Naburn Paddle at the Yorkshire Ouse Sailing Club

13th June 2026

Challenging day on the river; the 2026 Naburn Paddle

It may not be the biggest open event of the year, but it is certainly one of the oldest, first sailed for in the late 1940s for the Yorkshire Ouse Sailing Club’s “Naburn Paddle” trophy. For the third year running, windy conditions with vicious gusts swirling round the willows greeted crews arriving at the Club. Most welcome were the Wherry family for their first visit to Naburn along with several returning, including former YOSC member Graham Marshall, claiming he’d travelled from sailing in Chesapeake Bay, USA with his wife Judy, just to sail for the “Paddle”. Tim Hampshire and family plus Neil McInnes and Martin Parrish joined home club members Philip David and Class Association Chair Ian Purkis and his wife Margaret, although the conditions meant their Mk4A never came off her trailer.

Thanks to the hard work of the members, the clubhouse is probably now in better condition than at any time during the Club’s eighty-five-year occupancy of the 300-year-old former ferryman and blacksmith’ cottages. The fully rebuilt OD box added to the Club’s good shape. A three-race programme was planned by Race Officer Steve Axford with one long, five lap race for the Jubilee Trophy followed by two shorter races. Philip David and young Dan Wherry (N3499) were slightly early on the line so had to turn back giving Tim and Em Hampshire (N3502) a clean start with Philip and Dan following. Neil McInnes and Martin Parrish (N3216) were holding third in the older Admirals Cup boat, and a bit further back Phil and Sarah Wherry (N3454) were having a close race with Graham Marshall and Matthew Wherry in the leading vintage boat (N2545), Philip David’s borrowed China Doll. Conditions soon claimed the first retirements with the Wherry crew having an encounter with a riverside tree while Philip David and Dan had a big capsize leaving Tim and Em Hampshire to win by nearly a lap. Graham and Matthew were surprised to get a distant second with Neil and Martin recovering from a capsize, making it to the finish in a waterlogged third.

After a pleasant lunch and a crew change, Philip David now had Phil Wherry as his stand in crew for races two and three. This time the two Philips made a perfect start leading the reduced fleet downstream to the windward mark and their first win. Tim and Em gave chase but didn’t get close while Graham and Matthew were in a close race with Neil and Martin until they too had a tangle with tree branches. Race three saw a similar pattern with the two Philips wining but, frustratingly, Tim and Em got stuck in an unexpected windless spot with the two older boats closing and passing them before they got underway again. Recovering they soon reestablished their second place.

After tea and a typically excellent Yorkshire Ouse cheese cake and more, prize giving concluded the day with Club Commodore Darren Rigg presenting the two Philips with the “Naburn Paddle” while as consolation Tim and Em were presented with the Jubilee Trophy for their win in the first race. Graham and Matthew were delighted to claim third and the vintage prize with Neil and Martin fourth. As the first part of a Yorkshire double-header weekend, crews departed, most heading for the Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club for day two.

 

Overall results