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RNLI Fundraiser “Joker Poker”

A fun day on the water – 10th May in aid of the DART RNLI Lifeboat Station Appeal

Join us to play “Joker Poker” – a relaxing fun day on the water to raise money for the Dart RNLI Lifeboat Station Appeal.
There’s no gambling involved, and it’s not a race! Just visit 5 locations on the River or (for larger craft) in Start Bay, collecting a hand of cards!
Open to all craft – whether Sail, Motor, Oars or Paddles!
Challenge other competitors to swap cards in an effort to improve your hand!
Bring your hand to the Royal Dart Yacht Club for judging at 16:00.
(If you can’t make it to the club, just send in a photo of your hand of cards by 15:30)
BEST POKER HAND WINS THE TROPHY!
PRIZE for BEST FANCY DRESS and other surprise prizes!
Bar open, light lunches, bar snacks, teas and coffees available – Joker wins a free drink!
Entry is by donation, with a suggested minimum donation of £1 per foot of boat length.

About the Dart Lifeboat Station Appeal
Dart RNLI is currently housed in a temporary building which is at the end of its lease.  Launching involves driving across a sometimes muddy park and crossing a main road.

The new station location, Ferry View House, was the original lifeboat station in the late 1800s – so today’s volunteers will be returning to the place where their lifesaving story began. The Appeal has been launched to fund the £1.3 million cost of renovation to house the station’s D-Class lifeboat and provide modern facilities, which include dedicated changing facilities, workshop, training, and crew welfare facilities.  It will make life a lot easier and safer for the volunteer crews so they can continue their work of saving lives in and around Dartmouth.

The details
The RNLI Joker Poker will take place on Monday 10th May 2025.  Participating craft must submit an entry form no later than 10:00 on the day of the event.

Five collection stations will be set up in the River between the Castles and Dittisham, plus (weather permitting) a further three stations in Start Bay (between the river mouth and Torcross). The stations will be available from 11:00 to 15:00 (the furthest stations may close earlier).
A detailed list of the station locations and timings will be emailed to all participants, available to download from dartmouthsailingweek.com/race-documents/ no later than 20:00 the previous evening, and printed copies will be available to collect from RDYC and DYC.

Participating craft should visit no more than 5 stations, collecting a card from each.
If you draw a Joker, save it to exchange for a FREE drink at the prizegiving, and draw again.

Once you have collected at least 3 cards, you can challenge another participating boat to try to improve your hand:

    • One challenge only for each pair of boats. No challenges after submitting your hand or after the judging starts at 16:00.
    • The challenged boat may decline to take part in the challenge.
    • The challenging boat (A) asks the challenged boat (B) for either a rank/number of card, OR for a suit. For example, ask for “any King”, or “any 6”, or “any Heart”. If boat B has a matching card, they must hand it over.
    • Boat B then similarly asks boat A for either a rank/number OR for a suit. If boat A has a matching card, they must hand it over.
    • If no cards or two cards changed hands, then that’s the end of the challenge. But if one card changed hands, the boat which gained the extra card must offer their hand face down, and the other boat picks one at random.

Crews should assemble at RDYC in time for judging at 16:00. Any entrants unable to come to the RDYC in person may text or email a photograph of their hand of cards by 15:30 to [email protected].

Poker hands will be ranked according to the diagram and the HIGHEST POKER HAND WINS THE TROPHY!

See dartmouthsailingweek.com/poker-ties/ for more details of how ties will be resolved.  Note that, as we will need to use more than a single pack of cards, some hands may occur that would not normally be possible e.g. 5 Queens, but the judging will still use the usual ranking according to the diagram, so “5 Queens” will be ranked as “Four of a Kind”.

To Enter
Entry is by donation, with a suggested minimum donation of £1 per foot of boat length.
A downloadable entry form is available from dartmouthsailingweek.com/race-documents/, which can be returned to RDYC (Kingswear), Dartmouth Yacht Club, or emailed to [email protected].
Entries must be submitted by 10:00 on Saturday 10th May.

Online donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/campaign/Dart-Lifeboat-Station-Appeal
If you are an eligible UK tax payer, please Gift Aid your donation so that the Appeal will benefit from an extra 25p for every pound donated. For Cash or Cheque donations, there is a Gift Aid declaration on the downloadable entry form.
Online entry is also available at webcollect.org.uk/dartmouthsailingweek/event/rnli-joker-poker  – in which case please make your donation separately at www.justgiving.com/campaign/Dart-Lifeboat-Station-Appeal where Gift Aid declaration is available.

Important Small Print!
Entrants must be a minimum of 18 years of age. All craft must carry insurance (specifically public liability insurance suitable to the type of craft).
The owner/entrant is responsible for ensuring that the craft is safe and suitable for the event and for the weather conditions.

Low Water Dartmouth is at 10:39 BST
High Water Dartmouth is at 17:12 BST