Our Boats
Our festival wouldn’t be the same without the spectacular boats who visit. We invite scores of historic and classic vessels to fill the harbour, re-creating the sights, smells and flavour of what was once an important, vibrant fishing port. Traditional wooden vessels, (from Brittany to Falmouth) are rigged with spars and tan sails and line the harbour wall. They then set out for an impressive parade of sail over the three days, a sight that stirs the heart of even the most hardened land lubber.
Boat Owners – we encourage you to please send us your details via the ‘Book your boat’ link on the homepage. We will do our very best to include your boat details on the website or in the festival catalogue.
Please note: the finer details of many of these vessels can be found through their skippers at the festival. As ever, the number of vessels attending is governed by the weather and we apologise in advance for any descriptive mistakes.
Barnabas
Barnabas is an 1881 40ft St Ives Mackerel Driver. She is the only survivor from the thousand strong fleet of lug rigged seine and... Read more
Blue Jacket
Built as a working fishing and shrimping boat in 1894 by Arthur Payne in his own yard, Summers & Payne, Blue Jacket (originally ‘Helen’)... Read more
Beth
Beth is a 33ft very capeable ‘go anywhere’ steel Keyhaven gaff Yawl. She was one of six designed by Laurent Giles that includes a... Read more
Bounty’s End
Bounty’s End – It would go down in history as the Mutiny on the Bounty. In short, Captain Bligh and a handful of loyal... Read more
Black Goose
Black Goose is a 30 ft Cornish trader, with traditional red sails, is a gaff ketch and has a mizzen. Built by Cornish Crabbers,... Read more
Brenda Jean
The 14′ 6″ clinker boat ‘Brenda Jean‘, designed and built by Justin Adkin, was launched from Beer beach in the summer of 1999. She... Read more