Gaffer Event

Friday 30th – Saturday 31st August 2024

Dartmouth Royal Regatta Sailing Week is a celebration of sailing in all its guises.  Our Gaffer Event  is designed for sailors who want to enjoy the pleasures of Start Bay during Regatta and is ideal for crews who like a challenge but don’t want the hurly burly of racing alongside modern yachts. 

Each day has its own set of prizes so don’t worry if you can only take part on one of the days. 

The event will take the same format as in recent years, with boats sailing a fixed course in Start Bay, noting their own start and finish times. Gaff-rigged boats will compete under their OGA T(H)CF handicap.  Each day’s course will be decided by 20:00 the previous evening, depending on the weather and to keep clear of the main race fleets. It will be emailed in pdf format to all entrants, available to download from the website, and printed to collect from RDYC – or contact us beforehand if these arrangements don’t suit you.  The White Sail Event will be following the same course, although with a separate start time and separate prizes.  

You can cross the start line any time between 10:30-10:45, and declaration forms must be returned to the Royal Dart Yacht Club no later than 16:00, either in person or by email.  Please be aware that emails can be delayed if signal is weak so don’t assume your emailed form has been received unless acknowledged by the Sailing Office.

Please note that this event is not covered by a Notice of Race, and should be sailed under a “Red Ensign”.

Important: Please check your insurance to ensure that you are covered at least for third party liability risks.  Although not classed as formal racing under RYA terminology, your insurer may exclude or limit cover in a timed event such as this, which some might interpret as racing.

Communication on VHF Channel 12.  A mobile phone must also be carried to comply with the Emergency Procedures (available here nearer the time). If wished, you can join a WhatsApp group with the White Sail yachts for sociable chat and sharing of photos during the day.

There will be prizegivings on both days at RDYC, with both Daily and Series prizes.  After the Friday prizegiving, an area at the club will be set aside for the Gaffer and White Sail crews, so that they can meet up to chat over the day’s sail and perhaps enjoy a crew supper together.

Get your entry in early to take advantage of the early-bird discount – just £14 per day, or £23 for both days until 31st July.  After that, the full fee is still only £18 per day, or £28 for both days.  Click here for information on how to enter, or click here to go direct to online entry and payment for this event.

Cancellation policy: If an entry is cancelled, an administrative fee will be charged of 4% until 31st July, and of 50% from 1st -16th August; from the 17th August, refunds will only be made in exceptional circumstances. In particular, a full refund, or the option to carry their entry to 2025, will be offered to competitors withdrawing because of a positive Covid-19 test or an official requirment to self-isolate. If the event is cancelled for any reason associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, entrants will be offered the options of a full refund or to carry their entry over to 2025.