Charity circumnavigation

Classic 1929 coastal cruiser to lap the UK this summer

A classic 52ft Express Coastal Cruiser, St Joan, has been awarded National Flagship of the Year status by National Historic Ships UK in recognition of a planned circumnavigation of the UK in aid of charity.

The crew of St Joan will be raising money for the RAF100 and RNLI charities as they go around to commemorate the air-sea rescue work the boat did during WWII.

The tour will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the formation of the RAF, the 70th anniversary of St Joan returning to private ownership and the 15th anniversary of her purchase by the current owners, who say that supporting the RNLI and RAF100 symbolically reunites the air and sea rescue services.

Built in 1929 for Nigel Guinness by J W Brooke & Co of Lowestoft, St Joan was requisitioned in June 1940 and allocated to RAF Valley, Anglesey for air-sea rescue duties before finally returning to private ownership in 1948. Starting from Teddington on the River Thames in May, the team’s intention is to cruise clockwise around the country stopping at key points such as the RNLI headquarters in Poole during the 2,000-mile trip and finishing at St Katharine Docks in time for the Classic Boat Festival in September. Justgiving pages have been set up for each charity to enable donations to be made to them.

The intention is to cruise clockwise around the country stopping at key points