Marine / Boats begin to arrive for Tall Ships

Chris Cope

23 July 2023 17:06

A person wearing glasses and a red cap stands in front of a boat named "Boy Leslie," where two other people are seen in the background handling the ropes.

Boy Leslie skipper skipper Andreas Løvdal.

BOATS taking part in the Tall Ships Races have begun arriving in Shetland ahead of the main Lerwick event this coming week.

Some are already in the North Isles, with Baltasound and Cullivoe two cruise in company guests ports. The Sail Yell festival begun today (Sunday) and is due to run through to Tuesday.

One has arrived in Scalloway – the Norway based Boy Leslie, a Class B, Gaff Ketch which was launched in 1911.

The vessel was built in Galmpton in Devon as a fishing trawler, then sold to Norway in 1939 where it was converted to a motor coaster and renamed Ekstrand.

Over a lengthy period of the time the vessel – owned by a non-profit trust – was restored back to a sailing boat, and Boy Leslie was retained the original name.

A large sailboat docked at a harbor with mountainous terrain and buildings in the background under an overcast sky.

Speaking to Shetland News on Sunday afternoon, skipper Andreas Løvdal – who has been a volunteer with the boat for more than a decade – said there were ten people on board including three from Scotland.

The crew started its journey at the beginning of July and headed from Norway to Inverness before going through the Caledonian Canal and traveling up the north west of Scotland to the Northern Isles.

There will be a crew change in Shetland before the boat joins the Tall Ships Races for the leg between Lerwick and Arendal, her home port.

Løvdal said the trip to Shetland was “cold, but alright” – with the team looking forward to taking part in the Tall Ships festivities including the crew parade on Wednesday.

Two sailing boats docked at a marina, one flying the Swedish flag on its mast and the other displaying a red flag with a blue cross. The sky is partly cloudy.

Boats have begun arriving in Yell. Photo: Sail Yell

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