A classic sailing event which attracts vessels from the UK and France will take place in Cornwall next month.
This year’s Falmouth Classics event will take place between June 14 and 16 and will feature some vessels from the UK and France.
The event is attracting a variety of sailing craft including pilot cutters, the distinctive Falmouth working boats, other ex-working craft, classic Bermudan and gaff-rigged racers and cruisers together with open boats and sailing gigs. Many have been built before 1950.
The fleet, both when moored and sailing, will create a spectacle of times past and a cloud of white, cream and tan sails will fill the Carrick Roads both on race and parade days.
Eight vintage lifeboats as well as the two current Falmouth lifeboats will appear in the Parade of Sail to mark the 200th anniversary of the RNLI.
Other powered vessels will be led by the pilot vessel L.K. Mitchell, soon to retire from active service in the port and steamboats are expected to join the sail and oar-powered craft in the small boat parade.
The distinctive Grand LeJon, a replica fishing lugger built between 1988 and 1992 will be joining the festival from the Bay of St Brieuc, Brittany, sailed by a crew who are members of the association that looks after the vessel.
Shiela, a gaff rigged six metres designed by Starling Burgess and built in the USA by Herreshoff was part of the USA six metre fleet that competed in the UK in 1921. Her crew returned to the USA, but she remained and will be competing in her first Falmouth Classics.
Lilian, built in 1900, and currently based at West Mersea in Essex will be competing with other open boats in the three races in the Carrick Roads. She was built in Brightlingsea to take cargoes of sprats ashore from the stow boating smacks.
The oldest boat to enter to date is the 1889 Bristol Pilot Cutter, Marian, one of eighteen original pilot cutters still afloat, was built in Cardiff. Two of her sister pilot cutters have also entered together with three replicas.
Boats participating in the three races will have no difficulty in identifying the committee boat which will be Irene of Bridgwater a West Country Trading Ketch built in 1907 to carry bricks and other cargoes.
Owned by the Morrish family, she is this year on loan to Turn to Starboard an armed services charity. Irene will also be leading the sailing craft in the Parade of Sail and Power.
In addition to trophies and glassware, great prizes await the winners of the three races provided by Teamac, Noble Masts and Mustos, whilst parade winners will enjoy a bottle of Hattiers rum.
On shore, the Falmouth International Shanty Festival will also be underway over three days with eighty groups, the largest number ever, performing in pubs, clubs and spaces around the town.
Further information about 2024 Falmouth Classics can be found here www.falmouthclassics.org.uk.
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