Well here we are in winter again. Last summer’s sailing seems so far away, but I should recap. All the boats were out and about- three in Scotland, Lizzie May, Hesper and Ezra. Poor old Hesper spent most of August hove-too off various Scottish isles in screaming winds, before running back south. How Ezra up in the Isle of Skye, keeps working through it all, I don’t know. The rest were in calmer waters on the south coast. Tallulah cruising the Solent; Eve and Agnes in the Isles of Scilly; and Amelie Rose rushing between the two. Nick Beck did well sailing Amelie Rose very smartly. She proved herself in several races, including the Pilot Cutter championship last June, when she was first boat home on the Sunday. Congratulation to the new boy on the block, it just shows that with the right gear you can do any thing!

Well what’s happening now I hear you ask. We should be building our next vessel at the Working Sail Sheds but since we launched Amelie Rose last spring I have been busy with other aspects of the business. Firstly we relocated the office into new premises, then something that I have been planning for some time is now finally coming to fruition. Over the years I have been accumulating information on the pilot cutters of the isles of Scilly and Falmouth, drawings, plans, photos, and archive material; so I feel that it is time to compile all this into a book, which I hope may be of interest to those of you with a care for such things. After last summers sailing I hung up my sailors cap, put away the wood working tools, and sat down with ink and quill. To make space for this I have decided not to start the build of a new boat until September 2010 by which time the book will be done and dusted. We are also revamping the website with a facility to sell a complete range of plans for the Working Sail Cutters from 38 to 60 feet. This will mean a couple of months at the drawing board. For many years we have been asked for such a service- so here goes.

In the mean time, at the yard some of my long standing workers, under the guidance of Jonny, are using the workspace to build a 40 foot lugger to their own account. This should keep them out of trouble until I am ready to get back to it.

So for now sit back as we sift through potential projects for the next build in our shiny new setup, There will be no decisions made on which project we are going for until nearer the time; so have patience, and all will be revealed.

Notice: 

To all who wish to contact us at Working Sail, We have now moved the office to Penryn, changing the land line number.The new number is 01326 376316. Postal address and all else stays the same.

So the sailing season is here again, with fantastic weather. Let’s hope it stays, as we need a break, after the last two summers of wind and rain.

Amelie Rose is away in her new life. The launch in April went to plan. With a good turn out of locals to support her and a blessing given by the local vicar, She took to the water with a confidence that comes from a boat that knows her purpose. Very reassuring for the owners.

These vessels teach you very quickly the way of things. It is always daunting to take command of a new boat, but these boats seem to have an understanding, and are caring for their new masters. Once you make that bond it is very much like a horse and its rider.

See on You tube “Amelie Rose Maiden Voyage” and “Sea trials”

After two weeks shakedown, Nick and Melisa sailed off to their home port of Poole, to get ready for charter work, before returning to Fowey for the start of the Pilot Cutters Championship. By this time they were like old hands at it. Amelie was in the grove! Just to prove it, on the Sunday, despite fierce competition, they won the race. Truly impressive for their first experience against us old hands. They also did well at the Yarmouth old gaffers race, beating the competition, and again put on a good show in the round Isle of Wight race.

Since finishing with Amelie we’ve been busy getting Agnes sailing again. It was good to get Agnes out to the pilot races, although still missing her top mast meant we were not in for the winning, but hey, it’s the taking part. We now have her fully rigged so watch out.

Our next project in the pipeline. We have quite a few thoughts on which way to go, big or small. I am erring towards the big, as I am researching and drawing up the lines of a Falmouth pilot cutter. This is a big boat, at 60 foot on deck. I have gained a mass of information about her, thanks to the kind help of Ralf Bird. She is just waiting to happen. As it is most important that a port like Falmouth, with all its maritime history, should have such a vessel. Although I do have the lines for a sweet little 40 footer that also is begging to happen. Of cause all this depends on the choices made by our next customer. Further information will be posted in the autumn, once a decision is made. But first we are off sailing while the summer is with us. Agnes is calling!

