John Bowden 56 ft Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter 1909/2011 1909 OLGA

56 ft Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter 1909/2011

OLGA’s builder, John Bowden of Porthleven, Cornwall, was widely experienced in the design and construction of sailing fishing boats, pilot boats, and yachts, along with small commercial steam powered vessels, for clients throughout Britain. OLGA may be his masterwork: among the longest of Bristol Channel pilot cutters and certainly one of the finest and favourites of the restored originals we have left. Since 1984 she’s been a museum vessel at Swansea, but sailed enough to keep her sweet – as recently as 2019-2024 with Sailing Tectona CIC – and restored, refitted and maintained in the capable hands of Tommi Nielsen, Gloucester. The opportunity to purchase OLGA is a very rare thing indeed.