Bid to raise £20,000 for coble repairs in centenary year

Bridlington Sailing Coble Preservation Society is holding a number of fundraising events, including a Coble Night at Filey’s Coble Landing Bar on November 18, ahead of the centenary next July. Members are asking people in Bridlington to contribute.

Sailing master Ian Thompson said they were not insured to take the boat out of the harbour, after a survey judged it in a poor condition. He added: “There are several ribs that have deteriorated and about five of the main planks need replacing. It’s our centenary year next year and we need to have it sorted by then.”

The society’s spokesman, historian Mike Wilson, said the coble was as important to British sailing history as vessels like the Cutty Sark, which reopens next year after a multi-million conservation scheme, or the Mary Rose, whose new state-of-the-art museum is costing £35m.

Members run the Harbour Heritage Museum, where ticket sales – just 30p a visit – represent their main source of funding for maintenance and repairs.

Mr Wilson said half the amount they needed could be raised if everyone in Bridlington visited just once a year.