This October, Docks Heritage Weekend returned to Bristol's Floating Harbour. The yard was a thriving hub of activity and it was brilliant to see so many visitors soaking up the living history around them. The Underfall Yard Trust would like to thank everyone who visited, as well as the volunteers, guest organisations and artists that contributed to the program of activities. See some highlights below... Richard Hopkins from the Knotters Guild, in full flow with some eager visitors! The Underfall Yard Cafe was hugely popular throughout the weekend, with its stunning views and meals made fresh to order. Sam [...]

On 17th September 2022, Underfall Yard will serve as one of the hosts for the second annual Bristol Shanty Festival. Join us, free of charge, at the Visitor Centre to welcome some of the most talented local sea shanty groups around! Performances will be from 12pm until 6pm, with our café serving food and drinks. Find out more about our guest performers in their own words… Bristol’s Storm Force 10 shanty crew, keeping the history of ships and sailing alive, singing songs from all around the world with special fondness for local, Bristol, tunes and tales. Some songs are [...]

Underfall Yard volunteer Andrew Radford has been finding out about the latest success for Star Yachts. Win Cnoops, owner of Underfall Yard-based Star Yachts has had his Bristol 6 motor launch shortlisted for one of the categories in Classic Boat Magazine’s prestigious 15th annual Classic Boat awards. These awards celebrate the best in the world of classic and traditional boatbuilding and restoration.  There are various classes which make up the awards featuring everything from antique restored sailing yachts to new, cutting edge, spirit-of-tradition yachts as well as restored and new powered vessels, this being where The Bristol 6 is [...]

Underfall Yard Volunteer writer Andrew Radford has been keeping abreast of the latest developments... I visited the yard in February to see how the Slipway Restoration Project was progressing. The sun was out, the aroma of bacon rolls was emanating from the Underfall Café and the sound of power tools was resonating around the yard. At first sight the Slip looked much as it did when last I was here with the cradle out of the water and resting at the top of runway.  But a pile of bogies and wheels and a bucket of enormous bolts, used to [...]

The Patent Slipway at the yard is undergoing a major restoration for the first time in nearly 30 years. Underfall Yard Volunteer Writer Andrew Radford decided to investigate. Underfall Yard at the Western end of Bristol’s floating harbour is a treasure trove of historic machinery and equipment related to the nautical world, much of which is still in working order, making the Yard not a Museum but an exemplar of conservation and regeneration. A prime example of this and one of the stars of the Yard is undoubtedly the Patent Slip. Boatyards commonly have slipways in order that boats [...]

In November Underfall Yard was delighted to welcome boatbuilder Gail McGarva to run her Disappearing Lines boatbuilding workshop. Underfall Yard volunteer writer Andrew Radford takes up the story.  Having only recently joined the Underfall Yard volunteer force, and spent some time reading the website, I saw mention of this workshop and signed up. Between doing so and the day of the event I had many moments of doubt wondering what on earth was a 74-year-old landlubber with few practical skills doing attending a boat building workshop? But it was great to step outside my comfort zone and be able [...]

On 9th, 10th and 11th of November Underfall Yard will host a series of special boatbuilding workshops run by traditional boatbuilder Gail McGarva. The Disappearing Lines workshop is a combination of practical hands-on activities interwoven with capturing the stories of craft in danger of extinction. The one-day workshop will give you the opportunity to try your hand at two key processes in traditional wooden boat building – steam bending and copper-rivet fastening. Through demonstrating and tutoring, you will create your own miniature oak ribcage of a boat, a ghost ship symbolising the disappearing lines of the craft. You do [...]