We bring a report on what may well be a new tradition for the East Coast Gaffers. Late September found a group of East Coast Gaffers at the Stena Line port in Harwich heading for the Fresian Lakes prior to the annual Reeuwijk Raid. This proved to be an excellent idea – rewarded by glorious weather!
As many East Coast Gaffers will know, the famous Reeuwijk Raid is an annual Dutch event for small boats in the ‘heart of Holland’, organized by Dutch Gaffers Rik Homan and Edith van Dijk. After the event became bigger it’s now hosted by the local sailing club Elfhoeven. Every first weekend in October there’s a gathering of dinghies, open sailboats or small cabin boats of all sorts. The concept is as lovely as it is simple: from Friday afternoon boats and crews gather to get the boats afloat and meet up, on Saturday there is a friendly sailing/rowing/sculling race. On Sunday, after sa culling demonstration, lessons and race, there is a sailing tour without any competition. It’s a full weekend where sailors either sleep in their boat or campervan and enjoy probably the last sailing event of the season. Reeuwijkse Plassen is a sheltered, very green area with lakes and canals, created as a result of historic peat digging Roads are mainly meant for cyclists, small bridges are hand-operated by the boats that want to pass them.
To go from one lake to another, the boats pass the bridges as a group to avoid too many bridge openings. Therefore (and for the fun of it!) it is good to keep the fleet together, which is not always easy during a race – unless it’s part of the racing rules! That is why the boat that is sailing in front of the fleet can only stay there for one minute and then has to go back to the end of the fleet, round the escort boat and work its way up to the front position again. This way, we all stay together and it is still worthwhile to sail competitively: the boat with the most rounds is the winner!
The Reeuwijk Raid covers a full weekend but it is still quite an effort (and costly!) to come over from the UK to the Netherlands by ferry, with a trailer and a campervan for ‘just a weekend’. The weather forecast (and outcome) in 2025 was really bad meaning almost all UK Gaffers had to cancel their trip. What a shame! The best way to improve the chances for better weather is to extend the event and that is exactly what East Coast OGA Secretary Pete suggested for 2026. In 2025, Pete and Sarah discovered another great sailing area for small boats: the Frysian Lakes. “What if we all come a week earlier, enjoy these lovely waters and make the most of a trip with small boats on trailers, towed by campervans?!” Such a brilliant idea!
The plan was launched, attracting great support and in late September 2026 we gathered in Friesland, on a camping ground with plenty of room for small boats, campervans and tents (or rent a ‘permanent’ tent!) We sailed day trips to various villages, picnic spots and cities of interest. After a long sail the next day could be a day for the bicycle (no hills in the Netherlands whatsoever!) to stretch our legs, and in the evening we joined dinners and talks around the campfire.
All this in autumn, when the mornings are wet without rain but the sun would come out to dry and warm up all our gear, so we could enjoy sailing in shorts and t-shirts! Not everybody could join the whole ten days including Reeuwijk, but altogether we counted about 15 boats. What a fleet!
Besides glorious weather and well equipped campervans and boats, the facilities on the campsite in Oudega (Friesland) and the fabulous hosting by Elfhoeven Sailing Club in Reeuwijk, it was the good spirit and fun by all skippers and crews that really made the combined events such a success. Even with the terribly light winds in Reeuwijk we managed to have a good race on Saturday (which involved quite a lot of rowing) and a nice tour on Sunday, after sculling in dew and fog, the afternoon felt like summer!
Report: Else Wagemakers, OGA Nederland