Yarmouth Gaffers Regatta through the Gaffers Log Archive

Free mooring (and water taxi if you are moored on the piles or in the Roads). An “Arrival Race” on Friday, a relaxed race in the Western Solent on Saturday (four hostelries have put up trophies and keeper prizes for the four classes), with a Bar-B-Q in the evening and a Jazz Band in the Town Square. The town will be joining in with plenty to see and do for skippers, crew and the family. We are being made welcome by all sorts of people and organisations, so please don’t let them down. Turn up in droves, it will be worth leaving Shotley early! Special note: Member David Still has kindly commissioned a trophy for the first boat on corrected time from Chichester Harbour to Yarmouth on the Weekend of 28 June. The trophy will be called the ‘Black Pig Trophy’ in memory of Romilda, a Channel Island stone carrier built around the turn of the century. It is to be presented each year for the same event, or another if Yarmouth does not continue. He will co-ordinate entries from Chichester. Start in your own time from Chichester Bar Beacon, via the start line of the Island Sailing Club, to the breakwater abeam at Yarmouth. Each yacht to take his/her time at each stage of the race.” – Dave Keller, Solent Secretary

Many participants took advantage of Yarmouth Harbour Commissioners’ offer of free moorings on the Thursday evening, taking a gentle sail down the Western Solent with light winds and evening sunlight. The beautiful Victorian cutter Partridge, built by Campers and Nicholson in 1885, was out for her first sail after 18 years of restoration. Even with borrowed sails, she looked splendid. Friday saw many more gaffers, young and old, small and large, crowding into the harbour. The smallest was Chris Foulkes’ 16 ft dayboat Midsummer, designed by R Warrington-Smythe and built in 1991, and the largest Ian MacGillvray’s Ytene Rose, a 56ft (76ft over spars) yawl, designed and built by Harris at Rowhedge in 1904. At the evening registration and get together in the Royal Solent Yacht Club more than 65 boats booked in. Sponsorship from the Isle of Wight County Council provided free moorings and a free water taxi service for all participants and Wightlink Ferries gave special festival pennants.

On Saturday morning the fleet woke to a dismal fog and drizzle, giving poor visibility for the start of the race. However, all was not lost, as the breeze was fair to make up over the ebbing tides and the fog hid some of the less polished performances. 40 plus boats found their way out to the start off the green, where the committee boat, the OGA President’s fine 1930’s motor cruiser Vagabond was anchored. The spectators on the pier, trying to peer through the fog, had very close views of several of the boats as they passed as close as they could to cheat the tide. As the race progressed, the clouds lifted and by the time the race finished the sun was out. The overall winner on handicap was Simba, a 25ft yacht built in 1939 and sailed by Chris Harridge.

Back in the harbour, the boats dressed overall. Some boats’ crews dressed up in Edwardian costume. Iseult, a 1909 yawl built in Poole by Ashton and Kilner and owned by Joe and Pat Lester, made a special effort, entering and touring the harbour in grand style with all the crew in period costume. Later they were to win the Harwoods Trophy for the best dressed boat and crew.

Ashore in the afternoon there was much to see and do. There were street entertainers, shanty singers, craft stalls and further competioisn. The OGA put up a tug of war team and came a credible second, especially as yachting shoes find it hard to compete against nailed boots. Not to be outdone, two young ladies from the gaffers challenged the ladies of the town to a tug of war and won. Next year there will be a special ladies trophy. Out on the water there were more races for scows, X boats and Y boats, as well as coxed four rowing races. The Yarmouth Lifeboat gave a breeces buoy demonstration with the search and rescue helicopter. The Trafalgar Gun Company, stationed on Yarmouth Castle “took on” a yacht flying the Jolly Roger, off the pier. They certainly made much noise firing huge chunks of wadding about the place.

In the early evening the gaffers congregated at the Yarmouth Sailing Club, who put up one of the best barbecues ever. Even the rain did not dampen the event and the members of the club cheerfully provided some cover and continued the cooking in full oilskins. At 9.p.m. everyone gathered in the square for the prize giving. The Solent Area Vice President, George Beckett, was Master of Ceremonies and the Chairman of the Isle of Wight County Council, John Bowker, presented the prizes.

Once all the prizes had been awarded the Castle Jazz Band took the stage again for dancing in the square.

On Sunday morning there were many more events in the town and the X and Y boats went racing again. Cans of Tanglefoot beer were distributed to the fleet courtesy of Hall and Woodhouse and Mark Woodhouse. In the early afternoon there was a parade of Classic Motor Yachts and as the tide began to flood most of the Gaffer Fleet left for home in a smart south-westerly. The event was claimed as a great success, both by the OGA members attending and Yarmouth Town. Plans are already afoot for next year’s event.” – Pat Dawson

This year promised to be even better, with nearly 90 boats booked in, extra sponsorship from Classic Boat and Classic Malts and many more events ashore. But by the beginning of the week there was a serious fly in the ointment. Nobody had arranged the good weather, and strong winds and rain was forecast for the whole of the festival.

