The first ever ‘Old Gaffers’ race was held on the Solent in 1959, with just 13 boats. A similar race was held on the East Coast of England in 1963. The growing success of these early races, open to gaff rig boats, led to the formation of the OGA as a national association at the Little Ship Club, Maldon, Essex in 1963. The Rules of the Association require every Area to run an annual race and this gallery gathers together some of the archive from the East Coast Annual Races alongside more recent photos up to 2016.