Around 300 visitors were welcomed to an open house with Fastnet Race winner Tally Ho while the historic wooden gaff cutter was moored on the Beaulieu River.
The stunning sailing yacht has gathered a huge public following during her restoration journey to return to the Fastnet Race for the centenary of her win in 2027.
British boatbuilder and sailor Leo Goolden – who bought Tally Ho for $1 and has worked with a dedicated group to restore her over seven years – was proud to show the beautiful boat and chat with visitors about her remarkable story.
Fellow sailor, author and broadcaster Tom Cunliffe was amongst fans who travelled from across the country to see her at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour and was delighted to meet Leo for the first time.
Beaulieu River Harbour Master Wendy Stowe said:
“We’ve had the pleasure of hosting Tally Ho on the Beaulieu River for a fortnight and the turnout for the open day was nothing short of incredible. The shared enthusiasm for traditional boatbuilding, sailing and Tally Ho’s story made the day truly special.”
Leo Goolden said:
“Thank you to all the staff at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour for being so kind and accommodating. We had a wonderful stay and can’t wait to come back to the Beaulieu River again.”
There was no more fitting place for Tally Ho to moor than the Beaulieu River, where the timeless, enduring appeal of wooden boats and traditional boatbuilding have a special home at the historic maritime village of Buckler’s Hard.
That heritage is now being kept alive by Buckler’s Hard Shipyard Trust. The charity is working to educate followers about the art and craft of wooden shipbuilding, its history and traditional skills through research, demonstrations, displays and the preservation of historic slipways.
During her stay on the Beaulieu River, Tally Ho joined a wooden boat rally which made an impressive spectacle while marking a celebration of traditional boatbuilding and seamanship skills.
Historic wooden boat RMMV Athlone Castle is also in Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour’s new boatshed workshop over the winter, for a restoration by Classic Shipwright Services. She is the last known wooden survivor of the Union Castle Line and traditional shipwright methods are being used to get her back to sea.
Showcases of wooden boats afloat, such as the rally in September and open house in October, help to reach new audiences and continue the momentum of wooden boatbuilding for the future.
To arrange your rally on the Beaulieu River or make a booking for the boatshed workshop, call the yacht harbour team on 01590 616200 or email harbour.office@beaulieu.co.uk.
To find out more about Tally Ho’s story, click here.
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