Sheila’s Semaine du Golfe du Morbihan 2025

Over 1300 boats sailed during this 13th Semaine du Golfe du Morbihan and Sheila was one of the them, in the Classic Yachts flotilla.

Sheila sailed the Week as she did when she was lauched 120 years ago (1905) : without an engine, without electronics, without winches and without any issues. Yes, we did have a portable VHF for safety and communication with the organization.

She sailed over 120 miles and we enjoyed every minute.

Cheers from France !

Restoring Sheila for her 120th birthday – part 12

Greetings to the Court of Princess Sheila ! We have been restoring the 120 years old Albert Strange yacht Sheila, and now she is back in the water !

She was launched on the Isle of Man in 1905 and as been sailing ever since, thanks to her many lovers. I must add to the list Loïc and the shipwrights team at Chantier de la Bascatic (https://www.facebook.com/61569110645783/albums/122107148438637021/). They can be very proud of their work and I am very grateful to them.

This is episode 12 and the final episode on the restoration. In this episode we are “guilding the lily” so that Sheila is pretty and fit for her birthday. A special thank to Melanie Griffon (https://griffonmelanie.blogspot.com/ ) – the latest addition to a long list of talented artists who worked on Sheila

Cheers from France !

Restoring Sheila for her 120th birthday – part 11

Greetings to the Court of Princess Sheila !

We have been restoring the 120 years old Albert Strange yacht Sheila, and now it is time to put her back in the water !

She was launched on the Isle of Man in 1905 and as been sailing ever since, thanks to her many lovers. I must add to the list Loïc and the shipwrights team at Chantier de la Bascatic. They can be very proud of their work and I am very grateful to them.

This is episode 11.

Cheers from France !

Restoring Sheila for her 120th birthday – part 10

Greetings to the Court of Princess Sheila !

We are restoring the 120 years old Albert Strange yacht Sheila.

She was launched on the Isle of Man in 1905 and as been sailing ever since, thanks to her many lovers.

This is episode 10, and the last one before the launch !

We are taking care of the deck which is traditionnaly built (no plywood sheet) in yellow cedar, with a teak king plank. Many thanks to Loïc Siat at Chantier de la Bascatic.

We have finished treating and preparing the ballast keel. Sheila has two coats of enamel paint on her hull and two coats of antifouling below the waterline, with a lot of friendly help by Stéphane and also Olivier.

Cheers from France !

Restoring Sheila for her 120th birthday – part 9

Greetings to the Court of Princess Sheila !

We are restoring the 120 years old Albert Strange yacht Sheila.

She was launched on the Isle of Man in 1905 and as been sailing ever since, thanks to her many lovers.

This is episode 9, with more to come ! The shipwrights team at Chantier de la Bascatic in Baden have finished closing the hull and are working on caulking. We are finalizing the preparation of the rigging and the jib furling system is restored (yes, it is period, Sheila had a furling jib in 1905.)

We still have quit a bit of work on finishing.

Cheers from France !

Restoring Sheila for her 120th birthday – part 8

Greetings to the Court of Princess Sheila !

We are restoring the 120 years old Albert Strange yacht Sheila.

She was launched on the Isle of Man in 1905 and as been sailing ever since, thanks to her many lovers.

This is episode 8, with more to come ! The shipwrights team at Chantier de la Bascatic in Baden are rebuilding the planking, now that their job on the structure is done.

Cheers from France

Restoring Sheila for her 120th birthday – part 7

Greetings to the Court of Princess Sheila !

We are restoring the 120 years old Albert Strange yacht Sheila. She was launched on the Isle of Man in 1905 and as been sailing ever since, thanks to her many lovers.

The shipwrights team at Chantier de la Bascatic in Baden are recreating the stucture at the stern of the 1905 yawl, and in this episode we are focusing on the work by Yann and the whole team to restore the axial structure, very much the backbone of the boat.

This (already) episode 7, with more to come !

Cheers from France