Name Whimbrel

WHIMBREL was designed by British yacht designer, Harley Mead, and built by Charles Sibbick at Cowes in 1899.  She's believed to be one of the few surviving Sibbick ships today.  She was built as a Gaff Rigged Cutter, to sail regattas, and her original sails came from Ratsey and Lapthorn.

Her first owner, a Mr Baddeley of Cornwall, enjoyed sailing her in regattas and she crossed the Atlantic.  In 1902 she was bought by a Danish rentier, Mr Otto Ree and had a long line of owners in Denmark from 1902 onwards.

In the early 1940s, WHIMBREL sailed against the Danish King, Christian X and his famous yacht, RITA.  The Royal Ship won the race, but WHIMBREL was recognised in the fine yachting circles.  After the Second World War had ended, she became a training ship.  Young and old, men and women - they travelled far to join summerschool and training in Odense (the town of Hans Christian Andersen) and WHIMBREL helped the sail sport to spread amongst Danish society.

Bought in 1997 by Korsør Produktionshøjskole (a school for young people aged between 15 and 24 for practical education), WHIMBREL has been working as a training ship but also the caretaking and boatbuilding traditions have been very important learning platforms as well.  In 2006 however, she was taken on land to undergo a major restoration led by professional boatbuilder Christian Dyrlowev Madsen who's been in charge with a changing team of young people, from which 4 have become certified boatbuilders along the way.

In August 2012, WHIMBREL was to be relaunched in Denmark with the aim of sailing a regatta in Cowes in 2013.

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