Nearly all of the boats attending were coming from the east and wind over tide in the western Solent in a strong breeze is not a pleasant place. At least on Thursday afternoon there was some south in the wind so there was “relatively” smooth water on the Island shore. None the less we were pleased to get in and to see we were not the only ones to arrive. that evening the friendly Yarmouth Sailing Club made us welcome and by the end of the evening 30 welcome packs had been given out.

The Millennium Bug All Comers Race had been planned for the Friday afternoon, but with a good SW6 and threat of more to come, it was decided to postpone it. That evening the Yarmouth Sailing Club provided an excellent supper and it was good to see that quite a few more people had arrived. Messages came from others who had put into Cowes or Newtown Creek, that they hoped to arrive on the early Saturday morning tide. After supper Classic Boat ran their “Call my Luff” quiz. Dan Houston was very brace to attempt this with so many “authorities” in the audience, and so good humoured when his answers were challenged. The winning team was the “Lone Custards”; the fine bottle of Lagavulin was much appreciated.

Early Saturday morning, more boats arrived, giving a final total of 53. The wind had finally dropped to a SW3 to 4 and the sun was out. However the Coastguard was forecasting gales for the afternoon so a short course was chosen for the Saturday morning race and many of the smaller boats did not go out. Those who did made an excellent sight, a wonderful mixture of the old and the new. It was a closely fought race with Chris Harridge in Simba being the overall winner on handicap. Everyone was back in the harbour for lunch and the judging of the Concours d’Elegance and the Best Dressed Boat and Crew competitions. Partridge was a picture of perfection, winning the Concours d’Elegance and none could compete with the Meynells for the Best Dressed Boat and Crew. Lona II, dressed overall, paraded around the harbour with the crew in Edwardian costume and Richard serenading everyone on the violin.

The much forecasted gale did not materialise but the rain came with a vengeance in the early afternoon. This did not dampen enthusiasms and by the time for the Tug of War, the sun was shining again. The OGA team pulled valiantly, beating teams with much younger and heftier participants and gained a credible second. The OGA woman’s team made up with enthusiasm for a lack of skill and also managed a second place. An excellent Barbecue at the Royal Solent in the early evening was graced with warm sunshine. Even better, Classic Boat had given every boat 2 complimentary tickets. Perhaps the only criticism that could be levelled was that the plates were too small for the significant volumes of food provided. George Beckett did his excellent job of co-ordinating the prize giving in the square. The energetic then danced the night away in the square marquee whilst others had a quiest drink in the Royal Solent.

Sunday dawned fair and the Millennium Bug All Comers Race, postponed from Friday was run in the morning. A course was set across the Solent but the wind and tide kept most of the boats close to the start line. The RNLI in a rib roared around the fleet delivering the “Millennium Bug”, a fine suitably decorated fender with a dry tube attached. This tube had to be filled with money to persuade them to take it away again. The race winner was Craig Nutter in Sabrina of Hamble. After the race the “Bug” struck in the harbour around those boats that had not come out to race. Overall, £230 was raised for the RNLI.

As the afternoon wore on boats left for home. An excellent event, despite the weather, with 53 of the 91 boats booked in braving the elements to attend. Plans are already afoot for next year’s event.

