The East Coast featured boat for March is the Gaffling 4.1, a new class of dinghy developed by the OGA and, in 2025, being promoted by the OGA East Coast Area.
Back in 2020 the East Coast OGA decided to invest in building not one but two of the new ‘OGA dinghies’, later known as the ‘Gaffling 4.1’. 2020 was not a good year to start a project, as many will remember . . . The two boats were finally launched, built by teams of East Coast OGA members led by Pete Thomas ‘Suffling’ and Pete ‘the knife’ Elliston ‘Essling’. Since then, a further boat has been purchased for use in the East Coast Area and in 2024 the first Gaffling Championships were held on the River Deben. Watch the video . . .
Young Gaffer, Maddy Masters enjoyed sailing a Gaffling at the Swallows & Amazons event in 2024: “I had the pleasure of sailing one of the East Coast OGA’s very own Gafflings, it was an absolute blast! With Will Roberts on the helm and me as crew we whizzed round the course on Saturday’s race, the conditions were excellent for this speedy little gaffer and it was great to get out on the water again. As much as I love my family’s smacks dinghy, she can be a little lethargic at times and it was awesome fun so sail this twitchy little boat in conditions to which she seemed very well suited. I would definitely recommend taking one out!”
There are six Gafflings, built and ready for sailing with a seventh under construction in the North East. One is based at Arnside and four are on the East Coast. Members of the OGA may find an article about the Gaffling by Pete Elliston in the March issue of Gaffers Log.
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