A New year, and spring is round the corner, so all hands to the pump. Time is
rushing on, and we are hard at work getting Amelie Rose ready for her launch.
The mast is being made, the ballast keel is going on, the engine in, and the sails are
being made. She is looking good, but there is still a lot to do. She comes out of the shed at the end of March to raise the rig, ready for launching at the end of April. The launch date is the 24th April, as we need a good spring tide to get enough water down river. Once she is clear of the river, we set sail, heading for the open sea to put her through her paces. Amelie will be based in Falmouth during sea trails for the first part of May, then, once all are happy, she is off to start her new life and career in charter. Staying in Cornish waters for the first month, to participate in the Pilot race. Then off East to Poole in Dorset, where she’ll be based.

This will give us two vessels on the south coast, two in Scotland, and three in Cornish waters.

Once Amelie is away, we turn to Agnes, the company vessel. She is having new spars made, a top mast and bowsprit, also a new stay sail, and a good polish and brush up ready for the season. To be ready for the pilot cutter race in June, followed by Looe luggers and the Scilies round island race, all obligatory.

Then we’re off further afield, the Scottish Isles, the Shetlands – see which way the wind blows. Hesper is sailing North as well, so with Ezra and Lizzie May, we should
meet up for a few drams of whisky and stories of the high seas.

It was a stormy summer sailing Agnes this year; Sailing first to Brest and Dz, then up the Irish sea, fighting winds and mountainous waves, to the Isle of Man. We were wonderfully received in the lovely castle harbour of Peel, at their Trad Boat Festival. On our return, more storms, we caught a freak wave that rather overwhelmed Agnes. When she shook her self free the bow sprit was torn off by the weight of water. The top mast also went by the board. After sorting out the mess, we carried on sailing back to Falmouth. She sailed very happily under reduced rig. This shows how she can be more manageable, when I sail into my old age, every decade older, I can saw a bit off the rig.

Now into the winter season Amelie Rose is advancing well. The cabins are built. The layout is a bit different to her sister Ezra with a more spacious saloon. Again, being built for charter she has four bunks in the fo’c’sle, a nice big wood burning stove amidships that will run three radiators, and a heated towel rail in the heads. In the saloon there is the usual arrangement with the pilot berth set back behind the seating, and a large oak table for nine. Two large double berths back aft. The galley is well equipped for quality catering The varnished oak makes it all look very elegant.

She will stay in the shed through the winter only coming out at the last moment to rig before the launch in April

A vessel that I have always wanted to build is the Queen, at 54 foot cutter, this is the vessel that started my interest in pilot cutters from the Isles of Scilly. A beautiful cutter, she would be a great project,

This is one of the few photographs of the Queen, lying beached on St. Martin in the 1890’s. Originally built by Francis Banfield in 1855 she worked as a pilot cutter until being put ashore on 27 June1889 when the pilot trade was in decline. 

Well what a fantastic weekend we had at the Pilot Cutter Review at St Mawes on the 21^st 22ed June With stiff winds it was very exciting to see eleven big cutters all charging around like mad bulls. The collective power is quite a sight. (See Classic boat Magazine August issue. I don’t know how we did it but Agnes came Second on the Saturday and overall.) She loves a good blow. My crew had to work hard. The other boats sailed well, in particular Jolie Brise skippered by Toby Mariss, and Mascotte skippered by Tony Winter. Fine boats! A sight that stays with you for life. Next year we must get some new sails, have to up the tempo.

Building Amelie Rose is going to schedule, the shutter planks (last planks in the hull) went home, in the first week of July. All the deck beams are in so the next thing is the deck to be laid late in July, giving it time to settle in the August heat, while we are away sailing. Then back in September, to get her caulked and paid before the wet weather sets in.

