Traditional Boats & Tall Ships Magazine

Southampton Charity wins international award

Southampton based charity, Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST) became Sail Training Organisation of the Year (Large Ships category) this weekend, during Sail Training International (STI)’s annual International Sail Training and Tall Ships conference.

The conference, which was held in Istanbul this year, took place on 20th and 21st November and was attended by delegates from over 28 countries. It is marked as one of the biggest events in the sail training calendar with the International Annual Awards always held on the second day.

Sail Training Organisation of the year has previously been won by Australia and New Zealand, so it is a huge achievement for the award to go to a UK based organisation. The award was presented to CEO of Jubilee Sailing Trust, Amanda Butcher, who attends this important conference every year.

Tom Stewart, Chairman of Jubilee Sailing Trust explains,

“We are all absolutely delighted that the important work of Jubilee Sailing Trust has been recognised by our international Sail Training colleagues.  Everyone who supports JST should take great pride in this award.

Jubilee Sailing Trust owns and operates two tall ships, the only two of their kind in the world that have been adapted to enable able bodied and disabled people to sail alongside each other. The medium of tall ship sailing challenges people from all levels of ability.

 

Spirit of the Mystery to visit Maritime Museum Cornwall

The sailor and adventurer Pete Goss will be bringing his replica vessel Spirit of the Mystery to the pontoon at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall from 15th to 26th September.  For the duration of the fortnight, Pete and his crew will be sharing their incredible adventures with a number of schools from across the county.  The hundreds of Cornish school children will also encounter an 'original member' of the 1854 crew, thanks to a theatrical workshop.  Supported by HSBC, these workshops will teach the pupils about local maritime history, food, navigation and Cornwall's boat-building heritage. 

Pete, his crew and Spirit of the Mystery set sail for Australia via Cape Town in just a few weeks. The 37ft wooden lugger follows in the wake of seven Cornishmen who made a heroic journey from Newlyn to Australia more than 150 years ago.  Leaving Newlyn in November 1854, the Mystery travelled 11,800 nautical miles in 116 days before arriving in Melbourne in March 1855.  The only break in the voyage was a week in Cape Town for repairs and replenishment before heading into the Southern Ocean.  Pete will be re-enacting this journey in his Spirit of the Mystery in the most authentic ways possible: the replica boat is built by Chris Rees using local wood to the original drawings.  There is no engine and the crew will navigate only by the stars and the sun. 

After the schools' fortnight in September, Spirit of the Mystery will return to the Museum from the 16th to the 19th October, during the Falmouth Oyster Festival, where again people will be able to see the boat on the Museum’s pontoon.  Pete will also be giving a talk about his latest voyage in the Museum’s lecture theatre on Friday 17th October at 6.30pm. 

It's not just the kids who get treated to the boat, by the way - visitiors will also be able to get close to the boat and her crew from 3-5pm every weekday from the 15th to 26th September (excluding the 19th), and she’s also available for viewing from 10am to 5pm at weekends.  Have a look at the Museum website for more details - this is one of the finest opportunities this year to see Cornwall’s maritime heritage come to life.  

St.Maarten-St.Martin Classic Yacht Regatta 2009

The St.Maarten-St.Martin Classic Yacht Regatta is now inviting all tall ships to sail in the Caribbean in January 2009.  A special course for those large vessels has been added in the fourth classic regatta, due to be held in the third week of January, and tall ships will not have to pay a fee to participate in the Regatta. 

Ships like the Stad Amsterdam and the Star Clipper ships have shown interest in participating, while the 75m Canadian barquentine Caledonia, pictured above, has already registered.  The organisation hopes to attract many more!  

The fourth Invitational St.Maarten-St.Martin Classic Yacht Regatta 2009 kicks off on Thursday January 22nd with a skippers' briefing and official opening ceremony.  Effective sailing starts the next day from Great Bay to Marigot, where the yachts will be hosted at Fort Louis Marina.  Saturday will be a special Tall Ships Day, when all classics and the tall ships will sail back towards the finish line in Great Bay. 

Organisers received the authorisation from the Saint Maarten Port Authorities to dock the Tall Ships at the Pointe Blanche cruise ship pier so that passengers can disembark and an onboard VIP reception can be held after the regatta that Saturday evening.  It may also be possible for the general public to visit the ships on Sunday morning while they are in Great Bay. 

The regular schooners, vintage, 'spirit of tradition' and classic yachts in the regatta will set sail again that Sunday morning for the last regatta day towards Anguilla and return to the finish in Great Bay in the afternoon. 

Have a look at the Classic Regatta website for more details. 

New Pro Softshell Jacket from Gill

Those of you planning on braving the British winter will be interested in the new jacket from Gill: the Pro Softshell Jacket has been designed with the look and feel of a true racing outer shell with a soft and supple handle – hence the term Softshell.  It has the versatility to be worn in a full-on race environment – or just as easily as a great looking deck coat. 

