The East Coast August Classics is certainly the annual highlight of the OGA calendar and started with a swing this weekend in Ipswich. Over 40 boats of all shapes and sizes started to arrive on Saturday 15th from up and down the East Coast, the Netherlands (via France) and the Solent. The passage race from home ports to Pin Mill on the River Orwell was won by Solent Memory 19 ‘Sepia’, who arrived in Suffolk by trailer on Thursday and sailed from Waldringfield on the River Deben.

After securing their reserved berths in front of ‘The Last Anchor’, skippers and crews strolled the pontoons to meet new friends, catch up with old ones and share stories of the summer’s sailing and boating projects. Sponsored by Teamac, one of the leading brands of marine paints and coatings, there was a welcome party on Saturday evening followed by the Teamac Regatta on Sunday.

With a sunny start, but very little wind, smacks boats, rubber flubbers and dinghies gathered for sailing races in the Wet Dock with spectators crowding the decks of larger boats in the OGA fleet moored in the Marina. After lunch, the Regatta included rowing, sculling and ‘blindfold’ races, a wild scramble to ‘hunt the ducks’ and the grand finale of a Dutch favourite, ‘flubber jousting’ and the East Coast standard ‘flubber football’.

Local photographer and OGA member, Tony Pickering has captured the essence of a day of fun for all as crews and skippers look forward to a week of racing, cruising, beach parties and more convivial evenings on the East Coast rivers. Here's a glimpse of the larger collection, bookmark this page for more to come.

It always seems such a privilege to be invited to sail the smack 'Transcur' so I was delighted to rush back from Shetland just in time to step aboard for the East Coast Race on 18^th July.  Conditions were perfect as we made our way out of the Brightlingsea creek for our 8.15 am start with the sun already warm on our backs. I like to think I add to the tension before the start by relating the count down from my watch, but I spoiled that one year by doing a perfect count down to what turned out to be our 5-minute gun. I don’t think anyone listens to me anymore but I do the countdown anyway. 

Brightlingsea is such a great place to start a race - the smacks creep up so close to the East Mersea shingle it looks like the crew could step ashore.  It’s difficult to imagine how much depth there must be to sail so close in there. Later on it was a different matter for 'Sheila' and an East Coast One Design. They both got away eventually but it must have been very frustrating. 

We were seven crew on board 'Transcur', so I elected to be photographer (with OGA competition in mind). The course gave plenty of opportunity to line up the perfect shot of the faster boats coming back, or the slower boats once we had turned. Perhaps just a tiny touch more wind would have made them even more dramatic, but I was glad not to have to struggle with any of the gear.

With a 20 mile course, there was plenty of time to remember how to do the various jobs on board (running backstays a favourite), plus a little time out on the foredeck listening to the water frothing and gurgling as we ploughed through at 7 knots. That is definitely the most exciting place to be, both for sound and for the whole thrill of the smack. There’s something about the cutter rig – whether it’s the power-to-weight ratio as Pete says; or the driving force of the jib at the end of a huge bowsprit – either way, it’s a massive thrill. As I said earlier, a huge privilege, so thank you Thomases.

In the end Roy Hart trounced ALL the big boats with a splendid performance in his Memory 'Greensleeves' to win the Stone Trophy and the OGA Pennant, donated by James Lawrence Sailmakers.  Roy is Commodore for the next 12 months.

Sarah Adie

•   ECR 2015 Bermudans Results [pdf 172KB]
•   ECR 2015 Race Results [pdf 192KB]

Well we did the 'double' - round Horsey Island AND a finish at the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club line right outside the club house under blue skies, hot sun and a good force four in about 190 degrees!!! Scroll to the foot of the article to see the video by Alison Cable.

23 boats started and 20 finished with only one requiring a tow by our well co-ordinated support crews and vessels from the W&FYC members’ launches and OGA member, Mike's motorboat, 'Tempus'. Many thanks to them all. The fleet comprised 11 Smack Boats and 12 'others' including OGA Trailer Sailor member from Deal, Kent in 'Guillemot' and a Tideway 14, 'Horta', from North Norfolk.

One W&F Club member, Eric Perks, who had just relaunched his 1950s lug rigged Swallow called 'Skylark', lent it to a youth crew made up from young gaffers Eden and Ruby along with Youth Club member Harry. Ruby wisely decided to jump into the support rib, having done an excellent risk assessment! Well done to the remaining crew partnership for a safe passage with no assistance.

Moray McPhail of Classic Marine again sponsored the 'fun and games' in the afternoon, entertaining the young ones and then all of us with his dry wit and humour while 'doing the prizegiving' for the collective event!!

Six large OGA boats were at Southwold Harbour on Saturday, 20 June. 'Charm', 'Transcur', 'Kelpie II', 'Gwenili', and 'Quintet' had sailed up especially for the rally, while 'Maid Marion' was surprised to find themselves attending an OGA event for the first time in a while! Several members arrived by car, and there were four tents amongst the thistles at the back of the Sailing Club plus a camping people carrier.

The wind, forecast at 1 knot, gusting 2, was too light for racing in the morning, so unfortunately the race was cancelled which was frustrating, as by lunchtime there was a good sailing breeze. Luckily Southwold is a good place to stroll around, and a happy group of 22 assembled in the Southwold Sailing Club for a delicious chicken curry and all the trimmings, followed by the raffle draw which raised ?51 for the Nancy Oldfield Trust.

Two prizes were awarded, and both went to 'Gwenili'. She won the Concours d'Elegance for looking very smart on her first sail of the season, plus the passage race prize, having come all the way from Greenwich in 15 hours. After that every attending boat (or tent/camper) was presented with a pack of six Adnams beers, thanks to their generous sponsorship of the event. Once again the OGA drank the Southwold Sailing Club dry!

Sunday dawned windy, but not enough to deter 'AWOL', 'Knot', 'Happy Days', and 'Charm's nameless dinghy from setting off sailing up river towards the pub at Blythburgh. They were joined on the trip up by 'Quintet''s dinghy under outboard and on the way down by Yvonne Mitchell's inflatable sailing Tinker as well. The trip up the Blyth is always interesting, and the pub had plenty of beer.