Curlew takes to the waves for Falmouth Week! 

See one of the National Maritime Museum Cornwall’s most popular boats, Curlew, a Falmouth Quay Punt, prepare and set off to watch the Henry Lloyd Falmouth Week racing next week. 

Curlew, built in 1905 by RS Burt and designed to load and unload cargoes from ships moored in Falmouth harbour, usually feels right at home moored up on the Museum’s pontoon all summer. However, next week she’ll make some special outings to make the most of Henry Lloyd Falmouth Week racing. 

Andy Wyke, the Museum’s Boat Collection Manager, said: “Although it’s great to have Curlew on the Museum pontoon, she was built to go sailing, and that’s just what she’ll be doing during Falmouth Week. With her distinctively shaped mainsail and Museum flag she’ll be easy to spot. Even though she won’t be racing she is a very fast boat and can show many boats a clean pair of heels”. 

Curlew worked and was raced in Falmouth by Frank Jose until 1936 before changing hands a number of times. In 1967 she was rescued from dereliction by Tim and Pauline Carr and together they became one of the world’s most celebrated blue-water sailing teams, spending ten years globetrotting, much of it in the South Atlantic. She was the first engine-less yacht to sail to Antarctica via Cape Horn.

In recognition of their incredible and remarkable explorations at sea sailing Curlew, Tim and Pauline Carr have received many prestigious awards. These include the 1991 Blue Water Medal, from the Cruising Club of America, and both the 1997 Tilman Medal and 1992 Seamanship Medal, from the Royal Cruising Club which are all on long-term loan to the Maritime Museum. Other recognised sailors to receive the Blue Water Medal include Sir Francis Chichester and Sir Alec Rose.

In 2003 the Museum purchased Curlew from the Carrs and shipped her back from South Georgia. Just before Christmas last year, Tim and Pauline Carr paid a short return visit to Britain from their Antarctic home of South Georgia, and couldn’t resist popping into the Museum to visit their beloved Curlew, which they had lived aboard for 30 years.