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Queenborough Classic Boat Festival on Sheppey

It's all ship-shape on the Isle of Sheppey this weekend.

More than 15 barges, tugs and yachts, all built before 1970, have moored up alongside the all-tide landing at Crundalls Wharf for the Queenborough Harbour Trust's annual Classic Boat Festival today and tomorrow.

The weekend also coincides with the 61st round-the-island yacht race.

Cambria sailing barge arriving at Queenborough for the Classic Boat Festival
Cambria sailing barge arriving at Queenborough for the Classic Boat Festival

One of the stars at Queenborough is the 79-tonne wooden Cambria Thames sailing barge which was built of wood at Greenhithe in 1906.

She was the last barge to trade entirely under sail and took her last cargo in 1970.

The Cambria, owned and operated by the Cambria Trust, was moved from the Dolphin Yard Sailing Museum in Sittingbourne to Sheerness Docks in 2006 and then to Faversham for restoration in 2007.

The work was completed in 2011.

Now: the Hjordis owned by Ian Bone at Queenborough
Now: the Hjordis owned by Ian Bone at Queenborough

Another highlight is the much smaller Hjordis which was built in 1956 and bought as a wreck at auction in July 2015 by Ian and Jamie Bone.

Ian said: "The hull was holed, the sails were ripped and the engine was missing.

"The poor boat was in a dilapidated state and looking very sorry for itself.

"Once we started work many marine professionals and shipwrights advised us it may be kinder to get a skip and dispose of her."

Before: the Hjordis owned by Ian Bone at Queenborough
Before: the Hjordis owned by Ian Bone at Queenborough

But when sanding revealed mahogany planks beneath the flaking paint the new owners were determined to press ahead.

Ian said: "Never one to shy away from a challenge, and with several grandchildren to help, we spent thousands of hours of hard work. Now her beauty now shines through."

Hjordis owner Ian Bone at Queenborough
Hjordis owner Ian Bone at Queenborough

Another classic is Doris the Thames Bawley built in 1909 and now owned by harbour operator Denis Johnson.

He said: "The boat was apparently named after the original owner's daughter."

It is one of the largest smacks still afloat weighing 24 tonnes and measuring 40ft long. Her early days were spent fishing and racing at Leigh-on-Sea across the water near Southend.

Teas at the Spirit of Sheppey moored at Queenborough
Teas at the Spirit of Sheppey moored at Queenborough

The XPilot, which runs trips to the Second World War Maunsell sea forts, and the Spirit of Sheppey which is gearing up to reintroduce ferry trips from Queenborough to Southend after a recent engine transplant, can also be visited.

Admission to the all-tide landing stage is £1, children free.

Queenborough Harbour operations director Geof Reed said: "If you love old boats, this is the place to be!"

The Classic Boat Festival at Queenborough Harbour. Picture: John Westhrop
The Classic Boat Festival at Queenborough Harbour. Picture: John Westhrop

The weekend also coincides with the 61st round-the-island 40-mile endurance yacht race organised by the Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club.

It is the UK's longest dinghy, sailboard and catamaran race.

Hundreds of entrants are expected to leave the yacht club in Marine Parade, Sheerness, between 10.30am and noon on Sunday and sail clockwise around the Island to Minster, Warden, Leysdown, Shellness, Harty, Kingsferry Bridge and Queenborough before returning to Sheerness.

The Island is also hosting 400 metal detectorists who are hunting for buried gold.

Read more about the Isle of Sheppey here

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