Name Sheemaun

Built in 1935 by Noble & Co of Fraserburgh, SHEEMAUN is a gentleman’s motor yacht. The hull is carvel built of oak frames with pitch pine and larch planking. She is ketch rigged and currently has two Beta Marine Diesel engines installed. In 1939, SHEEMAUN was registered to Lt Cmdr. R H Calvert-Link of Hinton Buildings, Southampton, but in the same year she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy as HMY SHEEMAUN. She was armed with two Hotchkiss Heavy Machine guns and assigned to the Thames Estuary Auxiliary Patrol with RNVR crew. Her duties included examination of incoming vessels, magnetic mine clearance, the supply of victuals, mail, and rum rations to the observation barges crews, and at some point, she would have taken some prisoners and been involved with enemy fire and ‘clandestine duties.’

After WW2, she served with the Department of Sea Transport until 1947, when she was sold off by the Department of Defence. In 1953 she was present at Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Celebrations and Spithead Fleet Review.

From 1965 to 1972, SHEEMAUN was registered to T W H Burton Esq. She was then owned by Rear Admiral G Gray CB, DSC from 1972-1981. With his son, N Gray, he cruised SHEEMAUN extensively on the South Coast, East Coast, North French Coast, Belgium, Holland, Germany and to the Baltic, including Denmark. In 1981, Lt Cmdr. I Pearson of Pangbourne Nautical College purchased SHEEMAUN. I Pearson cruised SHEEMAUN extensively from Upper Thames - Lower Thames - Southeast Coast - South Coast - South West Coast - North French Coast - Normandy Coast - Seine to Paris - St Malo - Channel Islands taking over the years many scores of cadets, six at a time, for hands-on sea going experience for a week or more and changing crews wherever there were connecting train, ferry, or bus services.

SHEEMAUN was acquired by Rodney Pell in 1981, and he owned her for more than forty years, until his death in 2024. The vessel had a major refit between 2001 and 2004 but more than 80% of the original vessel was sound and was retained. Since then, SHEEMAUN has featured in picture postcards, on a jigsaw puzzle, in yachting magazine advertisements and is based in Ramsgate Royal Harbour. She took part in the Portsmouth International Fleet Review in 2005 and was invited to the 2008 Brest International Festival of Classic Vessels.

She became National Historic Ships first ever Flagship of the Year in 2010, and in 2012 she was present at the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant in celebration of Queen Elizabeth's 60 years on the Throne.

She continues to attend by invitation at various Maritime Festivals in the UK, France and Belgium.