Results of Main Race:-

The George Hotel Trophy – Class 1 & 1A Boats

1st Dirk II Graham Benton

2nd Eleanor Mary David Darbyshire

3rd Chloe May Simon Costain

The Bugle Trophy – Class 2A Boats

1st Simba Chris Harridge

2nd Dolphin of Leith John Lowrie

3rd Abaca Mark Hickman

The Kings Head Trophy – Class 2B Boats

1st Corncockle Graham Dadd

2nd Grey Merlin David Still

3rd Whaler Dominic Loughborough

The Long Tackle Trophy – Overall race winner on corrected time

Simba Chris Harridge

The Millennium Bug Race Trophy, presented by Classic Boat

1st Sabrina of Hamble Craig Nutter

2nd Tar Baby John Ungley

Other Prizes:-

The Harbour Commissioners’ Trophy – for arrival time

1st Eleanor Mary David Derbyshire

2nd Ajax Peter Scott

3rd Abaca Mark Hickman

The Black Pig Trophy – Fastest passage from Chichester on corrected time

Maude John Travis

The Gaffers Rig – Best dressed gaffer and crew, donated by Harwoods

Lona II Richard Meynell

The Mayor’s Cup – Concours d’Elegance

Partridge Alex Laird

– Pat Dawson, SOL Area Committee Member

Once again the weather attempted to sabotage the event with strong south westerly winds on Thursday. However a number of members, including ourselves, took advantage of a lovely Wednesday to arrive early. It was a shame only three boats braved Thursday’s winds, as there were few boats in the harbour when Alan Titchmarsh opened the event at midday on Friday. As brightly coloured balloons flew into the wind, all the shore side events began, including the Hall and Woodhouse bar with their fine Badger Ales in the Marquee on the Quay. As the tide began to serve from the east, a fleet of gaffers could be seen filling the western Solent and by the end of the day there were eighty gaffers dressed overall in the harbour. By early evening the Royal Solent Yacht Club was filled with our members collecting their registration packs and enjoying the club’s hospitality and Classic Malts free whisky. Later in the evening many were dancing to an excellent band, the Accelerators, in the quay marquee. Needless to say, following this there were a number of parties on the boats.

Saturday morning dawned bright but without wind. However this did not stop 47 gaffers motoring out for the start of the race and attempting to make up over the strong tide with just a few cat’s paws of wind. The race officer delayed the start for 30 minutes; during which time the tide began to slack and the wind gently filled in. The first buoy was north west of the pier, which made for an up wind up tide start and made the line very “friendly”. There were several “Mexican Waves” at our end of the line; first when Gaivota called starboard on all of us. Then, as we were about to get mixed up in the Royal Solent’s moorings, we called water and pushed the line of boats back on to port; all about six feet apart! Eventually everyone sorted themselves out, many giving the spectators on the end of the pier a close view, apart from one boat, who, in misreading the course, was heading for Cowes at a rate of knots. By the first mark the First of May, trailed down from the East Coast, had a clear lead, but was hotly pursued by Charmina, Lona II and last year’s winner Simba. The next mark was down wind and in true gaffer style all sorts of sail were set. At the third mark the race was shortened. Some of the early finishers sailed into the harbour and before it got too crowded motored around with sails set; it made a good spectacle. A short commentary was given on the boats as they returned. There was a wonderful mix of old and new and the final results showed that in the light airs the old boats had done just as well as the new gaffers.

As an experiment there were 5 classes to match the 5 main trophies put up by the hotels and pubs in the town. Classes 1 to 4 were set on waterline length, to give four equal sized groups, Class 5 was for extreme craft and unballasted boats. There was no division on age. The results are as follows:-

Once back in the harbour, judging for two competitions began. The Mayor’s Concours d’Elegance was won by the immaculate Kelpie, a 1903 Solent One Design. Designed by Mylne and built by Fay & Co. in Southampton, she is a 57ft cutter with narrow beam and low freeboard. The second competition was for the Harwoods best dressed gaffer and crew. This went to Iseult, whose pirates were noisy and her water cannon dangerous if you got too close. Iseult was designed for Norman Deakin and built as a cutter. Her counter and yawl rig were added in 1927.

In the afternoon a Yarmouth Lifeboat demonstration involved a “rescue” of Iseult. Joe Lester’s son has recently been appointed coxswain of the Yarmouth Lifeboat and as Iseult was supposed to be on fire just off the pier, he took the opportunity to thoroughly soak Iseult, his father and all the crew with the Lifeboat’s hoses! The local scow fleet and X and Y boats went racing and ashore there was something for everyone; Street Performers, a Samba Band, Morris Dancers, Steel Bands, Singers, Pan Pipes, Brass Bands. There were Tractors and Stationary Engines, a Flower Festival in the Church, the Queen Victoria Lifeboat and Maritime Exhibitors to view. In the Square there was a Craft Festival and for the children a mini Fairground, Go-Karts and Face Painting. At 4 o’clock the Tug o’ War competition was closely fought; the OGA team managing a very creditable second place.

In the early evening supper was available in the marquee and an excellent band, the Dance Preachers began to play. The Prize giving was run by George Beckett. In addition to the winners listed above, the following trophies were also awarded:-

The prize giving over, the band took to the stage again and those with energy left took to the dance floor. Others crept away to quieter venues. The weather remained good for Sunday. The shore side entertainment continued with all the attractions from Friday and Saturday. As the tide served, boats left for home.

An excellent weekend thanks to the many sponsors. Major sponsors were – Isle of Wight County Council and Wight Leisure, Wightlink (for the pennants), Badger Brewery, The Yarmouth Harbour Commissioners, Yarmouth Shipping Co. and Classic Malts – but there were many others. A special thanks must go to Lel from the Yarmouth Pottery for the commemorative plaques, the Royal Solent Yacht Club for all their help and use of their facilities, the Town Festival Committee and its enthusiastic and energetic Chairman, Pat Lester.

