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Shortlisted by Classic Boat magazine, The Classic Boat Awards have been decided by public vote every year since 2007. They are designed to recognise the best restorations and newly built boats, and reward people or organisations for outstanding contributions to the wonderful world of traditional vessels and keeping them afloat. This year, six vessels on the National Registers have been nominated in four different categories:
Restored Sailing Vessel under 40ft
CLAN GORDON
Designed and built A Munro, 1911, 38ft (11.6m), standing lug
This Loch Fyne skiff was rebuilt from an almost complete wreck by Alasdair Grant and the team at Isle Ewe boats, to an original, engineless state, alongside St Vincent. In fact, they are both for the same owner, and represent between them, a snapshot of Scotland’s grand history of fishing under sail.
GROWLER
Designed and built by Whites of Conyer Creek, 1922, gaff ketch, 34ft (10.4m)
The resurrection of this half-sized barge yacht from bare hull was carried out over four years by Ash Faire-Ring, who started aged just 17, and while still at school. The hull was partly sound, but there was some re-planking to do and the rest of the boat was a hulk. Ash was lucky enough to have some mentors and inspirations, like local man John Owles and, further away, Greg Powlesland, a past winner of this award himself.
Restored Sailing Vessel over 40ft
ST VINCENT (pictured)
Designed and built by W&G Stephen, 1910, 50ft (15.1m), lug ketch
Johnson and Loftus’s restoration of the fishing boat St Vincent was, like the work carried out to Clan Gordon (Restored Sailing Vessel under 40ft shortlist), very thorough – both are essentially rebuilds – and to an exact, historically correct, engineless condition, to paint a picture of Scotland’s sailing past. Both are for the same owner and both sailed to the Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy without engines this summer – an exciting voyage, it seems.
In November 2023, Tim Loftus of Johnson and Loftus Boatbuilders in Ullapool was awarded Runner Up for the Martyn Heighton Award for Excellence in Maritime Conservation at the 2023 National Historic Ships UK Awards.
Restored Powered Vessel Under 100ft
BREDA
Designed/built by Brooke, 1931, LOA 52ft 7in (16m), Power: twin Ford Sabre 135hp diesels
This Dunkirk little ship was rescued from oblivion by Dennett Boatbuilders on the Thames, over four years. The boat was initially in the worst possible condition, but 53 ribs, 35 planks and 30 deck beams later she’s sound again. Thanks to a new art deco interior rebuild with precious burr wood and period fittings, she’s as elegant on the inside as she is on the outside.
Breda was one of National Historic Ships UK's Flagships of the Year 2021.
CMB4R
Designed John Thornycroft, Built by volunteers, 2023, LOA 40ft (12.2m), Power: 430hp diesel
For years, a World War One ‘coastal motor boat’ (torpedo-carrying fast launch) has hung from the ceiling of the working museum Boathouse 4. Now they have a rip-snorting 35-knot replica, built by volunteers from Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust.
Portsmouth's Boathouse 4 is one of two South East Hubs for National Historic Ships UK's Shipshape Network, along with Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent.
Centenarian of the Year
REAPER
The 70ft (21.4m) ‘Fifie’ sailing herring drifter Reaper was the star of the show at the 2023 Portsoy festival, emerging there after a six-year restoration led by A and R Way Boatbuilding. She was originally built by J&G Forbes in Fraserburgh, among the last of a fleet that remain among the fastest working sail vessels ever conceived. In the late 1930s she set a record catch of herring in Shetland, at nearly quarter of a million fish.
Reaper won the Martyn Heighton Award for Excellence in Maritime Conservation at the 2020 National Historic Ships UK Awards. Her custodian is the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, NHS-UK's Shipshape Network Scotland Hub.
See the complete list of nominations on the Classic Boat website and vote for your favourite here. Voting closes on Monday 11 March, and the winners will be announced at the Awards party in London on the evening of Wednesday 3 April.
