Latest UKWA News:

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.

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”:-

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 [club.manager@dabchicks.org] 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