Latest UKWA News:

In case you find yourself stuck at home for any reason here are some video recommendations. (See all of the new list by selecting ‘read more’ below):-

• Poul Ammentorp has shared with us a video from the 2003 International Wayfarer Rally on the island Malö in the Eastern archipelago of Sweden taken by Inga Vekslund, where “we were blessed with a high pressure with blue sky and warm summer sun and light wind every day for a week”:-

• Simon Rowell on Meteorology:-

...read more

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.

The headline tells you all you need to know. With regret Mike Playle has asked us to announce his decision to cancel this year’s Broads Cruise. This is the first time this long-running event has had to be cancelled.

With regret, the Wayfarer Open meeting and Junior Championship due to be held at West Oxfordshire SC on 18/19 April 2020 has been cancelled because of the developing Coronavirus situation. The 2020 Racing Calendar will be amended as and when we hear of any other cancellations.

Because of the ongoing situation with regard to the Coronavirus and following Government guidelines, the open meetings in April due to be hosted by Waldringfield Sailing Club over the Easter weekend and the Inland Championships at Datchet Water SC at the end of the month have been cancelled.

The Association will work with Datchet Water Sailing Club to see whether the Inland Championships can be scheduled for later in the year either at Datchet or elsewhere.

With regret the UKWA ExCom has decided to call off the 2020 Cruising Conference.

Jeremy Norman will by now have been in touch with would-be participants to confirm this decision and to explain how you will be refunded.

Other UKWA events later in the year will be carefully considered individually as further information emerges on the virus and our response to it.

Thank you for your understanding.

If you are planning to enter the National Championships at Dabchicks SC in September and are hoping to use a camper van you will find that most camp sites are a drive or cycle ride (or 30-40 minute walk) away from Dabchicks SC.

However, the organisers have managed to secure a site with a maximum of 6 spaces for small or medium camper vans (described to me as single axle but I’m reckoning that will include up to the size of Merc Sprinters, VW Crafters, Fiat Ducatos and the like but NOT Winnebagos) just a 5 minute walk from the clubhouse on land owned by West Mersea Marine. This will cost £15 per night per van including electric hook-up and I’m told there are toilets and showers on site. Breakfast will be available each day at the Club.

One pitch has been taken already so there are just five left and these will be reserved on receipt of entry to the Championships on a first come, first served basis. If you are interested in securing one of these conveniently positioned pitches can you please enter the event and then contact Rachel Ramsay, the DSC Club Manager, at [[email protected]] or on +44 (0)1206 383786

Nipegegi, the record breaking Round Britain Wayfarer © Nipegegi

2019 was a big year for the UK Wayfarer Association as it took its turn to host the International Championships which were held in Ireland and proved to be a great success with close racing in challenging conditions. The strong winds in Ireland were matched at other major open events throughout the year, especially at West Oxfordshire, Shoreham and Arun.

2020 will see another packed programme for this classic all-purpose sailing dinghy which provides close racing for the very best sailors yet can also be used for day sailing, for coastal and inland cruising and for adventuring. ...read more

Some Wayfarer teams have been making a name for themselves racing through the winter in the SailJuice Selden Winter Series, the Blithfield Barrel and the Bough Beech Icicle to name just a few, but the traditional season opener will be the RYA Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace at the end of this month. There will be two Wayfarers on display at the Hartley Boats Stand (C62 in Hall 3- the Great Hall)) one fitted out for cruising and the other having the standard fit out for racing. Members of the UKWA Committee will be in attendance throughout the weekend to explain the many strengths of the boat and the Association to interested visitors.

Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series Datchet Flyer – photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

With over 11300 Wayfarers built since 1958, we are very proud that pride of place at the RYA Dinghy Show this year, however, will go to the 60 year old Nipegegi (sail number 198). This boat has won the class National Championships on five occasions over the years, all in the hands of the Hodshon family which has owned her from new. She last competed at the National Championships in 2018. In the latter part of 2018 and first half of 2019 however, Nipegegi had another goal as she was prepared for for an assault on the record for sailing round Britain unassisted in an open dinghy. Sailed by Will Hodshon (grandson of Bill, who was Nipegegi’s original owner and guardian) and Rich Mitchell the aim was not only to beat the existing record but also to complete the first non-stop circumnavigation of Britain in an open dinghy. Will, Rich and Nipegegi succeeded on both counts, completing the trip of 1390 nautical miles in a little over 15 days, breaking the 24 hour distance record for a Wayfarer dinghy along the way. Nipegegi will be on display for the weekend in Palm Court, and Will and Rich will be giving a talk on the stage in the Great Hall at 12:30 each day during the Show.

You don’t have to be as adventurous as Will and Rich to enjoy cruising a Wayfarer. During 2020 there will be many opportunities to cruise in company and to attend cruising rallies. Details of these can be found on the UKWA website.

There is also a full racing programme for 2020 headlined by the eight events of the Craftinsure National Circuit and Travellers Series including the National Championships which will be hosted by Dabchicks SC from 11-13 September. The series will culminate with the traditional Finale at Bough Beech SC in November when the end of season prize draw will also be made with wonderful prizes of sails, insurance vouchers and undercovers for the lucky winners.

The Wayfarer is sure to get at least a couple more mentions during the RYA Dinghy Show as dinghy sailing legend Michael McNamara will be rolling out his incredibly popular Rig Tuning talk on the West Hall stage at 15:00 each day. Michael, with his long term crew, Simon Townsend, has won the UK Wayfarer National Championships many times over the years and is the reigning National, European and International Champion.

