 75% of total raised will go to St David’s, and 25% will be retained by Monmouth Rotary Club and distributed to other charitable causes supported by the Club.
The annual raft race has only been cancelled four times since 1965. Once in 2001 because of the Foot and Mouth outbreak, again in 2008 as the river was in flood, again in 2020 because of Covid and in 2022 as the river level was too low
4/ OVERNIGHT ACCOMODATION
HOTELS
There are a number of hotels and B&B’s in the Monmouth area.
Search for “Monmouth Hotels” in your internet browser
CAMPING
If you prefer to camp, then we recommend The Bracelands camp site, near Coleford
The post code is GL16 7NP.
This site is 8 miles from the raft race start site in Monmouth.
https://www.campingintheforest.co.uk/england/forest-of-dean/bracelands-campsite
Telephone number is 01594 837258.
Camping is NOT allowed at the raft race start or finish sites.
5/ BUILDING A RAFT AND EQUIPMENT CONTACTS
The following is a suggestion about how to build a raft. It is not mandatory that you follow this suggestion. There are many ways to build a raft, but please ensure that your raft conforms to the regulations itemised under the ENTRY CONDITIONS
RAFT BUILDING SUGGESTION (From ideas kindly provided by Hampshire Rafter Bruce Fraser)
Basic Construction:
If one uses 6 x 200 litre barrels to provide the buoyancy, an oblong wooden cradle or grid with 9 slots the size of a half-barrel, the three on each side designed to sit astride the barrels, leaving the middle three empty for the hull spacing forms the basic structure. Whilst virtually any materials can be used, remember to clean away anything that may be an irritant, cause pollution or damage the river environment.
Fixing can be by bolting or bonding or screwing or tying together, but if the barrels are cut open for easier fixing remember they will sink unless they have some additional flotation built or inserted into them.
Steering:
A rudder or tiller can be attached to the back timber to steer the raft but there is a disadvantage in that someone will be needed to steer and it can also break.
Alternatively, the back two paddlers can use their paddles to steer – a far simpler method but something that needs some practice.
Nose Cones:
Anything to soften the passage through the water will help the raft go faster.
Improvements:
The following principles can be adopted in whole or in part to obtain improvements over the basics above:-
SizeLonger rafts go faster but are harder to steer and transport. Wider hull spacing makes for greater speed and stability but makes
for more difficult steering and transportation.
WeightLighter rafts go faster but become more unstable, and especially if the
crew outweigh the craft.
The lower the centre of gravity, the more stable the raft, but the less amount of barrel in the water, the faster it will go due to less drag.
The raft race course has a couple of shallow stretches, so lighter is better than heavier.
Miscellaneous:
a) Rowlocks are not permitted, so paddles if used, need to be manageable. Propulsion can usually be by any means other than a motor. So pedals, pushing, carrying, etc. may well be necessary especially when grounded or if your design fails
b) Seating of some sort will provide comfort but does add weight and will need to be fixed firmly.
c) A surface for a painted number on both sides is required.
d) Using Water cannon at Monmouth will bring exclusion from the race on hygiene and safety grounds.
e) Wearing a lifejacket throughout your time on the river is compulsory, in your own interests!
USEFUL CONTACTS FOR EQUIPMENT
Barrels………
Can be purchased from Smiths at Coleford on 01594 833308 www.smithsofthedean.co.uk
Buoyancy aids……..
Can be purchased 2nd hand, from Monmouth Canoe and Activity Centre……Telephone 01600 716083
Or visit www.ewetsuits.com or www.force4.co.uk
Hard Hats…….Advisable. Please read River Safety paragraph in the event regulations. Regulations can be found in “ENTRY CONDITIONS” in the Web Page Menu.
Hard hats are available from Screwfix and other building supply companies
………It is also worth trying E Bay
Happy Rafting
6/ ABOUT THE ROTARY ORGANISATION
Monmouth Rotary is affiliated to the “Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland” organisation. This consists of more than 55,000 men and women who, as members of over 1,850 Rotary clubs, volunteer their time, talents, professional skills and energy to improving the lives of people in their local communities and others around the world.
Worldwide there are 1.2 million Rotarians and 33,000 clubs.
Rotarians enjoy the opportunity to give something back, to give hope to those less fortunate and to make lives worthwhile and fulfilled.
For details about how to join Monmouth Rotary Club, please contact Rotarian Terry Ing 01600 719426 OR 07983 448853
Monmouth Rotary Club registered charity number 515576
Click here to visit Monmouth Rotary web page
Click here to visit Monmouth Rotary Facebook page
7/ ABOUT ST DAVID’S HOSPICE CARE
St David’s Hospice Care is committed to providing bespoke, individual care for all our patients and their families. We work alongside patients and hope to support them at the most difficult times of their lives. We aim to ensure that patients have choice about the care they receive and maintaining dignity throughout their journey is paramount to us.
2023 MONMOUTH RAFT RACE 