Forestay - Old Gaffers Association
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Forestay
Last year’s AGM at the Colne Yacht Club in
Brightlingsea saw a good attendance, with three
people arriving by boat. Colin Stroud came on his
motor boat, while your editor and her husband
sailed there from Tollesbury. Yes, Robinetta is Robinetta at Tollesbury
finally back on the East Coast!
This is a year of change for the OGA, with Sue In this issue
Lewis retiring as secretary. She has written a great Forestay
informal report of the most recent Natonal AGM for
this issue of Eastcoaster which contains a lot of East coast AGM
important information, so please read carefully.
Presidents address
Other changes are in our East Coast sailing
Secretary’s address
season. After the great weather on last year’s
results and awards
summer cruise at the end of July we are going to
winning log of Faith
use similar dates for this year’s event, rather than
returning to the end of August. This means many
National AGM report
changes in other events, so please read the
calender carefullyand see below for more details.
Winter events
Following the death of his wife Jimmy Lawrence Nottage Talk
suffered a heart attack and will be unable to give Royal Burnham Dinner
his lecture at the Nottage. Our sympathies go to
him and his family at this sad time. Mike Dixon has New look sailing Season
stepped in to give the Nottage talk.
Meanwhile the Annual Dinner at the Royal Handicaps
Burnham Yacht Club remains in its normal healthy
state. Please make your bookings with Clare as Baden Powell news
detailed in the enclosed booking form.
I hope to see everyone at the events this year, it Memories of Lena
feels really good to be back on the East Coast. Reekie
Good luck with your winter work and I hope it
reveals no unpleasant surprises! Points Series races
Alison Cable, editor
Backstay
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East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
President’s Report 2018
Robert Hill
I hope you’ve all had a good sailing season this last year. The weather at
least has been relatively kind most of the time, unless you are a devotee of
winter sailing.
Dirty Girty at the Maldon Regatta photo Sandy Miller
Maldon Town regatta was probably the main victim of the weather, but the
Crouch Rally also suffered from poor weather forecasts & low entries.
Please don’t wait until the last minute to enter events in case the forecast is
bad, just enter anyway, well in advance. I promise you that the organisers will
love you for that!
Imagine the headache of running an event with little idea if anyone is coming
until the day before & anyway, mostly the weather does permit.
The OGA 55 celebrations on the Isle of Wight this August rather shaped our
East Coast programme for the season. The result was that the August Cruise
became the Summer Cruise, in July, with the East Coast Race tagged on
the beginning.
The East Coast Race returned after many years to Stone Sailing Club and
the event was hailed a great success by everyone I’ve spoken to. Stone
Sailing Club offered superb hospitality, catering, free launch service
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East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 throughout the event and a very professional race officer & team. A selection of beers was brought in for our attention & they’ve even asked us back next year. We accepted! Many thanks to Stone Sailing Club. Because we couldn’t fit it into the summer cruise programme this year, the Presidents Race was run as a separate event but within the Pin Mill Sailing Club annual regatta day. Other than no wind, this worked well & Pin Mill Sailing Club seemed very pleased to have the Gaffers along to swell their numbers, so hopefully the arrangement was a win-win situation for both and we might try a similar format again, so many thanks to Pin Mill Sailing Club for looking after us so well. Similarly, we had a small boat event within the Manningtree regatta kindly hosted by Stour Sailing Club & sponsored by ILECS ltd of Mistley. Our thanks to them both. In August, the East Coast area sent a good contingent of boats large & small, plus several campers arriving by road, to the OGA 55 celebrations on the Isle of Wight. The event is very well covered in the recent Gaffers log. The Friday was East Coast day where sculling lessons & smacks boat sailing proved so popular that time permitted little else except log boat racing & a bake off competition Many thanks to all who helped make the day go so well. A particular thanks is due to Pete “the Knife”Elliston for all his efforts in making the day so successful, also to Pete & Clare Thomas for their hard work. Finally, regarding the OGA55 as a whole, our huge appreciation is due to Tony & Sally Kiddle for their efforts in organising the event to make it the success it undoubtedly was. The prototype OGA dinghy has also made appearances this season, including at Cowes, again thanks to Tony, not least for building it! For any of you who might be interested the dinghy has its own website & also more information is available here tonight. There has already been talk of what should happen in 5 years when the 60th anniversary comes round. In the East Coast area we have discussed whether we could host such an event as an alternative to returning once again to the Solent. Initial enquiries would suggest it might just be feasible. The idea of another circumnavigation of the UK has also been mooted, in which case we would probably be hosting the grand finale. Looking forward now to the next year, plans are already taking shape for the East Coast Race at Stone & the Summer Cruise which is likely to be centred round the rivers Blackwater, Crouch & Colne at the end of July. 3 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 The Pennyhole Bay Race looks likely to be incorporated in a weekend rally on the late May bank holiday weekend, & the President’s Race will probably follow this year’s format. The Committee receive feedback from some that they want more racing, while others want less so please let us know. The Dutch OGA are planning a fifteenth anniversary celebration in 2019 & having recently enjoyed their hospitality at den Helder they have sent an invitation for any UK Gaffers who can to join in. Sadly the last two months saw the passing of two members who were both staunch supporters of the association. Brian Hammett, I’m sure known to all of you here tonight, crossed the bar on 20 September. He was a past East Coast & later National President, long serving committee member, sub committee member, race officer, compère at regatta days, disc jockey at gaffer events and a great friend to us all. Gaffering won’t be the same without him. On 5th October we lost John Kresja, who had been a long serving committee member, before my time. He was a regular at the Shotley festivals with Stadats, & more recently saved & restored the Albert Strange yawl Mist from a near wreck and she is a fitting memorial to his dedication and skill. Our thoughts are with both their families, who we hope will retain their interest and association with the Gaffers. Finally I’d like to thank our Committee for their hard work & support over the last year, all the clubs & harbours who have hosted us, Mike McCarthy for the services of Tempus as support boat, and our sponsors OERSTED,Mighty Oak Brewery, Adnams , Watercraft , ILECS ltd, & Claudia Myatt for their help this year. You’ be relieved to hear that’s about it from me. I’ll finish with a few take away messages. Attend all events and register well in advance Measure your headsails & send the measurements to Pete Thomas Write some reports or articles for Eastcoaster or the website. Have fun! Thank you. 4 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
Secretary's Report 2018
By Lorna Hill
Overall, correspondence over the year has been minimal with the majority of
notices being from Mary Gibbs the National Membership Secretary with
details of new members joining our area, plus a few past members rejoining,
which is encouraging.
