Conference to celebrate the history of Crossfields of Arnside
by Alasdair Simpson 6 Feb 2019 19:40 UTC
Severn off Arnside © Arnside Sailing Club
Crossfields of Arnside in Cumbria were leading builders of classic yachts and Morecambe Bay Prawners (also known as Nobbies). They were active from the 1840s to 1940s.
There are around 40 Crossfield boats still in existence including 'Bonita' 1888, the oldest boat to take part in 2013 Round Britain Challenge, 'Ziska', 1903 which is now on the West Coast of America having been sailed across the Atlantic and 'Moya', 1910, now in the Mediterranean, second in her class in the 1975 Fastnet Race.
Crossfields built Arthur Ransome's Swallow. In the 1930 Swallow was owned by a local teenager and kept on the estuary at Arnside.
The conference on Saturday March 16th is being organised by Arnside Sailing Club, the RYA North West Sailing Club of the Year. It explores the history of Crossfields and the different boats which they built. During the conference there will be talks from visiting owners and skippers of Crossfields boats including 'Bonita', shortlisted for the Classic Boat Magazine awards, 'Moya' based in Greece and 'Maryll' based in the Netherlands.
In 1928 Arnside Sailing Club purchased 'Severn' a 1912 Royal Mersey Rivers Class Yacht with the help of a Heritage Lottery to have an example of a Crossfield's boat in the village.
Conference Details:
- Crossfields of Arnside and their boat
- Saturday 16th March 2019 at 10.30
- Price £18 including buffet lunch (any surplus goes towards the maintenance of 'Severn')
To book a place contact
Venue:
Arnside Educational Institute, Church Hill, Arnside, LA5 0DF