The name says it all, really. Rallies, races and socials for gaff rig enthusiasts, and jolly good stuff too. Their site has some great photos, as you might expect, and some of the best are on their photo competition page. There’s also a calendar of events for 2007.
http://www.oldgaffersassociation.org
Category: Sailing cruisers
Sailing yachts used for cruising, or as cruiser-racers.
An impressive Viking invader
Another very nice Scandinavian-influenced project from Adrian Morgan at Viking Boats. This time it’s an interesting double-ended design dating from 1934, based on a sketje hullform combined with a tall 1930s sailing rig:
http://www.viking-boats.com/page5.htm
JOG, anyone?
Hobbit is a 20ft mahogany clinker Laurent Giles Barchetta design sloop based on the legendary Sopranino sailed by Patrick Ellam and Colin Mudie.
In the very early 1950s, Ellam and Mudie chased the big boys of the RORC Santander race fleet, and arrived in their little boat only a few hours after the cream of the fleet despite their much shorter waterline length. They then sailed on to La Coruna, across to Las Palmas, over to the Caribbean and then up to New York. Needless to say, these were no mean achievements for a small boat and Sopranino, Ellam and Mudie all became overnight celebrities.
Their feats inspired the development of the Junior Offshore Group (JOG) of small light-weight, cruiser-racers.
Hobbit is built in mahogany clinker and is for sale at Newson’s in Lowestoft:
http://www.newson.co.uk/boat/hobbit/
