The OGA has a wide-ranging membership, especially on the East Coast with boats built in the 1890s and earlier as well as some barely approaching ten years old. They’re mostly gaff rigged although classic Bermudans, motorboats and other boats or people without boats are always welcome. It’s been noted that recently the fleets have many smaller boats taking part, braving the North Sea as well as the estuaries to sail and race in company extending their horizons . . . Your Editor has compiled the following summary of those attending the Cruise in 2026.
The bigger boats include ‘Capriccio’, built 1912, a 28’ Morgan Giles cutter and ‘Cachalot’, built 1898 a 30’ gentleman’s cutter, both based on the River Deben. ‘Cygnet of London’, built 1906 is a 40’ yawl based in Faversham on the Swale, Kent. Apart from ‘Snoopy’ from the Netherlands, she travelled the furthest to join the Cruise this year. ‘Daisy Bell’, built 1895 and ‘Transcur’, built 1889 are both Colchester smacks. They’ve been regular participants in East Coast Gaffer events for many years, one being skippered by a Younger Gaffer and the other an Elder Gaffer. ’William’, built 1992 is a 28’ GRP replica of the Morecambe Bay fishermen’s lifeboat ‘Sir William Priestley’ built by Crossfields of Arnside. She’s based in Ipswich and served as Committee Boat for the Stone Banks Race.
New member and late arrival with the fleet was ‘Glee’, built 1960, a 30’ gaff yawl based at Wrabness on the River Stour joining her first Summer Cruise at Waldringfield to sail up to Southwold and back to the Stour. Three newer ‘big boats’ were ‘Lahloo’, built 2012, a Cornish Crabber 26’, ‘Plum’, 1990 a Heard 23’ and ’Gilda’, 1979 a Cornish Crabber 30’.
Despite their significantly smaller size several participating boats made it to almost all the locations. The widely-travelled ‘Snoopy’ was built in 1937, a 20’ converted ship’s lifeboat. Based in the Netherlands her skipper first joined an East Coast Summer Cruise in 1990 on the River Blackwater and has continued to bring ‘Snoopy’ to many East Coast OGA events since then. Always different but all well organised he notes it’s great that younger Gaffers stepped in to take over from the great names that organised events in the past, quite a few no longer amongst us. The East Coast OGA is livelier than ever before!
‘Catsnip’, built in the USA 2006 is a 17’ cat boat based at Wivenhoe and a regular participant in OGA events since joining in 2020. Her skipper regards ‘Snoopy’ as ‘enourmous’ compared to what he refers to as the ‘micro gaffers’ and is pleased to find there’s a great ‘smaller gaffer’ contingent on the East Coast. It was a first for ‘Catsnip’ to sail up and down the Wallet and to the Deben. A fantastic, and confidence-building week.
The skipper of Memory 19 ‘Titch’, built 1978 was glad it didn’t rain as she was camping in the boat. Another smaller boat, ’Half Moon’ was built by her owner/skipper in 2011. She’s a 22’ Laurent Giles cutter and reports having a brilliant time especially as, for the first time, son and grandson were able to join in, it’s terrific. Two 16’ Winkle Brigs, ’Tab Nab’, built 1988 and ‘Penelope’ reached most of the destinations along with ‘Reverie’, built 1974 a 22’ GRP Itchen Ferry. ‘Jezebel’, built in 2002 is a 19’ Golant Gaffer based at Shotley who made the passage from West Mersea to Southwold and ‘Louisa’, based in Ipswich is a 1987 Cornish Shrimper 19’. ‘Reverie’ towed the Gaffling ‘Linling’ as her tender for the week and she was sailed from Waldringfield to Felixstowe Ferry during the ‘lay day’ in the Deben.
Last but by no means least amongst the gaffers is ‘Crow’, built in 2005, a 38’ centreboard ketch. She returned to the fleet for the first time in many years with a new skipper and family.
Finally, we note there’s a good bunch of boats ranging in styles and ages (boats and crew!) ’Sparrow’, moored in Ipswich is grateful to the Gaffers for giving her confidence and encouragement to go a little further and do a bit more. ’Hussar’ is a 25’ Classic Bermudan Vertue, ’Ostara’, built 1950 is a 37’ Bermudan sloop and as ‘Rely’, the 1911 Zulu is being sailed round the UK by Young Gaffers Vicky and Tom, Bermudan yawl ’Sweet Return’ joined the fleet for the first time.
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