Pilot Cutter “Breeze”

Pilot Cutter “Breeze”  Save Me Someone!!   

This Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter was Surveyed for a prospective purchaser at Porlock Weir in 1992 by Kathleen J Kilbey MRINA . The vessel was afloat and fully in commission at the time.

                     

When visiting Porlock in 2006 Kathleen realised that the almost dead hull on the slipway was in fact the smartly presented cutter she had surveyed afloat in the harbour 14 years previously.

The pictures above illustrate what can happen if you start a wooden boat project and then run out of time and/or money. Unfortunately this story is repeated time and time again in harbours and yards around the World.

In the last few years “Breeze” has been removed and it is believed she is lurking locally still.  In 1992 this boat was one of the very earliest Pilot Cutters still afloat.

 Breeze is  one of the earlier 19th Century Cutters believed to have been built in 1887.  A relatively small ship built of Oak on grown and sawn Oak frames and fastened with “trenells”  (wood pegs) and Iron “dumps” the vessel survived  in remarkably  original contition and was still sailing  until the beginning of the 1990’s.

                                

Breeze is believed to be stored near Porlock in Somerset and could possibly be for sale to someone with the resources and expertise pedigree to restore her.

Update 2013:

Breeze has now changed hands and is being professionally restored  in Bristol – watch this space!!

We look forward to seeing Breeze up at Lydney Harbour again soon!!.

Lydney Yacht Club act as hosts to the BCPOA and the Old Gaffers Association, at regular intervals……. see the LYC website  for details of 2014 Events –  www.lydneyyachtclub.org   We have the only remaining Severn Estuary Victorian harbour which is still “Almost Untouched by Human Hand” and hence is a wonderful place to view classic working vessels and yachts!!   Contact kathy@classicboatsurveys.com for details.

Pilot Cutter “Breeze” update November 2015.

We understand that Breeze is now almost completed and is once again afloat at Undherhill Yard in Bristol, undergoing her final fitting out.  Watch this space.!!