Historic Northumberland boats to feature in national festival
Historic boats from Northumberland are aiming to be shipshape at one of the country’s biggest maritime heritage festivals.
Traditional North Sea sailing cobles built in Seahouses and Amble will feature at this year’s Bridlington Sailing Coble Festival which will take place over the weekend of August 8 and 9 - the largest gathering of the historic vessels to be seen anywhere in the country.
Examples of cobles built by renowned boatbuilders such as Dawson and Beverley at Seahouses and J & J Harrison at Amble will be taking part.
Organised by the Bridlington Sailing Coble Preservation Society (BSCPS), the prestigious maritime event on the East Yorkshire Coast was first staged in 2016 and will also bring a series of live music performances to the harbourside throughout the weekend.
There will also be a range of stands and stalls in the town’s Exhibition Hall and the Harbour Heritage Museum will be open with free admission throughout the weekend.
Paul L Arro, of the sailing festival committee, said: "Sailing cobles were once the mainstay of the inshore fishing industry and could be seen at every port, harbour and coastal village from the Humber to the Tweed.
"Sadly their numbers have dramatically decreased in more recent years and Bridlington is fortunate to be able to showcase a glimpse of the past and that bygone age.”
The free events commence at 10am both days with the sailing cobles moored alongside Harbour Road, before they set to sail in Bridlington Bay.
For more information, go to https://www.bridlingtonsailingcobles.co.uk/aboutus3.html