– Pat Dawson, Solent Area Committee

This was the biggest and best so far. 117 boats attended, including 4 from France. The Dehel and the Marie-Madeleine sailed from Honfleur, Jean le Faucheur sailed Kermor from St Malo and the French Naval Training Ship, the Mutin came from Brest. After previous years, when boats were storm bound all over the Solent, the weather was more co-operative, giving entrants a pleasant sail to Yarmouth’s friendly harbour. By the end of registration on Thursday, 43 boats had checked in and more were arriving on the ebb tide. Joe and Pat Lester set up a “bring your own barbecue” in their garden and most came to join in the fun, hear the shanty group “Monkey’s Orphan” and meet Patrice and his crew from Mutin.

Friday dawned dull and cloudy but the harbour looked sparkling. Gleaming topsides, brightly varnished spars and flags everywhere set the party mood. At midday Iseult (Joe and Pat Lester’s 1909 42ft Gaff Yawl built by Ashton and Kilner in Poole) sailed into the harbour with Ellen MacArthur to open the Festival. Ellen spoke of learning to sail in dinghies and old boats and of her latest winning success in the trimaran Fonica Kingfisher. As a mass of balloons rose in the air the Festival was truly underway.

In the marquee on the quay, the food stalls and the bar opened and around the town a succession of musicians, clowns and street entertainers provided much entertainment. The craft marquee in the square did brisk trade as did the fairground for children. There were exhibitions of art, a mini steam fair, vintage cars, the Queen Victoria Lifeboat, a flower festival in the church, a farmers’ and producers’ market and Yarmouth’s new lifeboat to see. Once again the Town’s Festival Committee, chaired by Pat Lester, had organised a splendid event with something for everyone.

For the second evening the Yarmouth Sailing Club hosted the registration and it was thronged with members collecting their welcome packs. This year the goodies came in document bags provided by Moary MacPhail’s Classic Marine. Once again Classic Malts were sponsoring the event and with a miniature bottle of Talsiker in each pack everyone had the opportunity to taste this fine whisky. Later that evening many went to the marquee on the quay to have a pint and dance the night away to a great band, “The Accelerators”.

There was a fresh breeze for the Saturday morning’s race which started off the green. The boats made a magnificent sight as the fleet tacked down past the end of the pier towards the buoy set off Black Rock Buoy. Given the large fleet of over 60 boats some had exciting crowded moments at this first mark. The fleet quickly crossed over to the Lymington shore and then back across the tide, around shore and then back across the tide, around Harwoods buoy to the finish off the green.

As the fleet returned to the Harbour, Lawrence Geering provided short commentaries on the history of each of the boats. Looking at his notes it is interesting to see that nearly half the boats in the fleet are “new gaffers” showing how much interest has been generated over the last 20 years for gaff rig. Some of the newest gaffers were the Yarmouth 23’s built just up the river Yar by the Yarmouth Boat Company. Some crews dressed up for the Harwoods Trophy for “the best dressed gaffer and crew”. This was won by Giles Harrison Hall’s crew on Gaviota. Gaviota is a 43ft. gaff yawl, designed by A F Hart and built by Newmans in Poole in 1926. At the same time, the Concours d’Elegance was judged for the Mayor’s Cup. This was won by Richard Meynell’s Lona II, a sleek 32ft. cutter designed by Pain Clark and built by William King & Sons at Burnham on Crouch in 1905. She is very much a minaiture racing yacht of the period.

In the afternoon the West Wight Scows held their race with about 15 starters in blustery conditions, which enabled these fine little boats to show their paces. HMS Victory’s Cutter rowed around the harbour and ashore the music, the exhibitions, the stalls and performances were attracting massive crowds.

The prizegiving was held on the quay at 1800hrs. The overall winner of the race was Nigel Waller in the Orwell Corinthian, The First of May. She is an updated version of the class first designed in 1898 for the Orwell Corinthian Yacht Club.

The class trophies were awarded as follows:

The George Hotel Trophy – Class 1 Alice III Tow McEwen

The Bugle Hotel Trophy – Class 2 Zinnia Ian Pople

The Kings Head Head Trophy – Class 3 Freebooter David Freeman

The Wheatsheaf Trophy – Class 4 Kermor Jean le Faucheur (There were no finishers so the Trophy was awarded to Kermor as the only French boat racing and for Jean’s generosity to British gaffers over many years)

Salty’s Trophy – Class 5 – unballasted and extreme craft First of May Nigel Waller

The first Yarmouth 23 Trophy Freebooter David Freeman

The Black Pig Trophy – for the fastest passage from Chichester on corrected time Louisa Steve Pearce

The Harbour Commissioners’ Trophy – for the correct arrival time – drawn out of a hat Young Alert George Beckett

The prize-giving was followed by the gaffers’ supper. Later in the evening there was another good band in the Marquee, the “Dance Preachers” . Whilst some danced the night away, others found the Royal Solent Yacht Club a quieter place to watch the sun go down across the Solent on the Pennington shore. As always, parties on the boats went into the small hours.

