A distant view of three unidentified spritsail barges under sail in the Thames Estuary off Southend during the 1981 Southend Match. All of the barges are of the bowsprit type and they all have a white jibsail. The barge on the left is seen from off the port beam and has a shortened topsail. the vessel in the centre is seen from wide off her port bow and has a fully hoisted topsail. The barge on the right is seen from fine off her port bow, is on the starboard tack and has not rigged her topsail.