Latest UKWA News:

The new, 6th edition Wayfarer Book is here!

The Wayfarer book has been brought right up to date and benefits from reworking of the previous content plus additional materials and illustrations.

Now including a stunning new chapter on Family Sailing – and for anyone who does take the family sailing, either young or old, this is a ‘must read’.

The Wayfarer book is now more accessible for those who are new to the boat whilst still providing all the detail that experienced Wayfarer owners and sailors want.

With 112 pages and colour images throughout, it will be an essential companion in the dinghy park and workshop but it won’t be out of place by the bedside or on the coffee table.

Now available from our shop here.

Our cheerful, versatile, newly-designed neck buffs are available from our shop in four different colours.

A seamless tube made from Coolmax Repel yarn. A classic, multi-function headwear. Warm to touch, open weave, with rain repel technology; winter textile.

£8 each plus P&P, linked here.

Not entirely surprisingly the Medway Marathon has been cancelled.

Originally postponed from earlier in the year the event will now not take place at all in 2020.

Earlier this week, Dabchicks SC took the decision to cancel this year’s National Championships due to be held next month. Roger Sydenham, chair of the DSC organising committee, Rachel Ramsey, DSC club manager, and their team had worked hard to try and keep the event alive but reluctantly concluded that while they could provide racing on the water the challenges of providing onshore facilities, never mind a social programme which is so important to our fleet, were insurmountable under the current guidelines without putting at risk both the competitors and local helpers. This decision is supported by the UKWA committee.

Entry fees will be refunded in full to competitors by the Treasurer of DSC.

The open meeting at Hickling Broad SC on 10th October has also been cancelled, again because of the impact of Covid 19.

Hot on the heels of the re-designed neck buffs comes another new product in our online shop – members’ boat stickers.

You may recall that these were featured in a recent poll, this being the favourite design.

85 mm square, self-adhesive, priced at £5 including UK p&p (+£1 overseas). Order via the shop, or follow this link.

“In Cullaun we have had a very late start to our season but we are having great turnout for racing, pleasure sailing and kids’ camps.

“The club have made the difficult decision to confine this year’s regatta to local sailors only, so it is with regret that I have to announce the cancellation  of the Wayfarer Southern Championship in Cullaun for 2020. We are conscious that the fleet may not wish to travel and the committee wanted to give you plenty of notice. We will be happy to host the Wayfarer fleet next year. The decision was not made lightly but health and safety is a priority. I will truly miss meeting you all but I fully support the committee’s decision.

“I do hope you are getting to sail and enjoy the water. I am so glad we got to meet last year and look forward to when we can all meet again.

“Wishing you all the best, stay healthy and well and KEEP RACING safely!!!”

-Margaret Hynes

Regrettably we must add Poole Week to the list of 2020 events that have fallen victim to the current pandemic.

Following recent discussions with the organisers of the 2020 National Championships at Dabchicks SC )West Mersea), we are pleased to report a continued intention to run the Championships this September. More details on the accompanying notice linked here.

We have been informed that, unfortunately, the popular Chichester Harbour Race Week 2020 has been cancelled because of the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.

Thank you to all those members who voted in our June e-News: our new membership sticker is now here!

A sticker will be sent out to each new member as they join the UKWA.  Those who have joined in the last few days will receive theirs inside their Summer edition of Wayfarer News.

These stickers can be stuck on your Wayfarer or on the outside of your car window.

“We have been in correspondence with RWSC and are sad to announce that we have had to cancel the 2020 Gathering at Rutland Water. We understand that the club wishes to return to normal as soon as possible, so we hope to be able to plan a Gathering with them for the 2021 season.

Those who have prepaid for this event will receive refunds in the next few days so none of our attendees will be left out of pocket.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a peaceful and safe summer and look forward to seeing you on the water as soon as possible.”

-Mark and Julie Foreman

Unfortunately, because of a technical issue the full version of the Racing Secretary’s Ramblings weren’t published in the June eNews. However here they are in full (as a .pdf document, may open in a new browser tab).

Our Racing Secretary, Tim Townsend, has put together another selection of videos to help while away the long summer evenings of enforced non-sailing. This time the focus is on the RRS 2017-2020:- ...read more

Despite some slight easing in Covid-19 related restrictions it has been necessary to cancel the Easterns (4/5 July, Royal Harwich YC) and the Blue Chiffon Open (18/19 July, Medway YC).

Additionally the Medway Marathon has been postponed – the Club (Medway YC) will try to reschedule the event for later in the season if at all possible.

Regrettably Shoreham SC has had to cancel the Wayfarer Southern Championships which they were due to host on the 20/21 June. This is because of the Coronavirus lockdown.

Hi All,

Hope everyone is coping okay out there, a bit of light lockdown relief for you, the RYA filmed our talk at the dinghy show in Feb and they’ve put a bit of an edit together, so if you fancy checking it out please follow the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3Bds6n93IY

Best of luck for the months ahead and take care.

Will Hodshon, W198

Greta Plowman of Sea Urchin W1981, died of old age very peacefully on Tuesday 5^th May at St Audrey’s Care Home, just six days short of her 101^st birthday! She was a wonderful woman who with her husband Piers, sailed their self-made wooden Wayfarer, firstly along the canals of England, then around the tricky parts of the coasts of England and Wales, then across the Channel and up the North Sea coast, and finally across the Baltic to Poland.

Though none of her family were able with her when she died, she was not alone. Her kind carers were helping her open an early birthday present from her younger brother. They turned away for a moment, and turned back to find she had gone – without a sound or a stir. She died with sunshine streaming in through her window and transparent new beech leaves unfurling outside.

Her burial, on Thursday 21^st May, will be at a green woodland cemetery in the Chilterns, attended by only some of her extensive family.

We would ask you not to send flowers, as her burial will be very simple, with flowers from her family’s own gardens.

However if you wish to make a donation to charity, there are these two charities:

• Medicins Sans Frontieres
• World Wildlife Fund

We are sure that Greta would prioritise these two from the many she supported, for the crucial work that they carry out around the world, caring for humanity and for the environment.

-Judith Plowman

One of the many consequences of the current pandemic seems to be that a few people are delaying renewing their boat insurance. Whilst this is completely understandable, Mark Lee from CraftInsure – one of UKWA’s main sponsors, and the company behind the Association’s insurance scheme – has commented that “lapsing/cancelling cover is something we are trying to discourage as of course the Policies apply equally to boats ashore in store as they do to them afloat!”

Boats and their equipment are potentially vulnerable to theft and vandalism in unusually quiet dinghy parks and compounds at the moment, and we also have a responsibility to other boat owners in case of (for example) strong winds, which regularly cause boats to topple onto adjacent craft.

This is simply intended as a timely reminder, not to cause anxiety. Please contact CraftInsure or UKWA (details here) if you would like any further information about Wayfarer insurance.

CANCELLED

It will come as no surprise that Parkstone YC have had to cancel the Wayfarer Western Championships 2020 which were scheduled for the end of May.

Please keep an eye on the website, the racing calendar and eNews for further updates on the racing programme.