News & Events
Here are the latest stories from the Matthew.

April 23rd

Later this week Matthew will be lifted high and dry out of the water for her annual bottom inspection. We use the wonderful Underfall Yard victorian slipway which is a big cradle on a track that pulls ship out of the harbour and into the boatyard. We're hoping that not much needs to be done to the hull, the Maritime and Coastguard agency surveyor has asked to see our propellor shafts pulled, which is a sensible and safe thing to request - but otherwise we should have a quick once over and pop back in the water ready for our season of spring harbour cruises. We hope to post some pictures of the ship on the slipway in our gallery over the next few days.

APRIL 6TH

Winter returns but at least the March winds have blown away.

The start of the school Easter Holidays see colder northern air blowing down across the good ship Matthew, but we're hoping to be able to complete our holiday harbour cruises this coming week. Down below things are stirring as we're having a really good sort out of ships technical stores and starting to get the ship ready for our summer sailing programme. We've just got a few details still to sort out but we should be able to publish a programme this week, which will included details of some lovely cruises under sail along the Devon and Cornwall coasts and our much anticipated crossing to Northern France for the Brest Festival in July. Skipper has just recovered from a ferocious bout of "man flu" so appologise to groups who have had recent visits disrupted either by this or by the weather. Fingers crossed for a smoother passage ahead! 

Never mind March, we know 
When you blow
You're really not mad
Or angry or bad,
You're only blowing the winter away,
To get the world ready
For April and May.

There are several good poems about March wind - writes Captain Rob Salvidge - but I don't remember the wind being this disruptive to our harbour cruise programme in March before. We have sailed in gale force winds offshore and the ship is capable of handling heavy seas. Our big problem in  harbour is manouvering safetly within the confined dock walls. We can go up and down between the City Centre and Hotwells OK, but its turning round that can be tricky. When you look at Matthew and see how much of the ship sticks out of the water, you see the issue.  Presenting the high gunwhales and the fore and stern castles to the wind, is like raising a big sail and we just get blown sideways. If the wind is constant and with careful planning, we can cope with winds of around 25 knots, but our weather at the moment has lots of nasty gusts in it, maybe up to 40 knots in the harbour and this is what would cause us the biggest headache. I remember being on board several years ago with the previous captain and we effectively "sailed" up the harbour sideways, not something even a medeival sailor would have relished doing, so we just have to be patient and wait for the lighter nights and softer weather of April and May. 

******Stop Press*****

Friday 15th Feb - Matthew now safely back in Bristol and alongside at the SS Great Britain.

After Falmouth the crew enjoyed a fanstatic sail to the Isles of Scilly where the ship was given a delightful reception by the islanders and opened to the public for a few hours.

We paid for that serene pleasure with a stiff battle against headwinds all the way back up the Cornish Coast and along the Bristol Channel.

 Midnight flit into Portishead on Valentines night and then a gentle drift back up our beloved Avon Gorge on Friday lunchtime.

A fuller account of the whole trip to London and back will be published on the website next week.

"Big thanks to a fantastic crew of 15 who've brought Bristols tall ship safely back to her home port " Rob Salvidge

Homeward Bound - Captain's log

09 Feb. 13:17 - Alongside Pendennis marina, Falmouth.
26 Hours from the solent. The Falmouth gigs came out to meet us which was brilliant.

08 Feb. 11:51 - Left Lymington 11
Now heading down towards needles. Stunning day. Good wind for sailing later.

7th Feb - Hi From The Matthew moored in Lymington.

This delightful and well heeled harbour at the Western end of the Solent has welcomed us really well. It could be something to do with the fact that Colin Mudie, the ships designer - and David Allen Williams, the ships skipper for the Atlantic crossings of the 90’s both live here!

2nd Feb - Made it to Portsmouth after a brisk day out in the Channel.
It was good to get moving again after sheltering from storms in Brighton for four days, and now it looks as if we could have at least a three day wait here while the next bunch of volatile lows blow through. At least we've got HMS Victory and Warrior to look at and the very impressive Spinnaker tower on Portsmnouth front.

We managed to get our staysail and Lateen up during the 40 mile trip down yesterday and when we enetered the calmer waters of the Solent actually got them to draw and help propel us along, so it hasn't just been the engine doing the work on this trip.

Off to visit the Haslar Submarine Museum this afternoon and then enjoy a nice Sunday Roast on board!

28 Jan - 2008 12:12
Midday Fix. Matthew four miles from Brighton. Clear, sunny, windless morning along Sussex coast. Hit a bit of fog just before dawn near the royal sovereign shoals which made life interesting for the 3am watch. It's crew man James Barnes' birthday so a visit to the historic quarter of this elegant town is probably in order.


27 Jan 2008 17:31
So Matthew enjoyed a lovely gentle days sailing in the Thames Estuary - unfortunately the wind died just as we were picking up the tidal advantage to take us around North Foreland - so it'll be a gentle motor overnight round to Dover and the sussex coast, where we're planning to make a pit stop at Brighton Marina.

