Why your next boat should be a gaffer
Chances are that your first boat was... Spritsails are part of the family!
We welcome a wide range of boats and rigs... old/new, large/small, wood/steel/grp/concrete, production boats, or one-offs, gaff/lug/sprit...
Cruising, racing, or just pottering about. Some have crossed the Atlantic, many never leave the sheltered waters of the Solent.
And then there's the active community, admiring looks wherever you go and never ending interest from those you meet.
Whatever you want from a boat, there's a gaffer to suit, often at a very compettive price.
The OGA Boat Register includes listings of boats currently for sale. You never know what you might find.
The boats below are not listed for sale, but show some of our members' boats and why they chose them.
A modern classic
Why Ivy Green? Look at the photo!
Having raced dinghies and one-design yachts, we wanted a boat that wouldn't get you wet if you looked away for a moment, but would also make us grin under sail. So many modern boats are about taking the modern conveniences of home to a marina. We wanted to enjoy the sailing. A few extra ropes makes it more interesting, but no more difficult. Just take your time.
After a childhood with varnished clinker dinghies, I had sworn I would never buy a wooden boat... But the world is just better in a wooden hull. Strip plank, epoxy and a little glass fibre... The douglas fir gleams down below, but never touches the salt water. 2 pack paint on the topsides and CopperCoat below... Both have been replaced just once in 20 years.
Quality never comes cheap, but compared to the production boat we might have got for the same money, Ivy Green was great value.
Beyond choosing a boat, we knew we were choosing a community. There are lots of yacht clubs around the Solent, but much of the waterborne social side is around racing. We didn't want a hard racing scene, although we greatly enjoy the gaffer and classic racing. The gaffers were welcoming and fun. Hopefully we still are.
Find more details on the Boat Register: Ivy Green
Shrimper 19
Cornish Crabbers describe the Shrimper as:
"...classic styling that appeals to sailors from any generation ... We have built over 1100 Cornish Shrimpers since 1979 with the original boats still being sailed all over the world."
An easy boat to sail, with the support of large scale production and a loyal community. Go anywhere with a trailer and shallow draft, or enjoy beating larger gaffers on the race course.
135 years old and going strong
Launched in 1889, Spinaway X has had a long and varied life. Starting life as a fishing boat she has cruised as far as Scotland and the Mediterranean. She's now a regular on the race scene at Cowes.