Sunday morning dawned sunny and warm making an excellent end to the festival. Nigel Waller took First of May out to race, successfully, with the X and Y boats; two wins in the weekend! All the shore events were in full swing and gradually as the tide served the gaffers left for home. In the early evening, those still around were welcomed on board the Mutin. This made a lovely finish to the weekend. The following morning Patrice and his crew demonstrated fine naval skills by turning the Mutin and sailing her off the quay wall.

Once again the Festival was a fine blend of traditional sailing and a good town Festival. Thanks must go to the Town Festival Committee, especially their Chairman Pat Lester, and to all of the sponsors. In particular thanks go to Wight Leisure for the free moorings and free water taxi and Wightlink for the YOGAFF 2001 pennants, to the Royal Solent Yacht Club and the Yarmouth Sailing Club for all their help and hospitality and finally a special thanks must go to Bryn and his team for berthing all the boats and making everything run so smoothly in the harbour.

– Pat Dawson, Solent Area Commitee

Log editor note: Mutin is owned by the French Navy and is currently used for sea training Naval officers. Ketch rigged, she is of a type known as a Dundee; 33m long, 6.5m beam, 3.4m draft, 57 tonnes displacement. A lady of several phases of life, she was built as a fishing boat in 1927 to fish for tunny in the Atlantic, used to run agents into France from the UK during the 1939/45 war, and is now a Naval Training Ship.

This festival, which had even more interest than previous years, was restricted to fully paid up members of the OGA. We accepted 120 entrants with 105 actually attending. Thanks to those who could not make it who let us know; it made things easier for both us and the Harbour Staff. For the last 3 years this has been the best attended event in the Solent Calendar. As always Yarmouth Harbour was very welcoming, Bryn, Bernie and the team arranging the mooring for us, to give the town a splendid sight once we got out all our flags. Unfortunately, the weather was not so co-operative, however the winds were not too strong, allowing most a reasonable trip to the event. By 8 p.m. on Thursday over 30 boats had been registered and most of the crews had repaired to Joe and Pat Lester’s for a brilliant barbecue and get together.

Friday dawned dull with the threat of showers. Such a huge shame as the Town Festival Committee put a vast amount of work into the organisation of all the shoreside events. In addition Pam Rhodes of ‘Songs of Praise’ fame and a leading light in the RNLI was, at the last moment, unable to open the event. Radio Solent came to the rescue and with the help of Dennis Skillicorn and an “on air” link, things took off together with lots of balloons at midday. The Badger Brewery bar opened in the marquee on the Quay and a host of street performers began their acts around the town. There were craft fairs in the square, Punch and Judy shows and music all around the place – jazz, shanties, pan pipes and loads more.

That afternoon a fun race to Totland had been arranged. Competitors had to time themselves past Black Rock Buoy, sail to Totland, pick up an object and return to Yarmouth, timing themselves back past Black Rock. The winners were Sam and Maggie Bayliss in Brilleau, with George Beckett in Young Alert in second place. Totland Parish Council arranged the Totland end of things and presented a super piece of Alum Bay Glass, the Totland Tot, as 1st prize. In the early evening most gather in the Royal Solent to complete the registration process, collecting “goodie bags” full of useful booklets and a free bottle of wine donated by a local grower, Rosemary Vineyard. Later many were to be seen dancing the night away on the quay to the Accelerators – an excellent band.

First thing Saturday it was calm but fortunately wind was forecast. As we left the harbour for the race there was very little and there was a short postponement. During this time a breeze filled in making it possible to make it up over the tide. Sixty boats started on a line off the green making it a little busy at the first mark which was a buoy NW of the pier down wind and tide.

The net long let across to Tanners, east of Lymington, was where the race was won or lost, as the ebb was by now well away. From there the fleet was hard on the wind back towards the Island to Harwoods buoy before beating down to the start line, where the race was shortened. Zinnia held her own against the much larger opposition of Thalia and Eleanor Mary (the larger) and finished first, both over the line and on handicap. Her sister ship Foxhound, Mark Woodhouse’s new pride and joy, was not far behind and was second on corrected time. Throughout the race the weather improved, the breeze filled in and eventually the sun came out. 55 boats finished the course within the time limit. Thanks must go to our new Race Officer Christopher Waddington and the Royal Solent Yacht Club who gave assistance. David Cade had hoped to help providing his motor boat Vagabond as our committee boat but his illness prevented this. However it was good to see him bring Vagabond out to watch the race. By the time everyone got back into the harbour the sun was out and things ashore were going with a swing. On the water the Harwoods Trophy, best dressed boat and crew, and the Mayor’s Cup, the best turned out boat, were being judged. The Harwoods Trophy went to Young Alert and Nightfall won the Mayor’s Cup.

