Name White Heather

White Heather, built by Richard Pearce at East Looe, Cornwall, in 1926, was first owned by the four Thomas brothers at Mevagissey, but later fished out of Falmouth for various owners before being laid up on moorings in the Fal.

Norman Laity, of St Ives, converted her back to sail in 1988, then sold her on to Fred Hindley, who ran sailing trips out of Fowey. 

In 1992, she was bought and underwent an extensive restoration by the late Mike Mackay-Lewis, with the help of Paul Greenwood, author of “Once aboard a Cornish Lugger”, and current chairman of the Cornish Lugger Association. She was stripped down to her bare hull, many planks and the transom was renewed, using over 1,200 galvanised fastenings. In 2003, she sailed from Cornwall to Morocco and Brazil, returning to the UK via the Caribbean.

Major work was carried out again in 2005, when the keel bolts and garboards were replaced and the 6 cylinder 82 hp Leyland-Thornycroft engine and gearbox was remanufactured by Injection Marine of Bristol. 

Following a refit in Bristol in 2011, she appeared as a guest at the Gloucester Tall Ships Festival. She was out of the water for a further refit in 2014. On both occasions two planks were replaced. In 2015 the decks were sheathed with woven roving fibreglass and epoxy resin. 

In December 2023, the vessel sank at her moorings in Gloucester Docks, and was raised in January 2024.

Update, April 2024: Vessel for sale as restoration project.