Our story so far
Everyone has a way into the sail cargo adventure, and mine starts with a bike. An R O Harrison – built in Peckham in 1954 and restored by Rob Sargent at Sargent & Co nearly a decade ago. Through the friendship that started with this project we began to have conversations about a Thames Sailing Barge - the Raybel - which Rob had taken on responsibility for looking after, from a third friend - Matt Houston. The Raybel had been in Matt's family since the early 1970s - nearly half its entire life, from construction in Sittingbourne in 1920. Renowned as "the ultimate evolution" of the sailing barge, Raybel is still predominantly in original condition, but needs some work to hull and rigging to become sail-worthy again.
Putting together our passions for combining a genuine barge restoration with the use of heritage for social purpose, ideas began to germinate about a new social enterprise that could re-connect Thames estuary communities with the great tradition of sailing barges on the river.
Another piece fell into place when we were put in touch with the pioneers of the Sail Cargo Alliance. Suddenly we saw that the Raybel could once again carry cargo, linking with others in this movement to activate a vision of an alternative transport culture. Following an inspirational trip to meet others in the SCA, in Dournanez, Brittany during the autumn of 2016, we set our sails.The enterprise we have set up, Raybel Charters Community Interest Company, has three objectives:
to complete the restoration of Raybel's hull and rigging, with careful attention to originality,
to run the Raybel as an asset for education, training and community development work, along the length of the Thames Estuary, and
to return the Raybel to cargo delivery under sail.
This is heritage restoration with a social mission and an eco-economy purpose. We plan it to take place at Milton Creek, Sittingbourne, where the project will be a key component of a new heritage tourism and leisure site based at Lloyd Wharf. We want to provide apprenticeships in boatbuilding through the project, and are linking with community organisations to put on heritage volunteering, conservation, researching and sailing activities.
We should be able to complete the restoration, returning Raybel to full sailing condition, in time for her centenary in 1920. At this point SB Raybel will begin a new life as an asset for heritage based education, skills and health initiatives throughout the Thames estuary. Whilst, at the same time, filling a missing link in the sail cargo network, by bringing sail freighted products from east and south coast ports - some originally shipped from Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean - into the Thames Estuary and onto the wharves and docks of central London.
In January 2018 Raybel Charters CIC was formally constituted and in February we submitted an application for funding to the Heritage Lottery Fund. We hope to start the next phase of the project, detailing the apprenticeship, conservation and community plans, in the summer of 2018.
Meanwhile our time in recent months has been spent building our links with other sail cargo pioneers, especially New Dawn Traders, Sail Boat Project, Fairtransport and Xisto Wines. Even before we have a restored barge, we can play a part in this nascent movement by creating markets in our home base of London. We are on the search for willing ship owners who will help us trial a sail cargo trip into London. And In London itself we're busy building the distribution outlets that will get sail cargo products to eco-aware consumers who want to be part of our adventure.
Get in touch if that's you.
info@staging.raybelcharters.com
@raybelcharters
Gareth