She looks nice and comfortable as well as good fun to sail, and she’s on eBay now. Go on – you know you want to!
My thanks to John Lockwood for alerting me to this one.
Category: Traditional carvel
Traditional carvel plans and boatbuilding
Can we save the Kathleen & May for the UK?
Three masted Cardiff Bay schooner Kathleen & May at Brest last year. Photo by Pymouss
The fabulous Kathleen & May, our last surviving timber-built three-masted topsail schooner described by the National Historic Ships as ‘an outstanding vessel of national significance’ and part of the National Historic Fleet, is in grave danger of being sold abroad.
The Arts Council is expected to grant approval for her to be sold abroad and the South West Maritime History Society has got up a petition to try prevent such a disastrous move – sign it here: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/45755
The vessel is well known to the British public as it starred in the famous [BBC television drama series] The Onedin Line and took part in the Queen’s Jubilee Parade last summer.
The SWMHS is calling on David Cameron to protect listed ships in the same way as listed buildings, as is done in other countries. It has a point – the important elements of our culture are not limited to its biggest icons, such as the Cutty Sark, which has received enormous attention and spending.
It also wants the National Lottery to establishing a substantial ‘attendance and interpretation’ fund to enable many more of these wonderful ships to attend the festivals, help keep them well maintained, provide sailing opportunities for young people, help stimulate local economies including by attracting visitors from abroad, and generally showing the flag for Britain at festivals abroad. It seems a reasonable request in the light of calculations that nothing else the Lottery does offers such a low cost per view.
London to Istanbul dinghy sailor and campaigner seeks a UK boatyard for significant project
Successful London to Istanbul dinghy sailor Giacomo De Stefano (he’s currently in the running for Classic Boat’s Person of the Year Award for his voyage) is setting up a new project – and is looking for a boat yard in the UK that can help him achieve his goals.
He’s planning to use two boats to campaign about the ‘connectedness’ of those who use water resources – agriculture, those who use waterways to dispose of effluents, as a source of drinking water, as a means of making and living, and to collect stories that make his points. Read all about the project here: http://www.bewater.info.
One of the boats to be used for this purpose is Memphis of Dartmouth, an impressive 62ft ketch built in 1928 by James Miller & Sons of St Monans, Fife, which he will be bringing to the UK through the French canals in May this year. When she arrives she will need a fair amount of work by a yard to replace rotted oak frames etc, and there will also be a significant amount to be carried out by his own team.
Giacomo tells me he plans to pay for this by raising money from supporters and through organising partnership and sponsorship deals, which he is optimistic of achieving, but he adds that he can also offer financial guarantees to the yard that takes the job on. The job is also likely to attract publicity, it goes without saying.
If you’re interested, please contact Giacomo through the http://www.bewater.info website.