An active cut, durable Micro-Grid rip-stop fabric that is waterproof and highly breathable, and a lightweight laminated micro-fleece lining provide a jacket that has a really low profile feel and stunning sporty design that will look right at home at any Grand Prix sailing event.

Additional features include adjustable cuffs, a drop tail hem with an inner drawcord, zipped fleece-lined outer pockets and an internal pocket for keeping essential items secure.  A snip at £125! 

For further information, drop Gill a line on +44 (0)115 946 0844, email them here or have a look at their website. 

Adventurers wanted for Atlantic odyssey

Have you ever dreamt of experiencing travel from a bygone age?  Do you yearn for the creak of the rigging and look up to huge white sails billowing in the wind?  Have you enjoyed watching Master & Commander or Pirates of the Caribbean and wonder what it would be like to actually sail these mighty ships?  Or perhaps you’ve seen round-the-world yacht races, and wanted the opportunity to crew on a truly epic voyage?  Here is your chance!

Ships taking part in the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge are now seeking adventurous trainee crew members to join them on this odyssey around the North Atlantic in 2009.  Tall ships, racing yachts and traditional boats will be competing together in an epic voyage that starts in Spain on April 2009, travelling across the Atlantic to Bermuda, then up to the US and Canada before returning to Europe with a final stop in Belfast in August.

The event is being organised by Sail Training International, the organisers of the annual Tall Ships’ Races.  While many Tall Ships competitions have age restrictions, the Challenge legs from Vigo to Tenerife, Tenerife to Bermuda, Bermuda to Charleston and finally Charleston to Boston do not, meaning anyone can join a crew, from the age of 15 upwards with no upper limit - as long as you are fit and healthy and ready for a challenge! 

Ships from many different nations will be taking part, and many are now actively seeking trainee crew members for the Challenge.  To find out more visit Sail Training International website.  What are you waiting for? 

Angele Aline is sailing again to save lives

It’s not often that you can really be a part of history… but the Angele Aline is a little ship that allows you the feeling that you truly are!  Joining her for part of her charity voyage this autumn gives you the opportunity to sail a Dunkirk veteran with an impressive pedigree. 

Launched at the birth of the Jazz Age, she survived the Depression and rescued countless Allied troops during the famous evacuation in 1940.  Her latest voyage will also save and improve lives, raising money for two diverse, but equally important charities: East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices and the Vila Maninga project in Mozambique. 

In autumn 2008 the Angele Aline is sailing the east cost of Britain, navigating the Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness, visiting the Scottish Western Islands, returning through the Canal, stopping at Inverness, Edinburgh and Whitby, and finally returning to the home berth in Woolverstone. 

There are still a few vacancies to crew the Angele Aline between 6th September and 1st November – whether you are an experienced sailor or a novice.  There is a very special price offered for these late places: just £275 per person for one week, or £500 for two. 

The Angele Aline has been fitted out in style: retaining all the originality of her early history, she is now comfortable, with a feeling of spacious intimacy.  If you want privacy, there’s the option of the 'Owner Cabin', with en suite toilet, at £775 per week (double occupancy).  And you will not be expected to crew on an empty stomach – there’s a well stocked galley! 

Time is getting short and the Angele Aline needs to know that you will be joining her soon!  Bookings should be confirmed (and payment made in full) by 3rd September - so get your skates on! 

Go to the Angele Aline website for further details, send an email this way, or call Jean (daytime only) on 01284 728792 or Ray (evenings only) on 01284 723205. 

National Maritime Museum Cornwall launches on-line journal

The case of a supposed wrecking on the Isles of Scilly is the first article to be published in the new on-line journal from the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.  The new quarterly, called TROZE, is free to all and will cover two themes: maritime matters in general and Cornwall's maritime history in particular.  The title of the journal is taken from the Cornish word for the sound made by water about the bows of a boat: troze. 

The first issue, published this month, covers an especially Cornish story: the issue of wrecking.  In Neglectful or Worse - A Lurid Tale of a Lighthouse Keeper and Wrecking in the Isles of Scilly, Cathryn Pearce explores a case of supposed wrecking relating to the lighthouse on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly.  In a carefully researched article she shows how a wrecking story became distorted over time to become part of the accepted orthodoxy.  Cathryn Pearce gained her PhD at the Greenwich Maritime Institute, University of Greenwich, appeared on a BBC programme about wrecking and is currently working on a book on the subject in Cornwall. 

Museum Trustee Dr Helen Doe, who inspired the creation of Troze, commented: “We are delighted to be producing an authoritative journal like this as it demonstrates the serious side to the Museum’s work and helps to advance the general knowledge of maritime history and Cornwall in particular.  Forthcoming articles will cover topics such as smuggling, which are so often misunderstood or the subject of stereotyped semi-fictional accounts.  Many of the articles have been written as a result of our very popular maritime conferences, the next of which is on the 27th September.  TROZE will enable more people to enjoy the results of research by enthusiasts and academics.”