At the prize giving, as well as the race trophies and those listed above, Charlotte Jane won the fastest passage from Chichester on corrected time – the Black Pig Trophy. The Harbour Commissioners’ Trophy for arrival time was won by Out of the Blue. Supper was served afterwards together with a free glass of wine courtesy of Badger Brewery. There was still plenty to do, with another excellent dance band, the Dance Preachers, and the bar open to 11.45 p.m. on the Quay. Some were gluttons for punishment and partied on into the night on the boats.

Sunday morning was wet, windy and unpleasant; such a shame as there was still plenty organised and going on in the town. Reefs and oilskins were the order of the day for the sail home.

A BIG thank you to Pat Lester and her committee for making it such a special event once again. To all the sponsors; the main ones being: – Isle of Wight County Council, Wight Leisure, Wightlink Ferries, Badger Brewery, Harwoods Chandlers, Yarmouth Marine Service, Watermark Event Mangement and Classic Boat. Thanks also to those behind the scenes, especially George and Brenda Jago who ran the OGA stand and the Royal Solent Yacht Club for their help with the race.

– Pat Dawson

For the first time the weather smiled on us for the whole of the festival. Winds were gentle allowing everyone to make an easy passage to Yarmouth, the sun shone nearly all the time and it stayed faire for the homeward sail.

This year the Yarmouth Sailing Club hosted our registration evenings on Thursday and Friday and I am glad to report that the Gaffers drank them out of beer! The Thursday evening barbecue at Joe and Pat Lester’s was the biggest and best one yet for so many had managed to arrive on the Thursday afternoon. It was a great get together, with a superb steel band and wonderful hospitality and an excellent time to catch up on friends’ news. Given the time Pat, as chairman of the Town Festival Committee, and Joe, who does a lot behind the scenes, put into the Festival it is amazing how they can find the time to open their house and garden to us all for such a good evening. Many thanks to them both.

On Friday morning Dirk II sailed out of the harbour to pick up Peter Harrison, who funded Britain’s recent challenge for the America’s Cup. After a short sail Dirk II brought Peter Harrison into the harbour so he could formally open the Festival and all the shore side events could start. The bar in the marquee on the quay was a draw for many, but there was something for everyone: a Farmers’ Market, a Craft Fair, free admission to Yarmouth Castle, Birds of Prey Display, Street Performers, Randini’s Punch and Judy, a One Man Band, Trad Jazz from the Unity Stompers, Casablanca Steps played 20’s and 30’s tunes in cabaret fashion, the splendid Martinez guitar trio; the list goes on and on. The Dance Preachers wound up the evening providing great music to dance to.

When 64 gaffers left the harbour for the Saturday race, a fine breeze was filling in. A good long line had been set off the green and we hoped for a good sail. As the start gun sounded the wind died and the fleet drifted gently backwards away from the start. Well positioned boats like Brilleau, well inshore, lost less ground so when the breeze began to return were soon on their way to the first mark west of the pier. On Lone Wolf we had no cunning race plan, having only just got ourselves sorted before the ten minute gun but by chance this had left us in a clear patch so when the breeze filled in we found ourselves rounding the first mark not far behind the leaders Westernman, Thalia, Dirk II, Brilleau and Nightingale.

With a better wind than the majority of the fleet we crossed the Solent to the second mark, Berthon, to the east of the Lymington river, without having to tack. On the run to Colten we debated setting our spinnaker but our big staysail was doing sterling service and it seemed a shame to disturb it. At the mark some opted to say [sic.] on the same tack down the Solent before trying to lay Kingston & Grist to the east of Yarmouth Green whilst Brilleau opted to tack straight for the mark. We decided to follow Brilleau and managed to lay the mark easily. As we rounded the mark we saw the course was shortened and we came hard on the wind hoping to finish without a tack. With a couple of lifts we made it fourth over the line behind Westernman, Dirk II and Brilleau but winners on handicap. Many thanks to our crew Russell Read and Pete Garrett.

It was such a shame that the breeze died on the start and the forecast of a good breeze for the western Solent did not fill inuntil we were all back inthe harbour as many boats were unable to finish. It was good to see Storm, David Cade’s boat, back in the fleet being sailed by John Denner, George Jago and Victoria Cade. Storm completed the course but like many was outside the time limit.

Many thanks must go to our race officer Chistopher Waddington and to the Royal Solent Yacht Club for their help.

Back in the harbour the judges were out. Gipsy III (William Tall and family), won the Harwoods Trophy for the best dressed boat and Thalia (Ivan Jeffris), won the Mayor’s Trophy for the best turned out boat. All the shore side entertainment was in full swing so may have missed the Lifeboat launch and “rescue” of Dirk II. Graham has positioned Dirk II off the pier and set off some orange smoke flares. This gave Howard Lester, coxswain of the Yarmouth Lifeboat, the opportunity of hosing down Dirk, Graham and crew!

