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Falmouth docks have a long and complex history and are as much an integral part of the port now as ever. With the removal of the Packet service in 1850, the port started a steady decline in wealth. This was averted with the opening of the new Falmouth docks just a few years later in…

Like many other British families, the Knight family took their holidays in Cornwall. From the 1920s the family enjoyed the sea and sun in Bude on the north coast. This photograph was taken on a trip in 1957, and Geoffrey Knight is on his old 1920s wooden bodyboard. Geoffrey, his parents and his siblings came…

This cartoon is one of a series of eight drawn by Cornish professional surfer, Sam Bleakley. The series follows “A day in the life of Surfer Joe”. During his day, Joe checks the surf forecast, leaves early to catch the best waves before heading to work in a surf shop. After work he heads out…

The early 20th century was a time when the need for speed was constantly being challenged, whether on land, in the air or on water. Motorboats were getting faster, and sedate chugging about on the water was becoming boring. Hulls became narrower to minimise drag, then came a new type of craft. This type of…

Sailing this Finn dinghy in Weymouth, local hero Ben Ainslie won his fourth successive Olympic Gold Medal at the 2012 London Games. Ben owns several Finns, but has now used the same boat in the Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and London 2012 games. Following his win in 2008 he commented “I suppose most people like…

Speed on the water is as desirable as it is on land. In the early 20th century a new breed of propulsion, the internal combustion engine, enabled boats to go faster than less efficient and heavy steam engines would allow. The romantic steam launch with its stoker gave way to the more dashing launches, which…

The lugger was the workhorse of Cornish fishing fleet for over 200 years. Two distinct variants emerged; their design based upon whether they were to be used for fishing in the harsh waters of the Atlantic or the calmer waters of the Channel. In the west, the Mount’s Bay lugger was built double-ended to deal…

Small working boats have been raced in Cornwall since at least the 19th century. At 18ft length with a 4ft beam, they are smaller and lighter than their larger cousins, the 32ft Cornish pilot gigs, which have increased in popularity in recent years. However flashboats have a long pedigree. The term ‘flash boat’ was originally…

At first glance a coracle seems a rather unlikely water craft, with no discernible bow or stern, and a strangely shaped paddle for propulsion. But they have stood the test of time as working boats: made from locally sourced materials, cheap to build, light-weight for ease of carrying, and a draft of only a few…