Thinking back on some of the past year's events, I hope your Committee
have provided an interesting and varied program for your enjoyment. One
most enjoyable evening that springs to mind, was held at the Nottage in
Wivenhoe where Jimmy Lawrence provided an amusing and informative talk
on his early years getting on the water and learning the ways of a bargeman.
We are hoping to organise the second instalment from Jimmy early in 2019,
and I urge you to keep a look out for the event and put it in your diary if you
relish spending an interesting and entertaining evening during the winter.
Robert & I attended the HASA (Harwich Area Sailing Association) AGM last
April and one point made concerned all sailors using the Orwell. ABP Ipswich
have requested that when you use the Orwell, please keep your VHF radio
tuned in to channel 68 from Ipswich Docks until you get down river to Collimer
Point and then change to channel 71 Harwich VTS and the same when you
enter the River Orwell. Ipswich find it very difficult to contact yachts if there is
a problem on the river and there have been some “near misses” with shipping
lately.
More recently, some OGA members including several from the East Coast
Area ventured to Den Helder in Holland to visit the Dutch traditional boat
show. We were very well entertained by the Dutch OGA who wined and
dined us exceptionally well during our stay. We hope to make a repeat trip
next November and can thoroughly recommend this winter's outing. We took
the night ferry from Harwich on the Thursday evening and returned during
Sunday which provided plenty of time to enjoy the boat show, the local
museums and of course, the shops! The Dutch OGA have asked me to
extend an invitation to you to join them next summer in their planned 15 th
anniversary celebrations, and further details are below.
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East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
Presentation of prizes:
Point series Felgate trophies:
3rd Hester, Melvin Fox
2nd Transcur, Clare and Pete Thomas
1st Titch, Jo and Paul Masters
Felgate trophy for Bermudans: Hussar.
Needham Trophy for boats of 100 years old plus: Transcur, Clare and Pete
Thomas.
Open Boats: Neva, Rory Howlett
Francis B Cook, Log /Blog trophy: Faith, the winkle brig Alasdair Mackenzie
Hunt Cup (which was missing at an earlier presentation): Ellen, Ellie Howlett.
Seaways Bell Trophy (which was also missing at an earlier presentation):
Cygnet of London, Simon Harding
Batemans Trophy, which fortunately is now a picture of that tower, which is
presented by the committee: PTK Pete Elliston for his hard work at OGA55.
Rob Hill about to give Bateman's award to Pete Elliston photo
Alison Cable
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East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
Excerts from the award winning Log Of Faith at the
Woodbridge Maritime Festival 2018
Alasdair Mackenzie
th
Thursday September 6
Forecast NW backing W 4-5 occ 6,easing to 3-4, occ rain
HWB 09:29
Aboard by 9a.m but stowing everything properly and, despite the lack of wind
in the creek, taking a reef took time, so not off the mooring until 09:55.
Occasional hazy sun but rather grey on the whole. Beat out into stiff breeze
as the ebb pushed her into the wind only needed six tacks altogether, the tide
urging her along. Once out the lee going tide meant the wind was lighter but
4kn SOG goose-winged with the jib boomed out. The shock cord across the
stern-sheets steadies the tiller to give time to set up the jib boom etc.
10:35 Sun, watery, but bringing glorious lights on grey sea and sky.
Good conditions for spotting porpoises but none show. Still running at 5kn.
10:40 Colne No1 green bouy (to port…) so gybe to cross the bar.
As one would expect the wind picks up now the tide is across it so speed
picks up to 7.4+kn across the bar, settling to 5.5kn most of the time.
11:10 Elevensies of hot chocolate and ginger oat cakes. Rudely
interrupted as we pass green bouy off Jaywick and wind heads us and drops.
