Sailing – Cachalot: a gentleman's cutter

Category: <span>Sailing</span>

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.

OGA60: Jubilee Cruise

Once again, we were thwarted in attempts to take part in the whole East Coast Cruise!

OGA60: Jubilee Race

Ben had agreed to crew with us again for the Jubilee Race but we were quite anxious about the weather.

OGA60: Parade of Sail

On Friday morning, bright and early, BBC Radio Suffolk arrived to record the first of three interviews broadcast throughout the morning.

OGA60 Jubilee: arriving in Ipswich

The weather doesn’t look promising for the OGA60 Jubilee Party and we have no crew for the trip to Ipswich.

Suffolk Yacht Harbour Classics, 2023

‘Cachalot’ is 125 years old this year and we’ve invested in some crew kit: t-shirts and caps made by Nathan at ‘Quiller’ in Matlock Bath.

Easter weekend, 2023: out in the Deben

On Good Friday, 2023 we were all ready to depart the Tidemill once there was enough water over the sill.

Suffolk Yacht Harbour Classics, 2022

June 2022 found Steve with Ben and PJ as crew at the Classics Regatta.

To the River Blackwater and back, 2022

Steve and Ben sail ‘Cachalot’ down to the River Blackwater to watch the Barge and Smack Race, 6 August, 2022.

OGA Summer Cruise, 2022

Back to the Tidemill after the Classic Yacht Regatta, it was time to get ready for the OGA East Coast Cruise, July 2022.

Out with the sailmaker!

Steve M’s been promising to come up to sail with us to check out the performance of our Ratsey & Lapthorn sails.

Sailing in company with ‘Tannhauser’

‘Tannhauser’ is declared ready for her first trip out of the Marina. Ben and Steve decide to go out together when PJ arrives on Friday, 17 June.

OGA Summer Cruise, 2021

With Simon and Ricarda as crew, we looked forward to joining the OGA East Coast Cruise, July 2021.

Out of the River Deben at last, 2021

Since her launch in August, 2017, ‘Cachalot’ has never actually left the Deben!

‘Lockdown’ in the River Deben

As a national ‘lockdown’ looked increasingly likely, Steve drove to Suffolk on 14 March, 2020 to check on ‘Cachalot’, just in case we’d have to leave her for another few months.

Woodbridge Maritime Festival, 2018

Now we’re afloat, we were invited to join in with Maritime Woodbridge, 2018 in the Town Dock.

Summer sailing, 2006

Starting to sail with ‘Cachalot’ involved getting a Day Skipper ‘ticket’ to satisfy the requirements of the insurers.