East Coast Gaffers joined with Pin Mill Sailing Club to race for the OGA Presidents Trophy and Pin Mill SC Blagdon Cup (Gaffers Class Race) at the Regatta. This is the first time East Coast Gaffers have taken part since 2019. Thanks go to Paul for his report of the event, joining the fleet with ‘Capriccio’.
I had planned to go to Pin Mill on the Friday but the weather was really awful. To avoid a very wet and windy passage we chose to leave my mooring at Ramsholt on the River Deben at 0600, Saturday. We were over the bar at one hour after high water for a lovely sail down to Pin Mill, River Orwell, arriving at 1100. Once we had sailed past ‘Transcur’ on her home mooring we knew we were at the right place. My first visit to Pin Mill had been achieved
Over the next couple of hours the remaining East Coast Gaffers arrived, busily setting sail ready for the start at 1400. Essex smack ‘Transcur’, Cornish Crabber 24 ‘Gilda’ and 18’ Winklebrig ‘Faith’ were resplendent with ever increasing coloured canvas being hoisted. Wonderful topsails and high peaked gaffs set us all apart from the other boats in the Regatta. The course chosen on the day by the wonderful Pin Mill Race Committee was confined to a few buoys, nearly all of which were within sight of the Sailing Club. We ended up doing two laps of this course. For the spectators at Pin Mill it would have been a magnificent sight, illustrated by some excellent drone footage from local photographer Jeff Welch.
The racing was a staggered start with ten minute intervals between classes, the gaffer class starting first. Unfortunately on ‘Capriccio’, even before the race had begun, we ran aground in the soft mud north of the start line, whilst practising a spinnaker hoist. We managed to get free by rolling the boat with all the crew running from port to starboard. This rocking action enabled us to dig a hole big enough to break free of the mud and we eventually crossed the start line about five minutes late. We were soon overhauled by the bigger faster boats from the next start group!
The race progressed with the fabulous ‘Crow’, recently returned to the East Coast fleet, taking the lead. Skipper Will Harvey, plus baby Isaac strapped to his chest at the helm, looked like he was taking a walk in the park. He was followed by the splendid open boat ‘Faith’ sailed single handed by Alasdair Mackenzie who was hailed as the best of the rest. The Race was two laps of the course so we got to see all the other boats close up on several occasions with a set up for a few close encounters that were all safely negotiated.
‘Transcur’ was clearly at home in her home port environment and was skilfully piloted by Pete Thomas and his crew through the densely packed mooring field and sticky shallow patches. With his local knowledge of the back eddies and counter streams he achieved a well deserved 3rd place, with ‘Crow’ taking the honours and Winklebrig ‘Faith’ in second place. ‘Glida’, helmed by Des Trollip and ‘Jezebel’ with skipper Shona Fairchild were neck and neck for the the last part of the final lap. ‘Gilda’ came 4th with a 23 second lead after a 2.5 hour race. Despite her poor start ‘Capriccio’ was at one point in 4th place due the use of her spinnaker, the skilful helming of crewman Alex Haig and trimming by Issac Young, thus creating superior downwind performance. However things went pear shaped later due to the windage of a big bloke on the foredeck trying to sort out the rope tangles . . . so we ended up last!
The day ended with a barbecue and prizegiving at Pin Mill Yacht Club. ‘Crow’ received both the President’s Trophy and Blagdon Cup which has not been awarded since 2019. It was a fab evening and the end of a very long day. Other East Coast Gaffers attending the event but not racing included Cornish Shrimper 19 ‘Louisa’, ‘East Breeze’ and Oystercatcher 16, ‘Lizzie’.
On Sunday I was joined by a boat-less Andrew Tyrtania for the trip back. He joined the OGA to get experience on gaff rigged boats and is available for more crew work (contact him via the Area WhatsApp group). We sailed away from Pin Mill and 32 tacks later we had made it only half way past the container dock, so he had definitely got enough tack practice! We then motored directly into the wind until we could turn left and head under sail for Woodbridge Haven and home.
Thanks very much to the organisers of the event and I hope that it will continue to be on the OGA calendar in the future.
Words: Paul Cook, ‘Capriccio’