Highlights of the day have been sailing past the extraordinarily weird old second world war forts - that look like strange creatures rising on metal legs from the sea bed and even stranger the new Kentish flats wind farm - 30 or so windmills that look like their just growing out of the river.We have a crew of 10 on board, including a novice to the Matthew called Paul who is big bearded chap and likes his historical re enactment. He certainly looks the part, scanning the horizon with his traditional telescope and has enjoyed his first day under sail with us. I'll get him to write some thoughts on the trip when we get to Portsmouth.

Nice Bollognese smells are coming from the galley as I write and as the sun sets over Kent so it must be tea time.More tomorrow.


27 Jan - 2008, 10:43
Absolutely gorgeous morning. Sunny, warm; just upped anchor after an overnight off Sheerness. Perfect wind direction for sailing down to North Foreland where we turn and head south down past goodwin sands and Dove Straits. Crew all been working hard scrubbing decks and getting ship prepared fro first sailing at sea for three months.

London Bound

15 November 2007 - Captain's Log.

"on our way up Thames, all looking good for rendevouz this afternoon"

...

"...Amazing! How to make Tower Bridge in a beautiful sunset look even more stunning: take one Matthew full of pirates firing canons. Talk about stopping the traffic! It was just incredible. Down to earth now and we've got to wait for a few hours in St Kats lock because the opening bridge is broken and won't open."

14 November 2007 - Captain's Log.

"preparing to leave Dover. Predicted short sharp gale did indeed gust through in the middle of the night. Fresh and calm air this morning for passage up past Goodwin Sands and into the Thames estuary. Thanks to Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club for hosting a Matthew crew shanty session last night."

"Lively run up from Dover. Rather petulant seas however things are settling down now and we're just off Margate. All looking fine for tomorrow."

13 November 2007 - Captain's Log

"we've made really good progress overnight and are nearly at Dover. Going to go in there and shelter while possible gale blows through."

...

"Safely alongside in Dover. As we arrive the wind drops but still nasty forecast for this evening and then lighter winds for tomorrow."

11 November 2007 - Captain's Log

"Matthew crew attended rememberance service in Cowes this morning. Ship is bing hosted by the UK Sailing Academy who are looking after us very well by making all facilities available including a launch for runs ashore. We will be repaying compliment by having school children from Isle of Wight on board. plan is to depart for onward passage to London tomorrow evening.

On our passage out of the Solent we will pass the wreck site of the Mary Rose which was a tudor caravel - like the Matthew - although of course much bigger. On passage from Plymouth we sailed hard for 30 hours with a brisk force 7 wind behind us. the main drama was breaking the whipstaff - the Matthew's steering stick - in the middle of the night. We then had to steer 'blind' from the tiller for many hours with the help of blocks and tackle before installing our spare at anchor in Christchurch Bay."

Skipper's reflections - 1st July 07:

exerpts from recent press release.

"The Matthew is on its way back to Bristol after what should have been a relaxing cruise round the Irish Sea, visiting festivals and harbours in Ireland, Isle of Man and Scotland. We have had some great welcomes and been the star of three really nice festivals, but the weather in between times has bought back vivid memories of white knuckle races across Biscay and the Southern ocean, rather than filling the photo album, with dreamy scenes of sunsets through the rigging."

"A long term forecast that promised gales, squalls and more grey rolling choppy seas than most sensible sailors dream of in a life time, forced us to abandon any hopes of some gentle cruises round the islands of the Clyde and for the past week or more we’ve been battling physically, but more mentally with these unseasonal storms."

"Our dilemma today only serves as vivid reminder of how damn difficult it was to get anywhere by sailing ship years ago. I’ve consoled myself by reading Captain Bligh’s account of taking 31 days to try and round Cape Horn in the Bounty. But this has also had the unfortunate effect of reminding me how near to the surface on old sailing ships, was the notion of mutiny, if things didn’t go well and crew got bored. In the 18th century a coastal town such as this would have had its fair share of brothels to keep waiting sailors happy! Today, we’re a short dingy ride from the hospitality of the Holyhead sailing club, complete with warm showers and cool beer. We’ve got it easy today really but some things don’t change and when you record squally gusts of over 30 knots, even within the protective confines of a mammoth breakwater - just like the old days - you have to stay put and wait for fair winds."

Rob Salvidge - Skipper

Last report, 8 Jul 18:14:

"24 hours in to passage from north wales to bristol. Just approaching pembrokeshire coast. Lovely sunny day but wind on the nose. Making good time however and aiming to arrive bristol afternoon tide tuesday. Had lots of dolphins around the boat. More details when we're in the bristol channel"

2008 Sailing Programme

Don't forget that Matthew is avilable for charter throughout the year- read on or turn to our Special Events page for more details!

STOP PRESS OFF TO FRANCE IN 2008 It might seem a long way off but we have accepted an inviation to attend the fabulous Maritime Festival in Brest, France in July 2008. This is Europes most spectacular traditional ship event and we'll be offering sailing passages to and from this fascinating town. Give us a call or send an e-mail to register your interest.