Tag: National Historic Ships

Sailing barge Edith May wins National Historic Ships national flagship title for 2012

Thames sailing barge Edith May has been named National Historic Ships national flagship for 2012.

In the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant, it seems particularly appropriate that the winner for 2012 is a vessel specifically designed to trade on the Thames.

Edith May is an 86ft barge built by J&H Cann of Harwich in 1906 for the coastal trade carrying wheat and grain products.

She also had a successful racing career before falling into sad disrepair in the 1990s before being purchased and then restored by her current owners.

The flagship of the year title is awarded to the owners of the vessel with the most impressive seasonal programme of public events in the forthcoming year, and is designed to promote engagement and appreciation of historic vessels in the UK’s heritage.

Each year’s flagship vessel receives a traditional swallow-tailed broad pennant to fly from the masthead wherever she goes to mark her flagship status, and a grant of £1000 towards the cost of keeping her in operational condition and opening for public viewing.

The judges decided that the submission from the Edith May was outstanding. Her extensive public programme over the coming season includes festivals, barge matches, public cruises and taking part in the Queen’s pageant.

Edith May is registered on the National Register of Historic Vessels held by National Historic Ships. She can be seen at her berth in Lower Halstow in Kent during the winter, and is also available for sailing charter trips on the Medway and as a static venue for events.

PS – on the subject of the National Historic Ships, there’s still lots of time to enter the annual photographic competition. Details are here and here.

The deadline for the National Historic Ships annual photographic competition is the 31st August

Calder and Hebble Keel, Pauline, misty morning Winner - Gabrielle Lorenz

Low Tide Castletown IOM Highly Commended - Ian Kippax Maybird-post restoration sea trials Highly Commended - Mike Garlick Beer Lugger 2010 Winner - Jon Palmer

Some winning and commended entries from last year’s competition 

Photographers – the closing date for entries for the annual National Historic Ships photo competition is coming up fast. Have you entered yet? Perhaps there’s something in your camera right now that would make an entry?

Category B is likely to be of special interest to Intheboatshed.net readers, as it traditional maritime skills, and is intended to highlight hands-on maintenance of vessels, rigging, sailing and boatbuilding in the workplace or classroom.

The first prize is £1000, and category winners stand to win £250 to be spent on maritime training, equipment, tools or educational material – and the runner-up will receive a copy of the book Legendary Classic Yachts published by Adlard Coles Nautical.

Click here for more information.

 

Shetland fifie Swan beats Spider T to win National Historic Ships flagship award

Fifie Swan - The Swan Trust

Shetland fifie Swan, winner of the national flagship award

Spider T, winter 2010

Humber sloop Spider T came second in a close contest

The Swan Trust deserve our congratulations on the fifie Swan’s victory in being made 2011 flagship by the National Historic Ships.

Humber sloop Spider T came second in a close contest.

The award presented to Swan goes to the owners of the vessel on the National Historic Fleet with the most impressive seasonal programme of public events in the forthcoming year. The winners receive a special pennant to mark her flagship status, and a grant of £1000 to be spent on the vessel’s upkeep.

A fifie herring drifter, Swan (LK243) was launched in May 1900 at Hay and Company’s yard in Lerwick in the Shetland Isles. Having survived two world wars and then falling into disrepair, this vessel has now been restored to her former glory by a team of dedicated volunteers. The judges were particularly impressed with the breadth of Swan’s summer programme which, starting in her home port, will take her to the Orkneys; along the Caledonian Canal; to Waterford to compete in the Tall Ships Race to Glasgow, and then to Norway, engaging throughout with the large number of young people who will form her crews, and inviting visitors on board wherever she goes.

Swan is one of some 200 vessels of pre-eminent national significance which together form the UK’s National Historic Fleet.

Swan Trust chairman Allister Rendell, said: ‘I am delighted that Swan has won… It is particularly appropriate that Swan has been selected, since the Tall Ships will be visiting Shetland this year.’

Runner-up Spider T receives a £250 grant which will also go towards supporting the vessel and promoting the Flagship of the Year scheme.

National Historic Ships director Martyn Heighton commented: ‘With the flagship award now in its third year, the quality of entries has gone from strength to strength. Swan is a worthy winner in a year of fierce competition.’

Humber sloop Spider T’s owner Mal Nicholson is a regular contributor to intheboatshed.net, usually on the subject  of Spider T herself. For more posts about the Humber sloop, click here.