TROZE welcomes article submissions on any aspect relating to our mission from enthusiastic researchers, writers or people who are knowledgeable or passionate about their topics: in short anyone who has something interesting and relevant to say.  Click here to contact the editor. 

TROZE is available now from the Research section of the Museum’s website. 

The seven masted schooner Thomas Lawson, wrecked in a 1907 Scilly Isles storm. 

Lord Nelson to the rescue

The Jubilee Sailing Trust is delighted to announce that their tall ship Lord Nelson has been awarded the Peter & Simon Crowther Memorial Trophy as a result of their crucial role in a medical emergency on the 16th August during the course of the Tall Ships’ Races 2008. 

Awarded to the vessel which contributed most significantly to the aims of sail training during a race series, the Peter & Simon Crowther Memorial Trophy has not been awarded since the Irish tall ship Asgard II won it in 2003.  Lord Nelson, which was racing towards the Dutch Port of Den Helder from Bergen in Norway, received the emergency call and responded to the medical emergency by stowing the sails, then turning around and motoring twelve miles to the assistance of a casualty aboard the two masted German schooner, Johann Smidt. 

Dr Simon Cunningham, a volunteer on Lord Nelson, transferred to the schooner and made the decision to have the casualty airlifted to Hospital in Newcastle.  After flying to the hospital with the casualty, Dr Cunningham was reunited with his crew the following day thanks to the Royal Air Force who offered to transfer him back onto the ship via a Hi-line.  Upon his return, he was promptly told to report to his bracing station for a change of sail!

Lord Nelson is no stranger the trophy table, having won the Friendship trophy during last year’s event for being the ship which did most to help further international understanding and friendship during the races. 

And the Tall Ships' Races 2008 Friendship Trophy goes to....

The Omani ship Shabab Oman has won the prestigious Sail Training International Friendship Trophy at the culmination of The Tall Ships' Races 2008 in Den Helder today.  The Omani ship was an exceptionally popular winner, and a huge cheer rang around the port when the ship's name was announced. 

The Sail Training International Friendship Trophy epitomises the objective of the races and is awarded to the vessel which, in the opinion of the entire race fleet, has done the most to help further international friendship and understanding during the races.  The Omanis are always popular competitors in the races - always friendly, forever smiling and making their unique music. 

The prize-giving followed a typically noisy and colourful crew parade through the streets of Den Helder, the final port in this year's race series. Altogether, some 85 vessels took part in the entire event, with around 5000 young people aged between 15 and 25 making up half of the crews. 

The full list of all the prizes awarded at the prize-giving is available here, with the news archive here, the picture gallery here, the online shop here and the final results right here.  

Tall Ships' Races 2008 update

The race time limit has been brought forward to to allow sufficient time for the back markers to make it to Den Helder for the final four days of festivities, starting on 20th August.  The new limit has been set for 1200hrs GMT today (18th August) for Class A, 1230hrs for Class B, 1245hrs for Class C and 1300hrs for Class D. 

Just nineteen vessels remain on the course; all the others have crossed the finish line and made their way to Den Helder or stopped off at other ports en route.  Christian Radich, pictured above, looks set to hold on to her lead overall on corrected time with Jolie Brise, the Class B vessel, coming in second and Sørlandet in third.  Statsraad Lehmkuhl, the third Class A Norwegian ship, retired. 

In Class B behind Jolie Brise is Moosk with Morning Star of Revelation remaining in third place.  This British one-two-three continues a strong showing by British vessels: thoguh Akela of Russia is in first place in Class C, Black Diamond of Durham has taken second place with the Polish Guadeamus in third.  In CLass D, St Barbara V is the provisional winner with Rona II coming in second and Thyra of Denmark in third, having finally overcome her sister vessel Svanen in one of the Races' closest tussles.

These results remain provisional until the race time limit has been reached and the 'finish at sea' formula has been applied to all the vessels yet to cross the finish line.  All vessels then have to complete and hand in their Race Declaration Forms before the results can be made final.  Winds are forecast to increase slightly and veer to the south west - too late to make a difference...?

The vessels that have now crossed the finish line are: Akela, Antwerp Flyer, Black Diamond of Durham, Christian Radich, Cisne Branco, Cuauhtemoc, Eendracht, Esprit, Gaudeamus, John Laing, Jolie Brise, Mir, Rona II, Sørlandet, Spaniel, St Barbara V, Svanen, Thermopylae Clipper, Thyra, Urania and Zryw.  Clyde Challenger is due into Den Helder later this morning, still under tow from the Norwegian Coast Guard vessel Andenes. 

As throughout the races, you can follow the progress of the fleet by chasing the link at the top right of this page.  Check out these links for the news archive, picture gallery, positions and results, weather forecast and STI online shop.