Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival 2012

For me this is one of the best events of the summer: it's an annual gathering of traditional boats at Yarmouth, a small harbour town at the west end of the Isle of Wight. Although the boats are at the centre of things it's a festival for the whole town and beyond.  There is an international street market, craft tent, vintage car rally, entertainers, dogshow, lifeboat display, etc..

Toucando was joined in Southampton by Lesley and Carole on Thursday.  After some lunch on board and familiarisation with the ropes, we set off.  The wind was variable.  It started off in the north, went round to the south, then the south east, then the south west.  The only consistent thing about it was that it tended to blow from the direction we wanted to go.  We raised the main off Dockhead in a blustery Force 4 to 5 from the south east and motor sailed down to Calshot.  Once in the Solent we were able to start beating down towards Yarmouth,  but  by this stage the wind had dropped and backed to south west and we were not making very fast progress.  The crew however got pretty efficient at tacking.  We completed the passage in very light winds arriving in Yarmouth at about 1930.

After securing Toucando we went for a barbecue and were joined by Carole's husband.  Unfortunately the lawn at the Royal Solent has been turned into a builders' compound so we were in the shed at the back of the car park.  Nevertheless it was good to meet up with the gaffers again.

Friday was shore-based... there was plenty to see.  Toucando seemed to enjoy being on one of Yarmouth's new walkashore pontoons between some Memorys including Sepia and Nipperkin.

In the evening the shore entertainment was laid on by Rob Da Bank or Radio 1 and Bestival fame. 
He does a lot of stuff on the Island and brings a new dimenstion to Friday night at Yarmouth.  Cuban Brothers were headlining, but my recommendation for top band was Skinny Lister.  This five piece sings folk songs, shanties and their own material, while passing around a couple of earthenware cider jugs.  It's about time for another folk revival, and Skinny Lister brings a new energy and enthusiasm to the genre.  Best of all they seem to attract a young following who belt out the choruses with real enthusiasm.

Saturday was the day of the race.  Since Toucando will not race until a regular crew has been found I enjoyed spectating from the end of Yarmouth Pier.  Despite the blue skies it had blown a gale overnight and was very blustery in the morning.  Most of the small boats decided to stay in harbour.  Miss Ningi bravely ventured out, had a brilliant start, but had to return when waves started flooding her.  The crowd repeatedly opined that it was "blowing old boots" and that (most of) the competitors were "going like a train".  I haven't the faintest idea who won, but it all looked good.

I decided to give the Abba, Queen and Rod Stewart tribute bands a miss on Saturday night... or at least listen to them from Toucando.

The homeward crew comprised Lesley and Michele.  The wind had dropped considerably.  We sailed quite slowly up the western Solent and Southampton Water.  It was very crowded as youy might exect for the first really warm weekend of the sailing season.  We got back to Toucando's home berth on the Itchen at about 1430.

Thanks to Carole, Lesley and Michele for crewing and miscellaneous old gaffers for the benefit of their advice.

Yarmouth Old Gaffers' Festival 2011

Toucando set off for Yarmouth on Thursday 2nd June, with crew comprising Lesley, David and Andrew (skipper).  First job was to top up with diesel at Itchen Towage.

We had a bit of a sail down Southampton Water, but a light westerly was not helpful when it came to the Solent, so we motored the rest of the way.  Toucando wore a good selection of flags, like the other gaffers.

She was much admired.  Several people remembered seeing her at Brest in Brittany with her previous owners.
On Friday we enjoyed the shore entertainments, including Rob da Bank of Radio 1 (who lives nearby) and a range of musicians.

Saturday was an opportunity to go sailing.  Toucando did not join the race, but instead went out and practised tacking, gybing and different sail settings, with a crew comprising Andrew, Anne, Lesley and Paul.

Tall ship under the boom

Paul, Anne, Andrew and Lesley... back in Yarmouth

Saturday night was very windy... blowing from the northeast straight into the harbour.  Even Toucando at 11 tons was bouncing about, and the mooring lines were creaking and groaning.  At 0130 the lifeboat went out on a call.  As we were moored just 10 metres away we couldn't help peer out through the portholes as it went off on its mission: it would not have been a nice night at sea.

On Sunday we returned to Southampton (Andrew, Lesley, Paul and Vee).  We had a little excitement when the engine started smoking just outside Yarmouth.  After a few moments thought we checked the cooling water strainer and removed a large clump of seaweed.  As is so often the case the wind was blowing the wrong way, so it was more of a motor than a sail.  Toucando arrived back on her berth in the Itchen in the late afternoon having enjoyed the festival and welcomed five new crew members over the weekend.