by Barry James Wilson

Gaff rigged boats are square rigged sailing boats with a spar (the Gaff) at the top.

They are called Old Gaffers because in the 1920’s a new rig came out which is the Bermudian rig.

The Old Gaffers festival started in 1959 after 3 Gaffer skippers had a race on the Solent.

Old Gaffers (Photo by Barry James Wilson)

Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival was held on the Solent for the 16th year on 26/27th May.

The boats are from the 1880’s to around the late 1920’s

Gaffers line the Yarmouth Harbour (Photo by Barry James Wilson)

The festival takes over all of the harbour the town square and most of the ferry car park.

Harbour was full of old Gaff rigged yachts all decked out with flags

Old Gaffers with Flags Flying (Photo by Barry James Wilson)

Town square was taken over with a French market and entertainersAt last we had lost the rain we have had for the last 3 weeks and there was hot sun all weekend

Gaffers in Yarmouth Harbour (Photo by Barry James Wilson)

Race day on Saturday had winds from force 5 to force 7 which had the effect that only about 20 boats went out to race.

As the Solent has strong tides and the wind was from the east ( normally from the west ) you had wind over tide.

which made for some interesting sailing.

Old Gaffer Upwind (Photo by Barry James Wilson)

As the boats are owned by enthusiasts and are so old most of the fleet would not risk the weather conditions .

WEST WIGHT SCOWS

	Skipper/owner
1^st	Martin Palmer
2^nd	Roger P. E.
3^rd	Graeme Bowen

THE TROPHIES

Arrival time – Harbour Commissioner’s Trophy

	Boat name	Skipper/owner
1^st	Lone Wolf	Pat & Dick Dawson
2^nd	Tarka	Geoff & Jaye Lawson
3^rd	Moonriver	Tim & Sheila Murray

Concours – the best turned out boat

First prize – The Mayor’s Cup

	Boat name	Skipper/owner
1^st	Lone Wolf	Pat & Dick Dawson

Blake Sims HMS Hurricane Trophy – The Boat who sailed the race course under difficult conditions occasioned by a tear in her mainsail before the start – repair effected which held.

	Boat name	Skipper/owner
1^st	High Barbaree	Tim & Liz Dodwell

The Petronella Cup – In memory of Dave Keller (Dave cruised his 16ft Petronella all along the South Coast and founded this Festival) – The Boat under 20ft who entertained us Friday and was game enough to go out racing Saturday.

	Boat name	Skipper/owner
1^st	Miss Ningi	Bernard Bowes

SATURDAY’S YARMOUTH OLD GAFFERS FESTIVAL RACE

Overall winner – The Long Tackle Trophy

	Boat name	Skipper/owner
1^st	Zinnia	Ian & Sue Pople

The George Hotel Trophy

Class 1, over 31 feet waterline

	Boat name	Skipper/owner
1^st	Jolie Brise	Toby Marris
2^nd	Alice lll	Stephen Akester
3^rd	Aeolus	Anthony Wheaton

The Bugle Hotel Trophy

Class 2, 27 feet or over but under 31feet waterline

	Boat name	Skipper/owner
1^st	Susan J	Mike & Dan Shaw
2^nd	Alicia	Chris Harnan
3^rd	Maude	Dave & Margaret Moore

The Kings Head Trophy

Class 3, 23 feet or over but under 27 feet waterline

	Boat name	Skipper/owner
1^st	Zinnia	Ian & Sue Pople
2^nd	Rosenn	Barry Dunning & Bob Fisher
3^rd	Betty ll	Ben Collins

Gaffers in the whitecaps (Photo by Barry James WIlson)

The Wheatsheaf Trophy

Class 4, 19 feet or over but under 23 feet waterline

	Boat name	Skipper/owner
1^st	Windflower	Malcolm McKeon
2^nd	Nellie	Scott Waddington
3^rd	Little Kingfisher	Hannah Cunliffe & Dan Matthews

Salty’s Trophy

Class 5 under 19 feet waterline.

	Boat name	Skipper/owner
1^st	Step Back in Time	Tony Kiddle
2^nd	Spray	Steve Mitchell