Alongside the National Circuit Series there will be other less intense open meetings in Oxfordshire and Norfolk along with race weeks across the country, and events in Ireland and Scotland too. The race programme for 2020 can be seen at wayfarer.org.uk/racing-calendar-2020

The National Championships is usually the best supported event in the racing calendar with the entry divided into Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets welcoming teams of all abilities and experience. Entry is now open for the event. More details, the race documents and entry form can be found at dabchicks.org/wayfarer-national-championship

Wayfarer International Championship 2019 – photo © Alan Jones

-Tim Townsend

The Notice of Race document for the 2020 season’s Craftinsure UKWA National Circuit and Travellers Series has just been published and is linked here. Much more information will be posted here on the website as the season progresses.

Following their recordbreaking circumnavigation of Britain last Summer, we are delighted to hear that Will Hodshon and Rich Mitchel have been nominated for an award in the February edition of “Classic Boat” Magazine for “Classic Boater of the Year” category, against 3 other selected nominees; very exciting!

It is a public vote and, if you think they and Nipegegi are worthy, please do vote in support of them. It would be fabulous recognition for the Wayfarer and for raising awareness for their charities – Water Smart Foundation, RNLI and Surfers Against Sewage – if they won!

To vote, please follow this link.

Subs are due on the 1st April.

Sub renewal forms are also part of the AGM papers. If you pay by standing order, thank you very much; this makes Sarah’s job of collecting subs so much easier. If you would like to pay by standing order please contact Sarah at [[email protected]]

If you would like to pay in advance so much the better; Sarah will be delighted. You can also pay via this page on our website

Crucially, if renewing by an electronic transfer, please include your own name and boat / associate membership number as reference.

Our AGM is on Saturday 29 February 2020 at Alexandra Palace, London, at 4:00 pm.

This is held at the same time as the Dinghy Show but you don’t have to pay for entry to the dinghy show to attend the AGM. The papers for this year’s UKWA Annual General Meeting have been posted to this website and are available to read or download via the ‘About’ menu item above (on this page).   ...read more

UKWA would like to confirm that new memberships taken out now will be valid until Spring 2021. Applications to join that are made after 1st October in any given year are always treated in this way, effectively lasting for up to 18 months. Apologies for any confusion caused.

For information, the renewal date for existing members is 1st April.

Greetings! The 2020 Racing Calendar has now been posted to this website. Please note that is a “live” document and will be added to as we become aware of other racing events as the season progresses.

Date for your diary: March 27th – 29th 2020. This year’s UKWA Cruising Conference will once again be held at Notts. County Sailing Club. Early expressions of interest advised to avoid disappointment! Places already starting to fill up.  ...read more

Photo: @quinten.photography

We are pleased to announce on behalf of NedWA – the Netherlands Wayfarer Association – details of the 2020 International Rally. This will be happening on and around the waterways at Heeg in Friesland, from 17th – 23rd August.

An invitation giving lots of information about the rally is linked here, and a registration form may be found here. (These should each open in a new tab, depending on your browser).

We are pleased to announce the dates for next year’s Wayfarer Family Gathering as Saturday 8th to the Friday 14th August 2020.

The 2020 Gathering is moving to Rutland Water Sailing Club in the East Midlands. This venue boasts the best inland sailing in the UK and has outstanding facilities to meet the needs of a wide range of dinghy sailors.

2019 Gathering (Ullswater)

This event offers the opportunity to enjoy ‘sailing in company’ in the form of day cruises, picnics, overnight boat camping and a wide range of other dinghy cruising skills. We welcome sailors of all ages and experience and are particularly keen to support families wanting to sail together. New to this event, we plan to have a patrol boat available for our extended cruises. We also hope to offer sailing training for children through the club’s coaching staff if there is suitable demand.

Attendees can choose from a wide range of accommodation options, ranging from:

• Camping in tents, camper vans or motorhomes directly behind the sailing club,
• Bunk style family rooms or traditional ‘Bunk Houses’,
• Local hotels in Rutland or Oakham. (You would need to organise this accommodation yourself).

The nearby historic towns of Oakham and Stamford have a wide range of cafes, restaurants and high quality shops to support your recreational activities. Off-road cycling is also a popular pastime in the area and there are excellent cycle tracks.

More detailed information will be available from the 20th December and we will start taking bookings in the New Year. As ever, we aim to make the Gathering exceptional value for money and a wonderful opportunity to get to know the Wayfarer Cruising community. Wanderer dinghy sailors and keen racers wanting to relax for a week also welcome!

We expect the 2020 Gathering to be extremely popular. To register your interest and request details, please follow this link.

Are you willing and able to give something back to the UKWA – and help others enjoy their Wayfarer sailing as much as you do?

If you have enjoyed taking part in our cruising and/or racing programmes this and past years, and would like to become more involved, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

If you are a UKWA member willing to stand for election as an officer or member of the General Committee (“ExCom”) at the 2020 AGM we would be delighted to hear from you.

We are still looking for new people to join us on the committee and need the following positions filled:

• Chairman
• Vice Chairman
• Cruising Secretary
• R&T Chairman
• E-News Newsletter Editor

Our committee works very well together and is unlike many other committees – we all get along and never a cross word is spoken. Bliss!  If you can find a couple of hours a month to help us out and want to know more, contact Sarah Burgess in the first instance and she will put you in touch with the present incumbent.

Committee meetings are held 5 times a year, mostly over Skype as a conference call, typically on a Monday evening 7:00 – 9:00pm.

If you have any queries regarding any of the roles, our existing post holders would be pleased to answer them and would be delighted to let you know what is involved.

Nominations forms are available here:

Officer nomination form

ExCom nomination form

Please complete and return to Sarah, by 15 January 2020. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact her: [email protected] or 01206-545896

We are delighted to announce that our popular Wayfarer Book is now back in stock.

Copies are available via our shop on the page linked here.