As in past years teh OGA tug-o-war team put on an excellent fight. Urged on by many they nearly won losing out to a team of much younger men who regularly compete in tug-o-war. At the beginning of prize giving the Friednship Trophy was presented to Joe and PAt Lester for making the OGA so welcome in Yarmouht. This is a Solent trophy that is only aoccasionally awarded, and then only to very special people. The Yarmouth Harbour Commssioners’ Trophy was drawn and won by Eleanor Mary (Andrew Cull). Seb Clover, teh youngest person to sail the Atlantic single-hannded then presented the race throphies.

The last prize to be awarded was the HMS Hurricane Salver, donated by Blake Simms, for the most deserving boat in the event; especially for those overcoming significant adversity; It was awarded to Alison Cade and Storm, for her fortitude in loss and in memory of David Cade.

After the prize giving many members got together for supper before enjoying the rest of the festivities. Some danced the night away to the Accelerators, others had a quiet drink in the Royal Solent watching the sun go daown on the Pennington shore whilst others went back for a gam on the boats.

On Sunday there was still plenty of things to do and see on shore but many needed to take the flood ide home int he morning. The weather did finally break on Sunday afternoon, but by then Yarmouth had more or less returned to normal.

Many thanks must go to Pat Lester and her Festival Committee for inviting us to Yarmouth and organising such an excellent event. The sponsorship they raise provides our pennants and free moorings. Finally a big thanks must go to Yarmouth Harbourmaster Bryn and his team of Berthing Masters who manage to fit us all in with a ready smile.

– Dick and Pat Dawson

The 60th anniversary of D-Day was the central theme at this year’s Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival. Coinciding with the anniversary weekend, 114 gaffers large and small were joined in the harbour by two miliary landing craft, a restored WWII airborne lifeboat from the Classic Boat Museum at Newport and nine D-Day veterans from the island. ITN reporter Micahel Nicholson emerged from a landing craft to pen the show and on Satruday three aircraft from the Battle of Britain Mermorial Flight flew over the harbour. Glorious sunshine during the three-day event helped secure record attendance, and hard work from Debbie Cotton, Pat Lester and the festival committee helped evoke a festival that had the spirit and vitality of its French counterparts. In fact, Yarmouth is becoming increasingly popular with French gaffers and this year the festival welcomed the French bisquine La Cancalaise for the first time, along with the bermudan sloop Belle Aventure, owned by the berthing master at Paimpol. This year also saw the attendance of two Brixham trawlers, Pilgrim and Leader, and Keewaydin dropped in briefly on her way to France to take part in D-Day celebrations.

Saturday’s race was well attended but let down by the lack of wind and a strong Spring tide. Of the 73 boats that entered, only nine crossed the finish line, despite the course being shortened. It was La Cancalaise, though, racing for the first time in Solent waters, who showed the gaffers how it was done, and despite the lack of wind she took line honours. Tom Cunliffe’s Westernman took second and the ‘super-gaffer’ Alice III third. Fourth and overall winner on corrected time was the 19ft 6in 12-sqaure metre Sharpie, Rudolph.

Off the water, the Old Gaffers men’s team triumphed in the Tug-of-War, while the ladies put on a steely performance but were unfortunately beaten by a local, Isle of Wight, team. The newly-built gaffer Apsara won the concours d’elegance and Joe and Pat Lester’s Iseult won the best-dressed gaffer and crew.

This year’s event would not have been such a success without the hard work of Dick and Pat Dawson, Chris Waddington, Mark Woodhouse, Moray MacPhail, the Royal Solent Yacht Club, staff at Yarmouth harbour and the festival organising committee. Many thanks to them all.

– Vanessa Bird

The Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival in June has for a long time been one of the highlights of the Solent calendar. Attracting boats from along the South Coast and France, this year’s event lived up to its reputation and saw an impressive attendance of over 100 gaffers. Ranging from the Cara 16 Miss Ningi , to the 1939 yacht Simba, to the Looe lugger Our Boys, and the Nigel Irens-designed Roanna, it was a mixed fleet of gaffers of all sizes, old and new.

For once the main race of the weekend saw plenty of wind, too. A good Force 4 produced excellent conditions for the fleet, and whilst some of the smaller gaffers were slightly overpressed it was one of the best races the event has seen in several years. The winner of Class 1 on corrected time was area president Tom Cunliffe, on board Westernman; Mike Shaw’s Heard 28, Susan J, won Class 2; Don Wood won Class 3 and was the winner overall with the 1932 sloop Windflower, while Nick Gates and Vanessa Bird won the Class 4 title in their 12-square metre Sharpie, Rudolph.

Like many events this year, the Battle of Trafalgar provided the festival’s central theme. Historian Alex Naylor in the guise of Lord Nelson opened the three-day event and on the Saturday evening, local scow dinghies were turned into square-riggers for a recreation of the famous battle. Exchanging muskets and connons for water bombs, the ‘battle’ proved a great specatabel for the cord, and was one of the most ingenious recreations seen this year.

