A sail for Joan appeal

Get Joan sailing again

Help to complete the restoration of a 90-year-old Tyne foyboat by contributing to buying a traditional sail and rig for her.

Volunteers at the North East Maritime Trust have spent two years restoring one of the last four foyboats from the river Tyne left in existence. “Joan” was in a sorry state when she came to us and needed a lot of hard work to replace a number of planks and bring her back into good condition.

These boats were once a common sight on the Tyne, and were supply boats to larger vessels that used the river. They were run by a crew of two, who rowed and sailed the boats into the North Sea to find ships that they would work with during their stay on the river.

Now all that is left to get Joan into her original condition is to have a sail made for her. We will use one of the last traditional sail makers in the country to sew a sail to our specifications, and we will also make the ropes and metalwork to complete the rig.

We are planning an official launch party for her in September 2017, and need to have the sail completed by then. The clock is ticking!

Please help to preserve a unique part of the northeast’s maritime heritage and help us raise the £1500 we need to buy a sail for Joan.

Keep up to date with North East Maritime Trust's activities at our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/henryfrederick.swan/