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East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 Is this a Jaywick effect? Should I shake out the reef? Or drink my hot chocolate? Not really a choice. Enjoy the hot drink. 11:35 After a few puffs wind drops further and rather than shake out the reef when the speed drops to 3kn I opt for the outboard, having emptied it, rinsed the fuel tank and replaced with clean fuel. O/B on. More wind. 8kn. O/B off. All well for a few minutes and then wind eases of again. 11:45 Clacton Pier abeam, its helter-skelter bringing back childhood memories of sailing past Butlins on Havelda. 8kn mostly now, but headed a bit so either full and bye or on the wind, depending on the puffs off the land.. 12:22 Holland Haven, O/B on at 1/3 throttle since about 1205. Some wind now, quite a lot of north in it though, so slower… long run on low revs until 1310. Low revs because despite the tank cleaning there is a significant fuel starvation so running the engine demands sitting with one arm over the stern to stop the O/B turning despite cranking the tiller lock as hard as I can. At higher revs it is very stable but the vibration of low revs is more than the lock can hold. So cushions aft, sit with left hand on engine tiller and try to remember to steer with the right hand on the tiller. It seems very easy to try and steer with the left hand. 13:10 Wind now EASTERLY. So much for forecasts. When I had told Linda that the Met Office, XCweather and BBC all agreed on the Westerly forecast she had said, “well that won’t happen, will it?” How right she was. 13:25 Naze Tower abeam. Gentle 2-5 –3.5kn in hazy sun. Big debate as to Deben entrance – good conditions for going straight in but tide will be very low and the clear plan had been to go to Ha’penny Pier… where the Alma was a very seductive siren. And what would I do if I was already in the Deben? 15:20 Passing Landgard Point (to starboard…) and chute up and 5kn despite reef and not very strong breeze. Nice sail! I had expected to be beating into Harwich and here we are, running goose-winged… in hot sun! SB Mellisa beating out against the tide, looking very smart. Ditto green Peter Duck that I realise is not A Peter Duck but THE Peter Duck. 15:20 Hmmm…. Ha’penny Pier. Chute down. O/B on. Main down. O/B refuses to take any further part. Main up and sail in, managing tight turn inside the pier but then a puff of offshore breeze pushes her too fast even with sheet right out so use aft warp of Dutch yacht to catch the bobstay like an aircraft landing on a carrier. 8 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
Phone Linda, pay dues, tidy up, cover on, chat with chap working on an
angling ‘tore out’ astern of Faith.
24.5nm run at average speed of 4.6kn.
Fiddled with O/B and turned idling screw and it sounds better.
Shower and shave then chat with boat astern again, now with three men
aboard. “Why did you call her Faith?” “Because I’m a Christian.” One chap
keen to get away from me but his mate couldn’t resist and spent some time
bending my ear while I tried hard not to bend his. Seeds are sown.
Friday 7th
A dreadful night. The Alma never lets you down, but Ha’penny Pier can
and will. Not a good place for a little boat. Not miserable but positively awful
in Faith. Settled to sleep early, soon after 20:00 but woken abruptly at 22:10
by even worse movement. Lying next to the centreboard casing is happily the
best place to be so movement there much less than one sees looking out
under the cover aft. The rest of the night was not only bouncy but very noisy
with fenders complaining all night. Fisherman out soon after 4am and no
sleep thereafter. ‘Up’ at 5, dressed (lying down), remembering to put on both
jumper and CSPS top, making coffee and eating muesli with used-to-be milk
from a flask of wild yoghurt, marvelling at the ever-so thin arc of the waning
moon in the pre-dawn light. Dawn looming at 05:30. As I set sail it suddenly
vanishes altogether.
06:00 Away, under sail with reef still in, very flukey round the Trinity
House ship moored at their pier next to the Ha’penny Pier but pressed once
in the river. Reaching out of the Stour it’s clear that it is quite windy. Wind
westerly so a run out of the harbour, rather pressed. Storming along making
5-6kn SOG against the flood tide. This is meant to be relaxed cruising not sit-
out racing. Hove to once across the shelf and tied in second reef, making
Faith (and me) much more comfortable. Still making 5kn+ against the flooding
tide as I pass astern of the enormous Costa Magica making her entrance
towards Harwich International.
06:30 Round Landgard Point after crossing the deep water channel
astern of CM.
