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EAST COAST AREA
OLD GAFFERS
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News
Harwich Festival of The Sea
July 27th 2008
This event is mainly land based, organised by The Rotary Club of Harwich.
The Old Gaffers will mount a Race / Parade of Sail starting at 11:00
To make this more interesting we will be parading around the following course.
Start Time: 11:00 a.m.
Start Line: Trinity House Pier to Ganges Buoy
Start Boat: St. Nicholas (subject to VTS Duty Officer)
Start down river observing ALL navigational marks P.O.S.H.
Except Harwich Ledge Starboard Out - Port Home
Outridge starboard
Penny Hole starboard
Pie End port
Return to finish at the start line observing all navigational marks P.O.S.H.
If it is necessary to change or shorten the course, announcements will be made on VHF Ch 37 or VTS 71.
After the Race / Parade of Sail, please moor up at the Harwich Pier Pontoons for OGA chat and music.
Event organiser: Pete the Knife on 07831525233 or (01206) 391870
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The East Coast Race - Brightlingsea - June 21st 2008
Click the link below to see Dylan Winter's first report on this year's East Coast Race.
Dylan is sailing all around the UK but stopped off at Brightlingsea just to see The Old Gaffers.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zHyBSR4Xjpk
You can see ALL Dylan's reports on Utube under 'Keep Turning Left' - well worth watching.
There will be more...
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Smackies Please Note!
New prize for the East Coast Race
James Dodds has donated this large scale framed / signed print of the Brightlingsea Smack Dock as an additional prize to be awarded to the first working or ex working boat under 36ft to finish over the line. (NOT on corrected time)
James - Our thanks for this!
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Suffolk Coast Against Retreat
No, I hadn’t heard of them either, until Rob Williamson, your area president, asked me to accompany him to the Harwich Area Sailing Association AGM on 6th may at Levington. HASA was also new to me, but is a forum for all 26 clubs using the waters between Lowestoft and Walton.
A number of topics came up which may be of interest to gaffers, including
- the Harwich Harbour website (hha.co.uk) is worth visiting and gives latest relevant Notices to Mariners , as well as weather and tidal information including a detailed tidal stream atlas of the area.
- There has been no progress on the Bathside Bay container port development.
- An experimental wave energy platform is to be established off Southwold.
- The lock gates at Ipswich are to be replaced.
- In spite of representations by HASA, the tiny Harwich Shelf buoy will not be replaced by a larger one, as this might confuse commercial skippers.
- Terns are nesting on Stone Point and should not be disturbed. Anyone wishing to land should first advise the Walton and Frinton YC.
We then came to the main subject of the meeting, a talk and discussion about the government’s proposals to abandon sea defences on sections of the East Anglian coast and how these can be resisted. This is where ‘Suffolk Coast Against Retreat’ comes in. It is an organisation of interested parties – sailors, fishermen, landowners – who are trying to persuade the government – in the guise of DEFRA and English Nature – to accept a shorter term view than their present 100 year horizon. The SCAR argument is that, as there is currently huge uncertainty regarding climate change, the authorities should plan to preserve the existing coastline for the next 20 years and monitor progress over that period. The government’s position is that it is uneconomic to build defences that will withstand the predicted rise in sea level over the next hundred years, so don’t intend to spend any money at all (except for minimum maintenance). At the present time, 90% of flood defence money is spent inland, not on coast defences; but as SCAR point out, a flooded town can be rebuilt, a breached coastline is gone forever.
Bernard Patrick
( Note; this is necessarily a very brief synopsis of a long and detailed presentation, which gave only one side of the argument, but it is an issue which affects us all.)
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Accommodation Wanted
East Coast OGA members Colin Stroud (‘Plum’) and Bernard Patrick (‘Molly Cobbler’) plan to attend the Brest Sea Festival in July. They have plane tickets and car hire but nowhere to rest their heads when they get there. Does any member know of a cottage, B&B, flat or any accommodation in or within a few miles of Brest that is available for the period 15th to 22nd July? Or even better, is anyone going by boat and has spare berths available at Brest for the above period?
Please e-mail bernard.patrick@waitrose.com if you can help.
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Angele Aline
Many of you will have seen or heard of Angele Aline, the 55 ft converted French fishing boat, now owned by ECOGA member Ray Dunstone. Built in France at Fecamp in 1921, she was originally named Jean and was ‘dundee’ rigged (which is the way English fishermen pronounced ‘dundis’, which in turn is the French for ‘dandy’, a ketch with a lug mizzen; all very confusing, no wonder she is now a cutter – saves a lot of explanation).
