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The Tideway Owners’ Association. The Tideway Owners’ Association was formed in 1963 to further the enjoyment of this classic 12’ dinghy. Owners of around half the Tideways ever built are members of the TOA, making it one of the most successful traditional sailing dinghy classes in the country.
Since 1980 Tideways have been built by Tepco, The Watershed, The Boatyard and are currently built by Tideway Dinghies in GRP with an extensive wood fit out and by Good Wood Boat Co in traditional timber clinker.
The TOA co-ordinates a number of weekend and day meetings each year for members and their Tideways (including Tideway 10s and Tidesway 14s). Locations are selected for their beautiful sailing waters with facilities for boat launch and recovery and, at weekend meetings, boat storage.
At this meeting, the TOA was formed, the name ‘Tideway’ adopted and a steering committee was set up. As many of the known Tideway owners as possible were contacted, dinghy registrations commenced, and in 1964, with nearly a hundred registered Tideways, the TOA affiliated with the RYA.
The Tideway Owners’ Association was formed in 1963 to further the enjoyment of this classic 12’ dinghy. The association also welcomes owners of Tideway 10s and 14s plus those without a Tideway who are thinking of buying one or who simply wish to support the class.
The Tideway 10 and Tideway 14. The name Tideway was adopted by the Tideway Owners’ Association as the class name to be used for the 12′ clinker, gunter rig sailing dinghy built by Lew Walker.
Each year there are boats brought to our attention which, while very nice 12ft dinghies in their own right, and which owners or prospective owners have been told are Tideways, are not. Sometimes photographs are enough to establish the provenance, and sometimes an inspection of the boat is required.
The object of the TOA shall be to promote, organise and develop the Tideway dinghy as a restricted class for sailing, cruising, racing and general interest and to help members to gain the maximum enjoyment from their dinghy.
Originally bought as a family boat to take away on summer holidays, the Tideway has been sailed in Cornwall, Kent, the Solent, Scotland, Ireland and Brittany. Rejoining the TOA has made a huge difference to our sailing activities.
The Tideway is extremely stable, not too highly powered, and easily reefed afloat and thus well suited to cruising. Cruising activities tend to fall into two types, day sailing and extended cruising.