Category: Working boats

Brest Maritime Festival – fancy being part of the English Village?

1280px-Moonbeam_-_Brest_2008-10

The William Fife-designed 1903 sailing yacht Moonbeam pictured during the Brest Maritime Festival a few years ago (Source: Wikimedia Commons, photograph by Ludovic Péron)

Historian, serial exhibition presenter and activist Kipperman Mike Smylie tells me he and Classic Sailor editor Dan Houston are organising an ‘English Village’ for the Brest Maritime Festival, which this year is being held from the 13th to the 19th June.

They’re looking for folks with something maritime to offer to take part – I’d guess boatbuilding skills, sailmaking and ropework, publishing and perhaps many more things I haven’t thought of could all be appropriate. It’s just possible I might make the trips and sing sea songs (like this)…

If you’d like to go and think you fit the bill, email me at gmatkin@gmail.com, and I’ll put you in touch.

Fifie in need of retoration for sale – for £1

Bruce's

A 49ft 1926-built fifie built by Miller, James N & Son Ltd, St Monans for use as a herring drifter, Bruce’s is registered in the National Historic Fleet.

She was formerly owned by the Bruce family of Arbroath, and has been converted to a live-aboard, though with as many original features kept as possible.

The current caretaker of the vessel would love to see her go to a good home, as she is now in need of restoration. She’s up for sale for just £1.

For more information, click here and here.

 

Life on the Cut

https://vimeo.com/56018164

My thanks to Lynsey Rule for this one!

PS – And there’s also this sent to me a moment ago by the excellent Chris Brady. Thanks Chris!

Hear and read about the original BBC Midland radio ballad Cry from the Cut here, here, here,  here, and here. That should be enough to keep some of us going for a while…