Latest UKWA News:

It seems like forever since we were able to post a Notice of Race for an open meeting with some confidence, so we are delighted to publish the Notice of Race and Entry form for the Western Area Championships which are due to be held on 22/23 May 2021 at Arun YC. This will be the first event of the Craftinsure National Circuit and Travellers Series 2021 and (pretty much) the first open meeting since 2019. The organisers have published a caveat that the event is subject to the Government further easing restrictions as part of its Roadmap to Recovery in mid-May and will have to be cancelled in the unlikely event that the planned easing does not take place. But let us be positive and encourage as many boats as possible to travel to Littlehampton to meet old friends and enjoy some competitive sea sailing....read more

We are now able to confirm prices and event information for our inaugural Wayfarer Family Festival at Rutland Sailing Club. Hopefully, everything you need to know is available through this link, otherwise, please contact Mark and Julie at [family-sailing@wayfarer.org.uk]

Aldeburgh Yacht Club will be holding a Spring Regatta on Saturday and Sunday May 29th-30th.

Race starts will be at 11.00am and 2.30pm.

Visitors are welcome!

Photo credit: Peter Hickson

After a year off due to COVID, Chichester Harbour race week is back on for 9th-13th August 2021. The regatta is one of the largest sailing dinghy regattas in the country and with many people choosing to take their holidays in the UK this year, it is expected to produce a bumper turnout of over 400 boats. Based out of Hayling Island Sailing club, there is class racing for Fireballs, Flying Fifteens, D-Zeros, Aeros, Finns, RS200s, Foiling Moths, Solos, Lasers, RS Fevas, RS Teras and RS Elites as well as fast, medium and slow handicaps. A strong fleet is also expected for the asymmetric handicap....read more

Since publication of the March e-Newsletter, Kay Marriott’s Windermere ‘Sailing in Company’ event has been postponed (again), and is now due to be held between the 3rd to the 6th of June. More details here.

Sincere thanks to all members who renew their subs by bankers order each year.

If you have yet to set up a bankers order, and would like to do so, please complete this form and send it to your bank for it to be arranged.

Subscriptions can also be renewed via our shop, linked here.

Cheques can also be used: made payable to UKWA and sent to the Class Secretary, UKWA, PO Box 10687, CO5 8XJ.  It is very helpful if you write your boat number on the back of the cheque.

We are very much looking forward to holding sailing events back on the water just as soon as the easing of Covid restrictions allow. ...read more

Cruising Conference delegates may still access the content on the CC21 website for the foreseeable future, so take the opportunity to watch any of the presentations that you have so far missed.

Click on the logo or the link below to navigate over to the website. (Link opens in a new browser tab, where possible – https://cc21.wayfarer.org.uk ).

Missed it?  No worries; UKWA / overseas NCA members who wish to view the videos are warmly welcome to do so – they are extremely informative and cover a good range of Wayfarer cruising topics.  Access can be obtained via our shop, at the reduced rate of £5.00. Truly a bargain.

https://wayfarer.org.uk/product/2021-cruising-conference-ticket/

The Wayfarer Inland Championships due to be held at Datchet Water Sailing Club in May have been POSTPONED until 23/24 October, mainly because of the current restrictions on overnight stays away from home.

Documents for the forthcoming Eastern Area Championships to be held at Waldringfield Sailing Club in July may be downloaded using the following links:

• Notice of Race
• Sailing Instructions
• Entry Form

As you will be aware this is Waldringfield SC’s centenary year and they are keen to make this a season to remember, so get your entry form downloaded and sent in!

Photo copyright WSC

The revised dates for the Broads Cruise have now been finalised – start 21st June, finish 27th June (or sooner if preferred). Full details here.

2016 Wayfarer Nationals at Medway © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

2016 Wayfarer Nationals at Medway © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

Medway Yacht Club is delighted to be hosting the Wayfarer UK National and European Championships, 5-8 August 2021. Racing will take place on the wide stretches of the tidal River Medway below Gillingham over four days and with great social events planned for the evenings.

The Club is delighted that the event is being supported by Hartley Boats, McNamara Sails, Craftinsure, Shepherd Neame and Wayfarer Wines.

Entry to the Championships is limited to 65 boats. The Club is planning to welcome entries from Denmark, Ireland, France and the Netherlands as well as mainland UK. There is an early bird discount entry fee and a guarantee return of prepaid entry fees if the Championships are cancelled for Covid reasons....read more

The front of the fleet will be very competitive with multi-class champions in the fleet. Michael McNamara and Simon Townsend, the current, UK National, European and International Wayfarer Champions will head up the entry list. However, this is an event for all Wayfarer sailors, whatever their racing expertise or experience, and there will be prizes for silver and bronze fleet sailors as well as the perpetual trophies for race winners.