07:10 Felixstowe Pier. Superb sunlit reaching, making 5-6kn against the
flood tide much of the way past Felistowe but sitting upright and steady. First
important buoy visible as I pass the last big red building on the Felixstowe
shore – West Knoll as it turns out
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East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 07:40 West Knoll (mmm… to starboard!) 08:10 Deben Bouy at 8kn, tide being in control. 08:30 Ramsholt Arms 08:55 Ramsolt Cliffs and The Rocks anchorage. The Deben playing games, tempting to shake out a reef and then being very happy I hadn’t. Tacking all the way, sliding sideways to windward as the tide hurries to keep its appointment with Melton. Pass Melissa, Bona and Cygnet all at anchor, waiting for the tide. 09:50 In the upper river moorings, overtaken by 7 large motor yachts, the biggest leading the way with the VHF on its large double engine RIB astern talking loudly to no-one (except, perhaps, me). Being first of ‘the crowd’ I have plenty of space – but not water as it turned out – to sail in under main, gybe and go alongside the quay. Unfortunately the half down C/B stopped me doing so, so I dropped all sail and sculled in. 10:10 At the Tide Mill with sail down. Then Cygnet arrived so I sculled out into wind but got caught by tide and ended up out of Cygnet’s way but up against the Tide Mill itself, rather breathless. The four Mill volunteers came to see if I was all right and proffer a mug of gratefully accepted tea. Then I snugged up to the lovely Cygnet and got to know Des, her owner and single- handed skipper. Then Mellisa and the very odd Blackthorn (if one is going to build a barge, why give her the flaring bows of an arctic whaler?). After that Cachalot, very smart after long re-fit, tried and failed because of the silting. Next was Bona but she couldn’t reach her berth either and struggled to reach Blackthorn. Good Intent and Gladys are due in tomorrow, both drawing more than Bona, so that should be fun. Nancy Blackett has cancelled. 18.78nm at average 4.4kn and in by 10:10. A remarkable day’s well, morning’s, sail. After enjoying the festival (see last issue of Eastcoaster,) it was time to head home. editor Sunday 9th Forecast SW 4-5. 6 later. Course across the Bar SW so not good on the ebb and the pressure is off, but plan to go down the river to Felixstowe Ferry and try tomorrow. 11:30 Sails up with two reefs in but since there seemed to be little wind 10 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 big jib. Beat out of Woodbridge – what fun being a bargeman must have been – past Peter Duck and into the river proper. An exciting sail down river ensued, only interrupted by lack of wind in the lee of Waldringfield when I had to call on the O/B again. Between The Rocks and Ramsholt Arms (Ramsholt Reach) the wind became heavy and on a screeching reach we were over 9kn SOG. Dropped the jib once at the bend by Ramsholt Arms. Conditions at the Ferry were bleak. On second try picked up a mooring west of the Horse. 10.21nm at average of 5.2 kn. Rang Linda. Forecast for the next two days not one bit better. Tea and ‘The Estuary’ and reflection. There’s no slip at the Ferry. Waldringfield has a slip but no public transport, so back to Woodbridge, train home and pick up trailer to get her home. Change down to small jib and sail back to Woodbridge. A storming beat despite the ebb tide until nearing Woodbridge when, as in the morning, the wind dropped light. Ran up the middle of the river until she took the ground opposite the Tide Mill (I suspected that there is a small horse there from the Mill flow but later found that it’s shallow from there on). Set an anchor and waited. Day’s run 18.72 at average of 4.5kn. Made a curry and waited. 21:00 Beginning to lift off. Slowly, very slowly, pole from one bump to the next at it gets ever darker away from the town. With the help of a torch find the entrance to the Tide Mill Marina, sill still well above water. Anchor again. As tide makes pole into the entrance where the slight current flowing over the sill pulls us forward until we bump on it. Cautiously step onto it and lift the bow onto it to keep her from going anywhere. Spend the next half hour keeping her steady with an oar aft. The last thing I want is to swing sideways on. Now and then she moves and inch or two, then rests awhile. The water is becoming quite a torrent and there is an optical illusion that she is moving forward whenever the running water catches my eye, but cross-bearings are steady. Suddenly she lifts and moves 18 or 24 inches forward. The balance changes and there is no way that I can hold her straight so she sits on top of the sill, sideways on to the flow. The sill is so wide that she has keel and bilge rubber safely settled as I sit high on the port stern-sheets and wait. A lady takes a photo from the pontoon across the marina. I think that Faith will sit steady until the keel lifts, but am anxious lest she bash her garboard as she moves, but there is little I can do. I’m already in my lifejacket. I ask God what the learning point is. Patience. Being more patient would have avoided this 11 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
embarrassing and potentially damaging situation and patience is required
now. So I wait and time passes slowly.
22:15 With a brief and polite curtsy Faith shakes herself free and I scull,
current bound, to the nearest pontoon where I make fast, get the cover on
and go to sleep, fully clothed and without bothering with my mattress.
Monday 10th
Gill, bless her, gives me a lift to Brightlingsea so I can get my car. Good to
have some time together but it’s a big gift from her. Home and discuss with
Linda. I speak to a range of people on the ‘phone, looking for a slip. The
marina say Faith is too small for their hoist. ‘There may be a slip you can use
at Melton’ but I can’t get an answer there. Eversons say their slip is too steep
for her. The new Whisstocks Quay slip is locked way and no-one seems to
know how I could access it. Linda quietly suggests that I go back and sail her
round when the wind is better. So generous.
Wednesday 12th
Forecast NW 3-4.
Having caught the train to Woodbridge Stopped at Co-Op for a wrap and paid
dues before going aboard at 11:50. Stripped carburettor expecting to find a
filter (had I asked Richard he could have told me that the filter is in the fuel
tank. In my hurry to get away as soon as possible I left my screwdriver set
and small red can of 2-stroke on the pontoon.
12:45 Off under sail, but with little or no wind from dead ahead. So little
wind that I can’t make ground against the flood and on goes the O/B, ½ revs
as before, but making a surprising 4kn against the tide as I slip through
Loder’s Cut. Wind slowly comes in on Methersgate Reach, NW as the Met
Office had forecast. With engine still stuttering at 1/3 revs making 5kn on a
dead run against the flood tide. Grey and odd frontal clouds make me
question the met Office. This looks much windier.
13:25 May Bush pub abeam, but taking the ‘swatchway’ to avoid the
wind hole off Waldringfield. With SOG 3kn and wind 3kn the apparent wind is
zero but the fuel starved engine can’t give me any more without suffocating.
An asthmatic engine… “SLOW” says the yellow bouy. OK, slow it is. A heron
spreads its wings and gets up, even darker grey than the leaden clouds.
13:50 Past The Rocks and turning into Ramsholt Reach where we were
going 9kn on Sunday. A brief squirt of sunshine but not much wind.