Agnes is off to the Brest festival and Douarnenez, should be good! Then down the French coast island hopping Belle Ile, Ile de Goix, on to ile de Re and La Rochelle. She will get a few sea miles under her again this summer. Its good to get a bit of salt water around her, keeps a vessel happy when she is allowed to stretch her legs.

Sorry we have not given any news for some time. We have been working on rejigging the site. We are now back in gear, so I hope to keep things more up to date.

We are working well on Amelie Rose. The planking is almost complete. And deck beams are in. We should have the deck on by August.

Tallulah sailed away in April the owners are very happy, and so they should be as she is a good boat. Fast and sea kindly. She is coming to the Pilot Revue at St Mawes. So it will be great for us all to catch up, as we have become good friends during the build.

Agnes is getting ready for the Pilot Revue which is on the weekend of the 20^th June.

I will give news of this when we get back

We were very busy this last winter working on Tallulah. The hull was started in September, she was all planked up with deck beams by mid February. With decking, bulwarks and coamings on in the Spring. She has gone well this one, a beautiful drop of planking, clean boards not a knot in the whole boat! The two inch Oak top planking went in beautifully, Oak is a wonderful wood, after steaming it is so pliable, tucking in under the counter with such ease. Its a joy to plank in Oak!

During the summer months we will be fitting out her interior, engine cabins and bunks. She will be taken out of the construction shed in the Autumn for her rig to be set up.

This will then liberate the space for the construction of the next vessel. Which will start at the end of this year. Another forty four footer, which appears to be a popular size with our customers. These vessels are not too big to handle and yet provide a large space internally.

Agnes has a full summer planed this year. It starts with the St Mawes Pilot Cutter Championship on the 8th of June. Where she will meet her sisters ships again, always a splendid sight. Several Bristol Pilot Cutters are planning to come along. This is an event we hope will build year on year.

Then the Looe Luggers race takes place, a festival loved by all. A great welcome is given by the locals, to all the visiting boats and crews who are guaranteed a real festive atmosphere.

After that its back to here home port of Falmouth before embarking for the Isles of Scilly where she will wait for a fair wind. Agnes will be crossing the Celtic Sea this August, flying the flag for Working Sail. She will visit Cork and then sail along the southern Irish coast to Baltimore where she will meet up with friends. Then she will pass the Blasket Islands, and cruise the west coast to Galway. This is an area that has a great tradition of wooden boats. So Agnes should be well received, where the sight of a big cutter like her, sailing in through the islands should turn a few heads.

Well, it’s been a great summer for our boats. Eve has been hard at work doing her thing, sail-training around Cornwall. Lizzie May went to France cruising around Brittany. Hesper went to the Azores, and Ezra is happy in her new life in the Western Isles of Scotland providing adventure holidays. She has been greeted with open arms everywhere she went and is booked out solidly. A very good first season indeed! 

The Working Sail team have been busy sailing Agnes, chasing around the festivals. All our boats started the season with a regatta in St Mawes racing with boats such as Jolie Brise. Great fun was had by all, and it was good to see them all together! Quite a family. This, we hope, will become an annual event. Afterwards, they then scattered to the four winds.

Agnes went to the Mousehole Luggers Event near Penzance in Cornwall. Then on to the festival at Douarnenez in France, where much merriment was had! Coming back after this to her spiritual home, the Isles of Scilly, for the Around-the-Island Race. She has done a lot of sea miles in her short life and is happy back at home in the Cornish waters. As you may have noticed we have not sold her. It was decided that she’d serve us best as an ambassador for Working Sail, giving our customers a chance to experience one of our vessels before taking the plunge. She will also serve as a test bed for new design ideas.

Now we are back at work building the next cutter. Her name will be Tallulah. At 44′ she will be a cross breed of the best parts of Lizzie May and Hesper, with a touch of Ezra thrown in for good measure. Her build schedule is: Keel laid in October, framed up in December, planked up by March 2007 and sailing spring 2008. She is going to be an elegant boat - we are refining our vessels all the time!