Maritime Woodbridge: 13 - 14 September

Maritime Woodbridge has quickly gained the status of a tradition, as a late-season weekend destination for traditional boats. The old Tidemill and Granary  make a great backdrop for a row of spritsails and the mix of restored working boats and classic yachts takes the whole waterfront briefly back in time. For Gaffers and lovers of old boats, it’s a visual treat, as well as being an extremely congenial opportunity to meet up with like-minded mariners.

Old Gaffers were well represented this year, with visiting boats, all listed in the OGA online Boat Register included the Essex Smack 'Transcur' and Pete the Knife Elliston’s delightful yellow Itchen Ferry 'Reverie'. The two Petes and Clive Robertson also brought along their smacks boat dinghies for a bit of racing on the water, while Claudia Myatt twirled a fetching coracle. 'Nancy Blackett', owned by Arthur Ransome in the 1930s, seemed to have solved the problems of visitor access at all states of the extreme tides. Another OGA favourite is James Palmer’s elegant 1891 yacht 'Kestrel' and this year, on Whisstock’s forecourt, James showed his latest achievement, the first new Waldringfield Dragonfly for around half a century.

This year’s event was blessed with great weather, though the fitful sunshine made photography something of a challenge; taking the lens cap off seemed to be a signal for a cloud to move across the sun. The music was good too, as a stallholder in Whisstock’s shed I had ample opportunity to evaluate the acts performing outside, and there was plenty of impromptu playing and singing to be found along the the riverside.

Whether the event will survive in the same format after (or during) the redevelopment of the Whisstocks site remains to be seen, but I’m sure the demand for it and the willingness of the town’s maritime community to respond will make sure that it’s back in a couple of years’ time.

Report by Peter Willis Maldon Town Regatta: 27 September

The OGA has had close ties with Maldon, since it's founding in 1963, and is always made welcome at the Town's annual Regatta. Read Sue Lewis' report below.

'Fly' and 'Maria' were first away in the Smack start. This year a good fleet of 60+ boats assembled early at Nass Beacon on Saturday morning for the start. Peter Maynard, the OOD, set the shortest course in the sailing instructions to allow for the lack of wind. Alas, the wind did not fill in as expected, leaving the slower boats with a significant challenge to stem the flooding tide to the first couple of marks before heading back up river to Osea Island for the finish.

The results showed how the big smacks and gaffers managed to get ahead and finish strongly, while many of the smaller boats abandoned the first race to make it back to Osea Island in time for the Parade of Sail into Maldon Quay at high tide.

By now, the wind had filled in, so that the good crowd assembled on the quay and down the riverside were honoured with a beautiful sight of boats old and new - all polished in best Regatta mode!

This year the shoreside activity was moved from the quay to the park since the re-building of the quay has been delayed. 

In the evening the OGA held the traditional Anniversary Dinner at the Maldon Little Ship Club to toast 51 years! On this occasion there was a double celebration, as it was also revealed to be David Lewin's 80th birthday!