12 Eastcoaster 117East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 14:05 Approaching Ramsholt Arms with a little breeze and speed stays much the same as we round the corner, creeping close to the shore to avoid as much tide as possible. 14:10 Wind very fluky again so O/B back on and at 14:13 the pub is abeam, way across the other side of the river. 14:55 The odd four and a half semi-detached buildings on the Bawdsey side abeam, slipping west of the Horse where boats are beginning to turn to the ebb, the boats in the main channel remaining head to the spent flood. Out under engine at 1/3 and full sail. 14:58 Deben Bouy 15:13 West Knoll. Ebb running but engine off and making 3kn+ OTG beam reaching along the shore. Lunch! Change chart (always a notable moment on any voyage)! ‘Phone Linda! 16:05 Felixstowe Pier close abeam. Little wind, engine re-fuelled. Now I discover the missing fuel can and tools. Poor! Able to ring the marina and ask them to pick them up. So… not much fuel and not much wind. Plan to push as far as I can, using engine as little as possible. Let’s hope for more wind, or whistle. 16:15 Martello abeam. Less than a mile to Andrew’s Spit. Who was Andrew? And did he spit? Wind tell-tales hang despondently. Game old O/B plugs on, the skipper sitting with one arm draped over the transom to keep it steady. SOG 2.5 – 3kn. If fuel runs out will have to anchor, but cannot do that in the deep water channel. 16:40 Landgard Point abeam, sudden change in the water with some little waves. Past there into the deep channel the ebb tide is sluicing out of the harbour. No way we can make up against that, dead into the wind. 16:55 Engine off as a breath of wind. Managing a glorious… 2kn. 18:22The Naze Tower. Engine on since 18:05, rather slow but necessary. Worrying about fuel. Creep round Walton Pier and slide into its lee (given there is little wind lee is a relative term). Sounding with an oar says flat but C/ B still half down and not touching. Keep going until it does. 19:00 Lay out main anchor as the sun sets over Walton, drop sail and call Linda to let her know where I am. As I speak with her I watch the Lifeboat crew launching from the beach in front of me. I don’t tell her! Lay out second anchor for insurance. The lifeboat crew go out and run up engines, move out 13 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
from enclosure and onto their buoy then back again.
Days run 21.33 at a surprising average of 3.3kn
Tidy up, cover on, make pasta with malt loaf for pudding. All washed down
with water. Spoke to Linda again at about 21:00 (tucked up and sleepy in my
bag) and planned for a fuel drop in the morning as forecast is effectively
‘more of the same’
Thursday 13th – HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROLINE
Alarm set for 01:45 to make sure that all was well as the tide turned but
awake before that. A bit rolly-polly with occasional splashing from one bilge to
the other but quite comfortable. Very different from Ha’penny Pier. Fleece hat
off at 02:15 as too warm: all settled so back to sleep until about 05:30. Txt
Linda at 06:00 to find that her ‘phone is on and she’s sitting up having tea in
bed. Lovely, lovely dawn. Having breakfast by the time the sun rises at about
07:00 – getting good at coffee, hot muesli and toast.
08:05 slipped into shallow water with 20 minutes or so of ebb to run,
leaving one anchor on long rope astern for pulling off, trousers off and ashore
with the other one. Thank heavens for warm September seawater! Walked up
the beach and found that so long as I was in the low but already warming sun
it wasn’t too chilly. Sat on the prom wall with my bare legs dangling in the sun
and had a good chat with a dog walker who turned out to be the second cox’n
of the lifeboat (I wondered whether he had come to check that I was all right).
Apparently the surveyor has condemned the pier as unsafe for the crew so
they now have to launch a dinghy off the beach. Not if there’s an easterly
gale, they won’t!
08:10 Linda arrived with petrol, measuring syringe, 2-stroke oil… and a
flask of cauliflower soup! We chatted while the boat bumped onto the sand,
not sensible but good to see her, then she left and I went down to see if I
could get Faith off yet. Every little wave lifted her a little but I could only gain
an inch or two each time. Slowly, wave by little wave, she crept off. Linda
reappeared to watch as I went a bit deeper (“wet pants” as I texted her once
under way).
08:50 The further off she slipped the more the gains, and in time we
were free. With a final double arm wave from Linda we were away under blue
skies, close reaching in a westerly 2-3. Surprisingly the C/B tapped the
bottom well off the Frinton shore – a couple of cables at least.
As the coast curved round the wind came ahead but the wind firmed up and
14 Eastcoaster 117East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 we were close-hauled towards the Wallett Spitway buoy. Radio reception very poor (?low batteries) and I’m glad the Test series is over (India, and we had won, an unlikely outcome before the series, 4-1. The one we lost followed two trouncings of the visitors and was most emphatic, making the last two matches most interesting. Test matches seem to be a thread that runs through many of my cruises. 09:20 Holland Haven abeam, its white radar catching the sunlight as it ticks round. 10:00 Wind beginning to fit the 2-3 variable forecast this morning, fluking around between W and SW, more and more SW and dropping. SOG less than 3kn so O/B on. 10:15 Engine dies again and there’s a breath of wind again so accept the situation and hold on out across the Wallett. 10:55 ‘The Strange Case of the Missing Biro’ – the log ballpoint that has stayed where it should be through thick and thin has disappeared so now using pencil. Tacked onto port after finishing Tico Rice’s sermon on the Damascus Road - conversion and forgiveness through the power of God. 11:30 North Eagle half a cable to port so tack to cross the Colne Bar. White sailed, white hull yawl (“Git yer peak arp!”) has crept along the shore and I wonder whether she has her engine on. The weather going tide sliding across the bar gives a fine sailing breeze and we making over 6kn. 11:57 Colne Point buoy so now have the tide under us rather than pushing us up into the wind so a more sedate 4kn reach and the sun feels warm and rather pleasant (though I do still have a thick shirt, jumper, fleece gillet and buoyancy waistcoat on). So pleasant that total hedonism called for – I stand with tiller steady behind me and eat the last of the bread with the soup. Oh, Bless Linda! So thoughtful. Speed varying between 2 and 4kn but there’s no hurry now, the tide will take us in. 12:55 On mooring. Day’s run 10.06nm at 4.6kn. Flubber has swam of Dunlin on board so first job it to wash it down so it can dry in the sun. Harbour stow, load dinghy, covers on and ashore. TOTAL RUN 101.46nm A most enjoyable cruise and Faith performs well as a cruiser. 15 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
Annual AGM at London Excel - aka Whoops where's the Boat
Show gone??
