Beer Luggers Racing, Devon 2000

Until about the end of the Nineteenth Century almost every town and village around the coast of Britain had its own fishing fleet. While the boats varied many were lug rigged like this fleet racing off the small town of Beer in Devon near Seaton, between Exmouth and Lyme Regis. The Beer lugger fleet is the only one of small open boats in existence to regularly sail using a primitive lug rig. They launch off the beach in the same way as they did in the days of yore and recover using winches often after dark.

The lug sail is quite efficient and the boats sail fast especially on the reach. The problem comes when they have to tack across the wind. They have to ‘dip’ the lug spar behind the mast as they tack. This takes strength and skill even in these small boats while racing. This dipping lug tacking makes an interesting addition to all the other skills of strategy tactics seamanship and gamesmanship that other open boat racers use.

You might also like to compare and contrast these little Beer Luggers with Friese yachts racing near Sneek N. Netherlands 2004 and Colne Smack Match off Brightlingsea, Essex 2001. The three pictures make a varied set for your wall.