The Cornish Maritime Trust.

LAO 17’, beam 6’, draft 2’6”, tons 0.7

Ellen, a Gorran Haven crabber, was built in 1882 by Dick Pill for the Willmott Family and is reputed to be the fastest Gorran Haven Crabber ever built. She is typical of the many hundreds of small inshore fishing boats on which the livelihood of so many Cornish fishermen depended. However her lines and Spritsail rig are specific to Gorran Haven.

By 1900 she was being fished by the Billings brothers, Dick and Andrew, who moved to Flushing with Ellen as there were too many crabbers in Gorran Haven!

She was presented to the Maritime Trust in 1980 in a sorry state. The Cornish Friends of the Maritime Trust funded her rebuild and she was sold to the Cornish Maritime Trust for the nominal sum of £1 when it was formed in 1994.

When working, on arrival at the chosen area the Sprit rigged mainsail was ‘brailled (by pulling on one line), this drew the mainsail neatly up against the main mast. The foresail was lowered, and with the mizzen sail set she would then lie head to wind with the sinker line paid out over the bow. Slowly drifting astern, with plenty of room on board to manouvre, each of the pots could be passed out over the side and, keeping tension on the lanyard, the string would be set.

In the Winter or during periods of high winds, several fishermen would work together making crab or lobster pots using locally grown willow withies. These would then be divided up between the group, replacing lost or damaged pots, or adding to their string. When working the string of pots the sinker nicknamed the ‘Menace’ (possibly a corruption of the Cornish word for a stone ‘maen’) was lowered on the riser which was supported at the surface by a bladder float and the pots linked by lanyards were spaced along the bottom. At the end of the string a second ‘menace. and riser marked the downwind or downtide end of the string. This gear would be carried out in the boat.

When all the pots were laid the centre thwart was refitted so that she could be rowed. When checking the pots a similar system was used, removing the centre thwart to provide a working space, brailling the mainsail, lowering the foresail, the riser would be brought in over the bow and when the lanyard knot was reached this would flick the lanyard off to the side so that the pot could be recovered and the next lanyard put in the fairlead, so keeping her head to wind. When not ‘Crabbing’ these boats would fish either using hand lines, long lining, or drift netting. Again the advantage of the sprit rig, which gave a simple and very quick system for removing the mainsail, allowed her to lie to an anchor or net, with the mizzen as the steadying sail.

Ellen is available for members to sail subject to prior arrangement, weather permitting, and proof of adequate skills in handling such a craft. If you wish to sail, or would like to provide a mooring for Ellen to visit your locality on a temporary basis, please contact us.