by Sue Lewis
A good showing of East Coast
gaffers turned out to the IBIS Styles,
London Excel on Saturday 12th
January despite the lack of a Boat
Show (that most of us complained
about anyway).
Hot off the press for those who didn't
come :
One excellent piece of news is that
next year we won't have to face
London - we can trundle over to
Bristol for the national AGM 2020. It's
rather a long trundle I grant you that, One man (Pete Thomas) and his dog (Millie), 1st
but if plans for visits to interesting old place Life at Sea by Barbara Runnalls (Solent)
ships (you'll never guess..) and interesting old boatyards come to fruition as
discussed it could be a winter weekend away for East Coast members to give
serious consideration to attending.
Yearbook: A large number of members used the online form or posted a form
to the Secretary to give their consent to being included in the annual
Yearbook. However an almost equally large number of members didn't
(respond) so the decision was made NOT to publish 'Half a Yearbook' in
2019. There will be discussions about how to share member data with other
members in future and you'll be notified in due course.
East Coast members on the winners' Podium
All photo competition winners are up on the website now
www.oga.org.uk/feature/
The East Coast did well with East Coast members Jamie Clay and Andrew
Wolstenholme taking second and third prizes respectively in the Sailing
Gaffers category and Josh Masters in third place of the Life at Sea category -
to see all the entries visit the competition gallery on the website - there are
some real beauties!
www.oga.org.uk/competition
16 Eastcoaster 117East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 If the links are too long to type in just go to the website and find the 'Awards' tab and navigate from there - you're a sailor, dammit, navigation should come easy! Judges are needed for the photo competition if it is to continue. Email secretary@oga.org.uk asap (and if you or your nominee is a Luddite/dinosaur who doesn't do emailing, to be honest you/they won't be suitable as the competition is run online. Just saying). Trophies were awarded too and our star East Coaster was Ellie Howlett who was the inaugural winner of beautiful a new (old) silver trophy donated by OGA President Alistair Randall called the ODTAA Cup. If you don't know the story of ODTAA (or weren't at the meeting) all will be revealed in the next Gaffers Log. Visit the website (again) to read in detail why Ellie won the trophy (in short for being an all round jolly good smacks woman) - and, by the way, she might be grateful Alistair didn't call his new trophy the Witch Cup... Association Treasurer Tony Kiddle and his wife Sally were awarded the prestigious David Cade Memorial Trophy for all their hard work at OGA55 last summer - they are East Coast members too, strictly, though we don't see them here so often these days. Subscriptions More good news! OGA subs will not go up in 2020 - and for overseas members even better news: a decision has been taken that all members should pay the same rate, in sterling, wherever they live. So overseas subs go down from 2020. If you don't have a direct debit please renew your subscription for 2019 as soon as possible if not already done. There was a letter in the last Gaffers Log addressed to you as a personal reminder but if you haven't acted on it please do so NOW to save some poor volunteer committee member having to run round after you with a big stick. (Waste of their time and yours). Small Boat Sailing The management committees and all the Areas of the OGA (well almost all, but including us on the East Coast) made a firm commitment to give small boat events a big push this year and going forwards. We'll be told when and where it's suitable to bring small boats (both dinghies and bigger trailer- sailers) and they will try to organise more events for these vessels and crews. Communication is going to improve so if you have such a boat and want to be on the emailing list (for all events not just local ones) tell the East Coast 17 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
committee and they'll make sure you are added: ecsec@oga.org.uk
Handicaps - have you submitted headsail measurements yet?
Why not?
Simple as that - National Sailing Sec Pete Thomas is trying to test out some
alternative handicapping to develop a fairer system and he can't do it without
your co-operation. Especially you racers out there - even those who don't
want it to be fairer, OK!?
When you get them out this spring, measure them before you bend them on
and send details to p.m.thomas@talk21.com. Thank you.
Finally at the AGM there were Elections of Officers:
The OGA Boat Register Editor is a big job and one that Pat Dawson has been
doing on and off for years. She was thanked for all her hard work and East
Coast members Alison and Julian Cable were elected in her place. No doubt
your Eastcoaster (of which Alison is also Editor) will soon ring to the sound of
"please update your boat record" and "tell us all you know" and "upload some
more photos". So why not help them along and do it?
Good luck to Alison and Julian.