2016 Wayfarer Nationals at Medway © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

This year, there will be a new trophy presented at the UK National Championships by the Hodshon family who own the Round Britain record-breaking Wayfarer, Nipegegi. This trophy will be awarded to the crew of the best placed boat with a sail number below 10506. Nipegegi, which has won the UK National Championships several times over the years, will be back in full race trim this summer and competing at the Championships. Her crew will be hoping to be the first winner of this new trophy.

Entry to the Championships is already open. More information can be found on the event page on the Medway YC website .

The Wayfarer is the classic all round sailing dinghy from the pen of Ian Proctor. Thousands of sailors have learned to sail in a Wayfarer and it was for many years the dinghy of choice for sailing schools. The boat is cruised by enthusiasts around Europe and North America. However, in its latest form the Wayfarer has a contemporary Phil Morrison designed interior and fit-out and lends itself to being raced competitively in a wide range of conditions.

-Tim Townsend

Regrettably – if unsurprisingly – we have to announce that the proposed Open Meeting to be held at West Oxfordshire Sailing Club in mid-April has been cancelled. We will try to keep the website up-to-date with any further alterations to the sailing calendar as the season progresses.

It was lovely to ‘see’ so many visitors and members, especially those from overseas.

If you feel you missed something; visitors already registered for the Show can re-visit for 30 days from the Show’s close.

We would be delighted if you came back and had a look at all the Documents and Video resources on our stand.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email Sarah, Class Secretary

Visitor Registration | Dinghy Show | RYA – Royal Yachting Association

Bournemouth Digital Poole Week 2019 day 3 © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.com

After a washout on the open meeting and championship front in 2020, the UK Wayfarer Association is looking forward to 2021 with renewed appetite. A full programme of open meetings, Area and National Championships and various race weeks is in the calendar for this year, and although it remains to be seen how successfully the UK and Ireland will come out of lockdown we are confident that most of the programme will take place. ...read more

There is the usual blend of salt and fresh water events which make up the Craftinsure sponsored National Circuit and Travellers Series. There are nine events this year, one more than usual, just in case any are lost at the beginning of the season. The Series will culminate as usual at Bough Beech SC in November when the trophies and spot prizes will be won.

Wayfarers at Bough Beech – photo © Deborah Maynard

In addition to these, there are a number of other open meetings and sailing weeks where Wayfarers will either have a class start or representation within a handicap fleet.

The highlight of the season for the racers will undoubtedly be the combined UK National and European Championships which will be hosted by Medway YC, 5-8 August. Limited to an entry of 65 boats, competitors are expected from Denmark, Ireland, France and the Netherlands as well as from the mainland UK. Sponsorship from Hartley Boats, Craftinsure, McNamara Sails, Shepherd Neame and Wayfarer Wines together with a strong race team and a challenging race area promise an excellent event on and off the water. All eyes will be on the progress of the roadmap out of lockdown as well as the weather forecast over the next few weeks. The class racing calendar can be found here.

The Wayfarer class look forward to 2021 – photo © Mike Spurgin

Along with all of the open events, Wayfarer sailors will be competing at their Clubs as soon as Boris removes the AP and displays the warning signal. As in 2020, Wayfarers will be raced at Clubs up and down the country, some in handicap fleets, and others in active one design fleets, with a full programme of racing and social activity.

The UK Wayfarer Association has a stand at this weekend’s virtual RYA Dinghy Show. Tickets are available from www.rya.org.uk/dinghy-show/Pages/tickets.aspx. Registration is free and once you have logged in search for the UK Wayfarer Association stand. There you will be able to learn more about this wonderful and classic Ian Proctor design and chat to members of the UKWA (using the “chat” facility) who will be only too happy to answer your questions. You will be able to learn that there is much more to the Wayfarer than racing. Many of the boats are used for cruising, for family sailing and for training. Visit our stand this weekend, click on the image which interests you and find out what the Wayfarer can do for you. We very much look forward to talking to you there.

-Tim Townsend

Details of this summer’s International Rally – to be held in S Brittany in the lovely Golfe du Morbihan – on this poster.

(Click on the image for a full-size view of the poster. The back button or arrow on your browser should return you to this page).

The Notice of Race for the National and European Championships 2021 will be published in the next few days, along with instructions for entry.

(Click on the image for a full-size view of the poster. The back button or arrow on your browser should return you to this page).

Early details here of next year’s Wayfarer Internationals (to be held in the USA).

(Click on the image for a full-size view of the poster. The back button or arrow on your browser should return you to this page).