Voyages | Designing The Matthew | Building the Matthew

1996 Sea Trials - The maiden voyage to London and back and trips to Ireland and France

Early in 1996 the Matthew set out from her home port of Bristol bound for London. She made many stops along the south coast of England before turning heads as she cruised up the Thames and into the heart of London. She then turned around and made the return trip in order to participate in the Festival of the Sea in Bristol.

After this huge event, the Matthew set sail for Ireland to participate in another maritime festival but encountered bad weather in the Irish Sea, forcing a stop in Cork. She eventually arrived in Castletown Barre and then returned to Falmouth and Penzance. The festivals continued with a trip to France, stopping at Brest and Douanenez, before attending Cowes Week and seeing the royal yacht Britannia off on her last cruise.