East Coast member Sue Lewis (whose firm but fair tone you may recognise
in this report) stood down as Association Secretary and was honoured that
the OGA presented her with wine glasses (well of course) and that they had
deigned to have them engraved with a line drawing of Sue and Howard's new
BERMUDAN Ketch Souvenir. Sue pointed out (well she didn't actually, but
she should have, and as she is writing this she can fiddle the record) that she
is also co-owner of a fine old gaff cutter in
My Quest so she'll still be hanging around.
She thanked heartily (and does so again
now) all those who made her job as
Secretary a pleasure and a privilege
(something like that).
New Association Secretary Colin Stroud is
an East Coast member and an absolute
HERO (but I would say that wouldn't I?) -
best of luck to Colin in the new role.
Sue Lewis with OGA President Alistair
See you on the water - and maybe next Randal photo Richard
January in Bristol? Giles
18 Eastcoaster 117East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 Upcoming Events Talk at the Nottage Saturday 23rd February, talk starting at 19:00. After last year’s successful talk by Jimmy Lawrence we had hoped to get him to return and talk about his further adventures, but unfortunately he is not very well at the moment and is unable to oblige. Instead we have a talk by Mike Dixon who will talk about his 60 years or thereabouts “messing about in boats” from 9’6” to 1127’ long. Mike is a Master Mariner, Yachtmaster Ocean and retired RYA yachtmaster instructor & examiner as well as an OGA member. Cost will be £5 per head. We will aim to break at some point for drinks and nibbles. We are trialling a new way of booking for this event, with no paper forms at all. If you wish to come please phone Clare Thomas on 01473832808 or e-mail her at clare.thomas@btinternet.com Annual Dinner at the Royal Burnham Yacht Club, 9 th March The one event of the year when Gaffers dress up and dine in style! Come along to the Royal Burnham Yacht Club for a four course dinner for £28.50. You will find a booking form enclosed with this Eastcoaster, but if you prefer to book online there is a form on the website that you can fill in and e-mail to Clare Thomas. This is always a wonderful occasion and a great deal of work goes into decorating the venue. Please bring along a donation for the raffle which raises money for the Youth Fund Tollesbury Sailing Club v the OGA 4th -5th May The first sailing event of the season is for open boats (in case the winter work runs late!) Once again we are being hosted by the Tollesbury Sailing Club, and there will be space for tents and/or camper vans. The race on the Saturday is the first of the Small Boat Point Series, followed by a meal and prize giving, and there is the opportunity for a more relaxed sail in company on Sunday with people who know the local waters. After comments last year the race entry fee of £5 will not be increased for late entries but PLEASE contact the organiser (your editor) or Clare Thomas as soon as you know you are coming. It is very dificult to organise an event like this without some idea of numbers! 19 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 Other events 2019 It is all change as the big boat events get under way for 2019. After the poor showing on the Crouch last year on the late May bank holiday both the event and the location have changed. We intend to have a rally at Stone Point in the Walton Backwaters, and run the Pennyhole Bay race over this bank holiday weekend. As many of the people who normally organise such events are away in Holland the committee are looking for people to help Ed Roberts get the event off the ground. Please e-mail him at edward.roberts26@gmail.com if you can help. Saturday, June 22 sees the next small boat event as the perenial favourite Swallows and Amazons rally takes place. Hosted by Walton & Frinton Yacht Club, you’ll be sailing in the setting of Arthur Ransome’s Secret Waters, with full safety cover from the club’s boats. After a race on Saturday there will be a meal in the club, then (weather permitting) a day of sailing in company with other open boats. Camping and parking for camper vans is available close to the club house, and people are very welcome to come along to the meal even if their boats draw too much to get over the Wade that leads onto “Swallow Island”! Friday, July 19-Tuesday, July 23 The Dutch OGA invites everyone to join them in celebrating their 15th anniversary. Join the party in Yerseke and Steenbergen, Netherlands then move onto DCYR at Hellevoetsluis. More details will be available on the website when we have them, but please be aware that this event is very close in time to the East Coast Race, so making the trip back across the North Sea might be challenging depending on the weather! The Annual East Coast Race will be held on 27 July, 2019. Following the success in 2018, we are returning to Stone Sailing Club on the River Blackwater, for the race and prizegiving. Like last year this then rolls straight into the Summer Cruise. The plan for this year's Cruise in company will be to stay south, with cruising and racing on the Rivers Colne, Blackwater and Crouch from Sunday 28 July until Saturday 3 August, 2019. It would be a shame not to visit the Deben this year, so Saturday, 25 August sees the Deben Rally. Plans are still in preparation, but we hope to spend some time anchored off the Rocks by Ramsholt. 10 August sees the Swale Match. This has been organised for many years by Lena Reekie, and hopefully that well organised lady has passed the baton 20 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019 on to another to take the event forward. Please keep an eye on the website for updates. The President’s race will once more join the Pin Mill Regatta in September (exact date to be confirmed), so there will be racing in the Orwell too. Saturday 21 September sees the Maldon Town Regatta, traditionally the last of the OGA Points Series races. At this stage in the season which races will qualify for the points series is not yet finalised, but Maldon town will be happy to see OGA boats whether racing or not. We hope to arrange a small boat rally in the river Alde at some point this year, but with no certainty of it happening and no date on offer this is currently a wish, not a reality. Up to date information will be published on the web and in later issues of Eastcoaster so keep an eye out for this! Handicaps The hard working