Thanks go to Pat and Dick Dawson for their sterling work in organising the gaffers, the festival committee, Chris Waddington, the Royal Solent YC and the Yarmouth Harbour staff.

– Vanessa Bird

The weather in the run up to this year’s Festival was to say the least horrid, making it difficult for entrants coming from outside the Solent area. Forecasts were dismal but fortunately the weather took no notice of them and by Thursday the sun was shining and the winds abating. At high water La Recouvrance, the replica of a French fast despatch schooner from 1817 which sailed over from Brest, moored up on the Town Quay making a very special backdrop to the harbour. As the ebb tide got under way the western Solent filled with gaff rigged craft of all sizes making their way down to Yarmouth. With a fresh breeze from the SSE and a rollicking spring ebb tide, some spectacular speeds were attained and the view from the yacht club balcony was impressive. As usual, Harbour Master Bryn and his team were on hand to find berths for all.

By early evening the harbour was filled with brightly coloured boats and flags instead of the normal modern white yachts. Ashore the Town Festival committee had been hard at work. The flags were out around the town and the square and ferry marshalling lanes had been covered with large marquees; all ready for the official opening at midday on Friday.

After collecting welcome packs in the Royal Solent Yacht Club everyone made their way to Joe and Pat Lester’s for a great barbecue and get together. Some of the entertainers for the weekend were on hand to play making a very special evening. Many thanks must go to Joe and Pate and to Pete Garratt who provided the barrel of beer.

The sun came out for the opening at noon on Friday. As the theme was “Treasures of the Isle of Wight” the Festival Committee secured “Queen Victoria” to formally open the festival. She arrived in a fine carriage, along with her ladies in waiting and a number of local Victorians including Alfred Lord Tennyson. As the balloons rose into the sky all the stalls, entertainers and the bar opened and things started to go with a swing. That evening many enjoyed a crew supper in the Boatsheds at the Royal Solent and the more energetic danced the night away in the main marquee to great music from the Dance Preachers and the Accelerators.

The sun came out for the opening at noon on Friday. As the theme was “Treasures of the Isle of Wight” the Festival Committee secured “Queen Victoria” to formally open the festival. She arrived in a fine carriage, along with her ladies in waiting and a number of local Victorians including Alfred Lord Tennyson. As the balloons rose into the sky all the stalls, entertainers and the bar opened and things started to go with a swing. That evening many enjoyed a crew supper in theBoatsheds at the Royal Solent andthe more energetic danced the night away in the main marquee to great music from the Dance Preachers and the Accelerators.

Early Saturday morning was very foggy; many gaffers being woken by the sound of the ferries’ sirens (at 04.30, for goodness sake!). Fortunately by 09.00 it began to lift making it possible for boats to leave the harbour for the race. Making sail in the Solent, the view to the East was magical, with ghostly gaffers half-seen in the fog and a backdrop of rolling mist topped by the trees of Bouldnor forest in the background. The Royal Solent organised a great race, with a well–chosen course which ensured that all who tried did actually complete the race. Winds were light and tides off Yarmouth are always strong, calling for skill to make a good showing. As boats returned to the harbour a commentary gave a short history and details of each boat. The concours d’elegance and the best dressed boat and crew prizes were judged once everyone was safely back in harbour. Later in the afternoon La Recouvrance entertained skippers and crew to drinks on board their fine craft, as part of a major promotion of Brest 2008.

The prize giving was held in the main marquee on the quay that evening. This was followed by a fine buffet supper on the quay. There were great bands- Dorsal Fin and The Enormous Small Band- for those who still had the energy to dance. Others opted for a quiet drink in the Royal Solent Yacht Club to watch the sun go down over Pennington, a beautiful sight and one of the Club’s greatest treasures.

Sunday morning saw most preparing to sail back home on the morning tide, but for those who were going west or could spend another day there was still plenty of entertainment and great stalls to visit. Some keen racing members went out to join the Royal Solent’s Queen’s Jubilee Race, which included a gaffers’ class. This was won by Doug Pattison in Mischief, a Nigel Irens Roxanne lugger.

An extra bit of excitement was caused by Gypsy Moth IV, who had anchored off Yarmouth overnight. She was on her way back to Cowes from Plymouth, under the command of Richard Baggett, eldest son of Solent OGA member Dave. She was escorted from Yarmouth Roads by a small gaggle of gaffers and an ever-increasing spectator fleet as she made her way east.

The Festival Committee, all giving freely of their time, put on a very professional and excellent event. It is their fundraising that provides the excellent entertainment and money towards our moorings. The Royal Solent made us very welcome and helped in many ways including organising the race and lending us their premises throughout the weekend. Bryn and his Berthing Masters found snug berths for all, putting up with our un-manoeuvrable boats with a cheerful smile and help where needed. We owe them all great thanks.

– Dick and Pat Dawson