Bessie Ellen Scotland 2012v2.pub - Classic Sailing

Bessie Ellen
Built: Plymouth 1904
Gross Registered Tonnage: 87 T
Rig: gaff ketch with 8 sails
Sparred Length Overall: 35.5m
Length on Deck: 25.6m
Beam: 6m
Draft: 2.4m
Crew : 4 Guest Crew: 12
Our maritime heritage - still sailing the oceans
Built in 1904, Bessie Ellen is one of the last three surviving West Country trading ketches (out of a fleet of over 700) still sailing and the
only one with a worldwide charter licence from the UK Marine Coastguard Agency. Bessie Ellen traded cargoes during the final era of
sail when these ships were an everyday sight in the small ports and harbours throughout Europe. She continued to run cargoes under
sail through both world wars until 1947. Bessie Ellen then began a new life in Denmark, where she continued to run local cargoes
under motor. Her current Cornwall based owner Nikki Alford saw her potential in a Danish shipyard. With considerable determination,
she managed to buy Bessie Ellen in 2000 and complete her restoration to a magnificent sailing ship once again. Classic Sailing worked
with Nikki for 4 years and her voyaging from the Scillies to Morbihan and Scotland to Norway built up a loyal band of regular guest
crew. The Scandinavians lured her away to the Baltic for a few years, but now she is back to stay as a British flagged vessel.
Running Cargoes Under Sail for 100 years
Now on the UK Core Historic Ships Register but with no intention of retiring to a museum, Bessie Ellen continues to earn her keep.
Even as recently as 2010 Bessie Ellen converted her lovely saloon back to a hold space and ran wine cargoes, but now the ship is back
doing what she and Nikki do best: Adventurous ‘hands-on’ charter holidays where her precious cargo is any adventurous soul who
wants an authentic experience of traditional ships in the best cruising grounds we can find.
Lively Sailing & Plenty of Deck Space
With two masts and lofty topmasts increasing her height further, Bessie Ellen has a lot of sail to play with, and it takes team work to
hoist the heavy main and mizzen gaff sails. In light winds or racing she can carry topsails on both masts, and forward there are 4
headsails to tack:- Staysail, inner and out jib and jib topsail, so if you like the idea of being out on the bowsprit with the ships bow
wave beneath you, then there are plenty of sails to stow out there. Bessie Ellen has fine underwater lines and is fairly shallow draught
so she is surprisingly responsive under sail.
Accommodation Below
The heart of this tough wooden ship is the cargo hold, now an impressive
communal living space, where you can lie in your bunk and still feel the huge ships
timbers surrounding you, or relax in the evening with new found friends (sleeps up
to 12 guest crew). You will feel part of a bygone era, but with the homely comforts
of a hot and spacious shower, and freshly cooked food on the spacious tables made
of wood salvaged from a Perry Orchard. The bunks down each side of this huge
space have a reading light and curtains for privacy, with storage for your things in
lockers under the bench seating. The floors are oak, and on sunny days in port or at
anchor the cargo hold roof can be opened up to let the sun stream in. If you are
taller than average then Bessie Ellen has ample headroom below decks. There is a
separate galley and crew quarters.
Reservations UK Office: 0044 (0) 1872 580022
www.classic-sailing.co.uk