May 08 2009
About
Porthmadog Rowing club is part of Porthmadog Yacht Club . We row in Celtic longboats and race in regattas around the coast of North and Mid-Wales. We also race in the Great London River Race.
We welcome newcomers who can have up to six free trips before they have to decide either to join us or that the sport is not for them.
Our boats are Madog and Fleetwing, respectively named after Prince Madog who reputedly sailed to America in 1170 and a famous local sailing ship. Fleetwing was a brig, a two masted sailing ship with square rigged sails on two masts, built at Borth y Gest in 1874. Her length was 110ft, beam 25ft, draught 14ft 6in and tonnage 226.
The typical voyage of Fleetwing was : taking slate from Porthmadog to Hamburg in Germany, from there taking various cargoes such as coal or cement to Brazil and then phosphate rock from Aruba in the west Indies to Liverpool. Finally she would return to Porthmadog from Liverpool in ballast.
She once became grounded on the Sarn Badrig in fog. She sailed free by off-loading some cargo onto smaller ships.
In 1911 she sailed to Port Stanley in the Falklands to become a storage hulk. In 1978 there was a plan to refloat her and return her to Porthmadog. However she was beyond repair. Finally she fell apart in apart 2002.
Fleetwing was remarkable that she was one of the few Porthmadog sailing ships to die of old age. This was due to having outstanding ships masters and efficient crews, many of whom themselves became well known ships masters.
Nice photos !!
Hi
My names Cari and I’m a nineteen year old student who has been rowing for Cardiff University. I’m interested in doing some coastal rowing while I am home and would appreciate some more information about how I could get involved with your club.
Many thanks, I look forward to hearing from you.
Hey Cari, yes no problem contact Tina Skinner, Membership Secretary for Porthmadog club, on 07715326664 or go down to the back of the yacht club where the boats are kept any week day at 6, thats when usually go out training. Cheers!!