Sailing – Cachalot: a gentleman's cutter

Category: Sailing

OGA Summer Cruise, 2026

This year it turns out our sailing season will be very short, but with PJ as crew for the week we joined the OGA Summer Cruise as they arrived at Stone Point.

Suffolk Yacht Harbour Regatta, 2026

Our next trip to Suffolk was for the Classic Regatta and Tim had agreed to be crew for the weekend with his friend Richard helping for the passage down from the Deben.

Outboard, dinghies and paddling

Before the trip to Dunkirk this year, there was quite a bit of thought about replacing the rather elderly rubber dinghy on ‘Cachalot’. We also needed a new outboard . . .

OGA Summer Cruise, 2025

This year, ‘Cachalot’ joined more than 30 boats and over 55 people for the East Coast OGA Summer Cruise with the planned start for the Cruise in the River Ore being Sunday 27 July, 2025.

Stormbound & departure for Ramsgate, May 2025

It became clear during Thursday that the fleet may be delayed on their return to Ramsgate. Perusing all the forecasts and taking advice from the Royal Navy it seemed possible there was a brief weather window on Friday, 23 May. 21 boats including ‘Cachalot’, decided to go.

85th Anniversary Return to Dunkirk, 2025

“Good morning everyone and I hope you slept well. Dunkirk Little Ships we are a green for go this morning.” The fleet had been preparing yesterday evening and since dawn on Wednesday 21 May, 2025, waiting for the official ‘go, no go’ order which arrived at 0600.

ADLS fleet gathers in Ramsgate

On Sunday 18 May, ‘Cachalot’ arrived in Ramsgate to join the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships as they gather for the 85th Anniversary Return to Dunkirk this week.

Depart Woodbridge for ADLS Return

Steve spent a final week making sure ‘Cachalot’ was ready for her passage to Dunkirk with the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships before setting off from the Tidemill Yacht Harbour on Friday 16 May, 2025.

OGA Summer Cruise, 2024: the movie

Catch up with what we did on the OGA Summer Cruise, 2024. There are also two posts telling the whole story in words and pictures.

OGA Summer Cruise, 2024: Walton to Woodbridge

The second part of the Summer Cruise involved a couple of days exploring Walton-on-the Naze followed by a night at Stone Point, the Pennyhole Bay Race and a couple of days in the River Orwell. Find out what we did in the first part of the week here.

OGA Summer Cruise, 2024: Woodbridge to Walton

Given our late start to the sailing season, it was good news that the Cruise started later this year. We met the Gaffers for a couple of days in the Deben and sailed down to Walton for gin-tasting at the Sailing Club.

Out of the Marina at last!

Once back in her berth, it was time to bend on the sails and the sun had started to shine at last! With help from Rick, Steve got the mainsail on, checked out the reefing lines and we consulted the weather forecasts and tide tables.