Photo: St Mawes Pilot Cutter Review - an annual event where you can be crew  organised by Classic Sailing

Maritime Britain:

Be part of our rich seafaring history

"We believe the best way to conserve our maritime heritage in the UK is for historic vessels and replicas to go to sea; not sit in a static alongside berth or museum. Sail them whilst you still can, and spread the word."  Directors of Classic Sailing Adam and Debbie Purser

Classic Sailing has spend over a decade widening opportunities for our customers to experience sailing as working crew on pilot cutters, trading ketches, sailing trawlers, schooners and ocean going square riggers that were once a common sight around our  incredibly varied coastline.

By booking a voyage on a traditional boat or tall ship you create living history and spectacle out on the water for all to enjoy. By actively sailing these beautiful working craft from a by gone era you are giving them a future in a modern world.  

It is also a unique and fun way to explore the coast, anchorages and ports of Britain and connect with history.

The Solent - Mecca for Classic Yachts

This famous stretch of water sheltered by the Isle of Wight is often busy with both yachts and modern ships, so you need to sail on a classic edwardian style pilot cutter like Annabel J with someone like skipper and owner Phil Cogdell to gain a sense of history and learn about this incredibly important historic sailing ground. Nelson's Victory was built at Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu River and ROWED to Portsmouth for mast stepping ! The heyday of classic yacht racing when the big J Classes gathered off Cowes was in the 1920's and 1930's but  with more and more replica and restorations the big classic events in the Solent are getting closer to that original spectacle.

Short breaks on Annabel J

Cornwall & Western Approaches - Home of the Pilot Cutter

Historically pilot cutters earnt their living by taking pilots out to sailing ships. The fastest would win the contract to put their pilot aboard to safely 'pilot' the vessel in or out of port. The most well known in Britain are the Bristol Channel pilot cutters, but the Scillies and Falmouth also had big fleets. There were hundreds of pilot cutters in West Country Ports around the turn of the 19th Century. From the Western Approaches, 'inbound' could be all the way up the Bristol Channel to Bristol, Irish Sea to Liverpool or up English Channel.

If you want to sail a pilot cutter in their traditional stamping grounds and tuck into small West Country Ports then 'Eve of St Mawes' offers 3 day sailing breaks in Cornwall and 6 day island hopping adventures in the Isles of Scilly.

More on Cornwall as a destination

More on Isles of Scilly as a destination

Eve of St Mawes - Sailing Schedules

Scottish Islands and remote lochs - communities linked by boat

The Scottish Highlands are carved by ancient glaciers and sea lochs reaching deep inland mean exploring Scotland by road is just plain crazy. The tough way to see the grandeur of Scotland is from the top of a mountain. The best way to gain an all round panorama of wilderness and wildlife, and also meet the locals is to sail the coast. The remote coastal communities and islanders have always used boats to get around and the rich fishing grounds are still the life-blood for some of our joining ports like Mallaig or Oban.

Our specialist in Scotland is 42' pilot cutter Lizzie May, based in Largs for short breaks but wandering the whole West Coast on longer voyages in the summer. When you sail on a wooden working boat like LIzzie May, the locals come to visit you !

A well known vessel in the Western Isles is 56ft Gaff cutter Eda Frandsen who knows the waters and the secrets of the Hebrides well. Offering 6 and 9 day voyages from Mallaig, she is a perfect vessel to explore the Outer Hebrides and further afield combining natural seaworthiness, grace and character.

Visiting the Western Isles again for a month this summer is historic trading ketch Bessie Ellen, with a couple of short breaks a some 6 day voyages from Oban.

Scotland Sailing Schedules

Pilot Cutter Lizzie May - Sailing Schedules

Eda Frandsen Scotland Sailing Schedules

Historic UK Ports & Trading Routes

Coal, tin, wood, fruit from the Azores, salted cod from Newfoundland, timber from Scandinavia - all carried under sail in and out of British Ports for centuries. There are very few opportunities to sail on the  few sailing cargo ships that remain.

Bessie Ellen is one of the last remaining West Country Trading Ketches out of a fleet of 700. Built in 1904 for much of her working life she has continued to carriy cargoes and even in 2010 had a go at carrying wine cargoes voyages commercially. The lovely accommodatation has been re installed in her cargo hold and once more she is carrying charter crews in 2011. She returns from the Canaries in April and we be offering voyages in the West Country, Isles of Scilly and a few trips in Scotland in July.

Bessie Ellen full Sailing Schedules

photo: Rare visitor to these shores: Cook Island registered barque Picton Castle sails into Falmouth 2008