Museum Boats Set Sail for Summer for Falmouth Classics 2026

This June, three vessels from our collection will be out on the water and on display at Falmouth Classics 2026, a three-day regatta of racing, parades, and onshore events.

Visitors to Falmouth will find the community spirit of the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival running alongside, with stages right outside the Museum on Events Square, Discovery Quay.

It’s one of the most joyful long weekends the Cornish maritime calendar has to offer!

Meet Our Boats

The WW2 SN2 Surf Boat

Our replica of a WW2 SN2 Special Operations Executive surf boat will be making an appearance at Falmouth Classics this year. Surf boats like these played a vital and often overlooked role in wartime operations, and seeing this vessel out on the water offers a powerful reminder of the practical boats that carried out important missions.

Helford Delta Julia

Delta No. 16, originally named Moshulu, is one of the approximately 22 Helford Delta Class dinghies ever built. Designed and constructed by Dick Winfrey at his small boatyard on the south bank of the Helford River near Helford Point, these 11ft 6in clinker-built dinghies were raced during Falmouth Week regattas in times gone by.

Emma

Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated arrival is Emma our beloved 22ft teak-built steam launch, believed to have been built around 1912. Emma arrived at the Museum in 2015, part-way through a major refit that her previous owner had been unable to complete. Our Boat Technician and a dedicated group of volunteers took on the work, and restoration began in earnest in 2019 with the aim of returning her to her original designs and making her fully seaworthy once more. Emma is back on the water and we are thrilled to be bringing her to Falmouth Classics again.

What’s On: Key Moments Not to Miss

Friday 12 June Racing gets underway in the morning, with the Classics Maritime Village opening on Custom House Quay from 12pm. The Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival begins at 12pm too and don’t forget, there’s a stage right outside the Museum on Events Square, Discovery Quay.

Saturday 13 June The highlight of the day for Museum visitors: the Steam and Small Boat Parade from the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, 3pm-4pm. Classic and heritage vessels will also be open to public viewing alongside Falmouth Haven from 2.30-5pm. Meanwhile The Sea Shanty Festival runs until 1am.

Sunday 14 June The magnificent Parade of Sail sets out across the Carrick Roads from 10.30am. Watch from Castle Drive, Pendennis Point, Pendennis Castle or St Mawes Castle for the best views and finish up with Sea Shanties for the afternoon.

A Celebration We’re Proud to Be Part Of

Falmouth Classics and the International Sea Shanty Festival events are a celebration of maritime heritage, as something living, shared, and celebrated on the water and in the streets. At National Maritime Museum Cornwall, we believe that boats are meant to be sailed, stories are meant to be told, and communities are meant to come together around the sea so we can’t wait to celebrate.

 Falmouth Classics 2026 takes place 12–14 June. The Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival runs concurrently, with stages on Events Square, Discovery Quay, right outside the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.