Manx Beauty – Post Restoration

The Manx Beauty- what does Community ownership mean?

The Manx Beauty must have a place in our community and further afield. Emotional connections and shared experiences will ensure her longevity. Therefore we must welcome future generations to experience multiple events and projects involving the boat.

Community restoration is not the end of the process merely the beginning. We are embarking on a journey to establish continued pride in this boat as a symbol of our shared heritage.

Significant work is ongoing sharing and educating our community in the uniqueness of where we live. For instance, the revived Cellardyke Sea Queen festival has encouraged and promoted house history research. Additionally we have involved all generations researching and playing living history characters from the town’s past. The festival has curated community researched exhibitions and incorporated multiple local organisations into the celebrations. For the first time in about 20 years we have achieved involving the modern fishing fleet.

Community participation is at the core of all we do. The Manx Beauty will take a major role in this and other festivals based locally and further afield.

Use of the Manx Beauty post restoration

The potential of the boat is unlimited.

Projects under development – see “Manx Beauty Projects” page

Summary – A show is under development using aspects of the boat’s history to inspire new music based on traditional themes. We are bringing Manx, Fife and Fraserburgh youngsters together to share their traditions, the project will recreate the story of the boat. This echos the skill sharing that stimulated the commissioning of the boat in the first place. Further Info on the music project –

The Oral History boat. We plan to visit ports where boats such as this used to fish from. There we will meet, interview and yarn with many fishing communities members as we can. By using digital technology to record and video history we can save stories that are fast disappearing. Young people are becoming involved by telling the Manx Beauty story in short videos on social media.

here's a 2 min video thrown together on a phone, sorry about the sound quality it's been really difficult to get a non windy day. Thanks to all the young folk that took part especially our Coull Deas! we'll aim to up our game for the next one ..

Posted by Bring Back The Beauty on Saturday, 14 March 2020

Summer Schools.

Investigations are ongoing to use the vessel as a focus for music /art / maritime summer schools. Consequently we will be offering a unique experience where several participants could live aboard to learn traditional skills.

We are also exploring

  • Creating the potential of seafood cookery demonstrations from the vessel working in conjunction with commercial businesses.
  • Potential trips and sea experience for disadvantaged young people, complimenting the Taymara project, https://www.taymara.org/