Handicap Officer Pete Thomas would more information about your boat’s sail areas, especially the foresails. The boat register forms are being updated to reflect this, but while your sails are not on the boat it would be great if you could measure the luff, leech and foot of the following sails. Biggest staysail used, Biggest Jib Biggest down wind sail(Jenniker, cruising chute, balloon jib) The great Maurice Griffiths wrote this about handicapping back in June 1939 (with thanks to Richard Bass for permission to quote a private letter to his father) “There is no man living who can handical such a motley fleet as you describe for a race under any conditions and satisfy all the owners. If there were he would be more likely employed in founding a new religion. “The trouble is that every change in weather conditions will favour a different type of boat, and unless most of the boats entered have already raced together and given you some indication of their form, any attempt at handicapping them all will be a chancy business” Please let Pete know as much as possible to help him with his difficult task of handicapping the gaffer’s racing fleet, so as to “satisfy all the owners”! 21 Eastcoaster 117
East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
News from the Baden Powell
Baden Powell is a Kings Lynn fishing Boat, retored in Essex, and now back
home in Kings Lynn. www.floatourboat.co.uk They have a new Friend’s
organisation, launched by Kim Leonard. For £12 a year, Friends will
contribute directly towards preserving part of King’s Lynn’s fishing and social
history, and will qualify for a range of benefits from the prospect of a free trip
to reductions on buying T-shirts and other merchandise. Full details on the
website, or contact Kim direct on 07985 673935 or at
friendsofln138@gmail.com
Baden Powell passing the Custom's House, Lynn, photo David Ashfield
Tim Clayton from the Project would like to try and get a meeting in King’s
Lynn with some old fishing snacks to have a rally/ race with the Baden
Powell. Sailing to Kings Lynn is a challenge, but one that many OGA
members will be capable of facing, so I would encourage anyone interested
to get it touch with Tim or Kim.
Members who live near Kings Lynn might like to head there on Sunday May
12. This is the date for the King’s Lynn Hanse Festival where the Baden
Powell will be on display. Flags of other Hanseatic towns will be at the head
of a parade through the town, and the waterfront will become a street market.
Hanse House will be the natural centre for shopping and family events, with
visitors from other Hanseatic towns expected.
22 Eastcoaster 117East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
Memories of Lena Reekie
By Rik Homan
Bob phoned me this week to bring
the sad, but not unexpected news
of Lena’s death.
I met her the first time I was
sailing in England with my 18’open
boat Elisabeth at the Shotley
event in 1993.
Lena made us very welcome and I
returned year after year, not only
to sail the East Coast, but also to
meet her in Faversham.
In October 1995 she sailed over to
Holland with Linnæa, a very
adventurous voyage. On the way Lena on Pagan in 1995
to Reeuwijk she moored in
darkness along several other yachts.
In the morning she was awakened by noises on deck; when she opened the
hatch her boat was already being hoisted ashore as the other yachts for
winter storage.
Imagine the amazed workman seeing this blond lady in her nightdress
appearing from the hatch, using wild sign-language to put her boat back down
in the water!
The next spring she cruised in Holland and Friesland and joined the famous
“Sloepenrace” at Terschelling, Frisian Islands,
In summer she sailed back to Faversham and was towed-in by the Whitstable
lifeboat at such a speed that from the centreboard case water sprayed up to
the cabin roof, wetting everything inside.
However next day she sailed on, reaching Faversham after drying out once
more on the Whitstable flats.
Another story of her adventures is when she was anchored in nasty weather,
her Stuart engine would run, but as soon as engaged in forward, the engine
stopped. After trying this several times she picked up her VHF and asked
advice. A friend proposed a rope in the propeller and indeed as she dived
23 Eastcoaster 117East Coast OGA Newsletter February 2019
overboard (it was April) she could free the shaft.
Happy she let her friend know that is was now OK, but not realising there
were more listeners, she added that her nipples were now like raspberry’s,
which was received by all gaffers around with much appreciation.
During all that 25 years we kept close contact and sailed together in several
East Coast East coast races, Swale match, sloepenraces and even she came
several times to the Reeuwijk Raid.
I will remember this courageous woman always, especially when sailing on
the East coast or at the Swale.
Points series races
These are not yet confirmed, but are expected to include the following
Large Boats Pennyhole Bay, East Coast Race, 1 or 2 races within the
summer cruise, President’s race
Small Boats Tollesbury, Swallows and Amazons, Wivenhoe regatta
Backstay
Eastcoaster is published 4 times a year, at the beginning of February, May,
August, and November. Every year the February issue is printed and sent out
to all members of the East Coast area of the OGA. The other 3 issues are not
printed, but uploaded to the website as .pdf files from where they can be
downloaded. This enables them to be seen in colour, which is too expensive
to print. Everyone who is subscribed to the OGA mail chimp service will be
notified as soon as the issue is available to download. However, if you would
like to be sent the other three issue (in black and white) through the post it is
possible to request these using the form enlosed with this mailing. There is a
small fee, which covers postage and a contribution towards printing, for this
service.
Eastcoaster is a members’ newsletter, and as such it relies on contributions
from the members! If you have any news you wish to share, reports of events
you have been to, stories about your boats, or pictures, then please get in
touch with me at alison.margaret.cable@gmail.com, or through the post to
146 Stortford Hall Park, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, CM23 5AP.
I hope you have enjoyed this issue, and look forward to your contributions to
the next issue,
Alison Cable. Eastcoaster editor
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