Angele fished commercially right through and after the war, being involved in several wartime distractions, including rescuing allied soldiers from Dunkerque, being sunk by the RAF and then raised by the Germans. In 1963 she passed into private Dutch hands and became a world-girdling live-aboard until age took its toll. After two extensive refits, one in Maldon, she has just had more work to bring her up to MCA passenger carrying standard and has now begun a third career as a charter vessel. In her first season, Ray plans to take Angele to all our EC rallies – wouldn’t it be a memorable sight, to see Angele and Pioneer racing up the Blackwater in a good breeze? Then in early August she embarks on a 3 month voyage around Britain, to raise funds for charity.
Details of her itinerary can be found at www.angelealine.org.uk |
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Article from the Essex Chronicle 03-01-2008
A pdf version of the article written in the Essex Chronicle titled
'Old Gaffers Association picking itself up after a difficult period'
LAPTOP IS STOLEN AT OGA LIMEHOUSE AGM
There was drama at the Cruising Association at Limehouse even before the National AGM started last Saturday night, (January 19th) when it was discovered that an OGA laptop computer had been stolen from the meeting room while members were gathering in the room next door. It appears the thief made off through the open window and across the dock.
Brian Hammett (World President) brought the meeting to order with an emotional request for a two minutes silence in memory of those members who had gone ‘over the bar’ during the last twelve months, particularly Jon Wainwright and ‘Fred’ Denise Rawlinson who had contributed so much to the OGA over the years.
After this he summarized the Presidential visits in 2007 and plans for a visit to “Ostend at Anchor” in 2008. Yet again Brian paid tribute to the officers of the association around the country. “Never has so much work been done by so few…etc… and ended his address with his catch phrase “Happy Gaffering”
Lynn Slade (Treasurer) presented the year’s finances showing a ten thousand pound loss primarily as a result of two price hikes on postage and printing for the Gaffers Log. A major review had examined the options for the Log in an attempt to reduce this figure in 2008. Savings had been achieved on phone charges particularly between officers using Skype but some losses had been experienced on the clearance of old stocks of memorabilia. A discussion ensued about the overall financial situation of the OGA and Lynn stated that she would be worried if the funds on deposit fell below £25,000. Future activities would be ordered to try to avoid this happening.
The meeting was asked to approve increases in membership costs in 2009. up to £27 for a single member and £30 for a family. The motion was approved by an overwhelming majority after Rob Williamson poured cold water on the few protestors who objected to the plan. References to other Yacht Club and Golf Club membership costs were murmured around the room.
Robert Holden (Secretary) reported the temporary closure of the Cornwall region; an area alive with many beautiful gaff rigged boats. We are now looking for a new team to restart the region in 2008.
The Cape Horne Trophy was awarded to Fred Schotman from the Netherlands who was racing in the North Sea Race when Jon Wainwright passed away. He stood by and communicated with the authorities arranging the rescue with the Dutch life-boat.
Alan Hidden announced the winner of the Alan Hidden Trophy to Danielle Gallagher and Mandy Finch for the best performance by a member under 25 yrs. Joanna Wolstenholme won the Janty Cup for the best contribution to the Gaffers Log . The Sailing Committee awarded the Gaffers Globe to Rick & Elish Wylie. The Gaffers Tales trophy was awarded to John Cann. Viv Head won the David Cade Trophy for the most outstanding contribution to the OGA in 2007.
Viv Head then showed the prize-winning entries in the Photographic Competition and praised the 58 entrants for their high standard. Robert Holden won the first prize in the ‘Sailing Gaffers’ section while Claudia Myatt won the ‘Sailing Shots’ section. Of particular note was a shot of the national secretary Robert Holden mending sails on the foredeck on a warm summers’ day (Awarded a runners-up prize).
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To all who may be interested.
Vessel at Risk.
The vessel described below is ‘at risk of loss’. This is due to illness of the owner over a period of several years. In telephone conversation with him on the morning of 18th January 2008 I learnt it seems that the work of repair / restoration came to a halt at the beginning of his illness some 3 or so years ago. I am informed that the vessel is said to have deteriorated markedly in that time. A wooden vessel is always recoverable given the commitment.
In storage are a new set of sails (unused), engine, considerable maritime hardware items (blocks, rope, brassware etc), spars, skylight, hatch etc.
The owner is no longer a member, and, as a very senior citizen consequently unable to progress the work, is concerned that if the boat cannot be saved there is much that could be of use to others.
The vessel:
SYBILLA
Loch Fyne Skiff. Ketch Rigged. Length 39ft. LWL 34.5ft Beam 11.4ft
Draft 6.5ft Displacement 18 Tons. Built Campbelltown 1905 by R Whylie. Designed by R Whylie. OGA Number 1026.
Currently lying: Plymouth (ashore?)
Current owner: Colin Ready Tel’s (H) 01752 309771 (M) 07726 138138.
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