Since the restoration and launch of Pioneer, The Pioneer Sailing Trust has developed ‘Harker’s Yard’ on the Shipyard Estate, Brightlingsea, with the aim of benefitting and developing the local area’s marine industry through training.

The trust will be delivering apprenticeship training to Heritage Engineering Marine Technician across England from September 2023. Please email us at training@pioneersailingtrust.org.uk for further information.

Heritage Engineering Marine Technician
Employer and Apprentice Information

This programme has been designed by specialists from across the UK to ensure that essential skills and knowledge are passed on by experienced craftspeople to the next generation of Heritage Engineers in the marine sector.

Duration: 42-48 months
Location: Pioneer Sailing Trust, Brightlingsea, Colchester
Delivery: Block release
Group size: Maximum 12 Apprentices
Start Date: September 2023

Pioneer and its crew, along with five new apprentices, embarked on another voyage to Terschelling, where the boat was originally used to dredge for oysters in the 1800s.  They were certainly put through their paces as they took it in turns to helm, navigate, trim sails and cook.  The crew were split into four watches and rotated shifts every four hours.  Taking only 30 hours, the journey there ran very smoothly.
  The next day, after a good rest, they hired bikes and set off to explore Terschelling.  The first place they visited was the wreck house museum.  This museum is an Aladdin's cave of treasures, old and new, from WW2 artifacts to trainers washed up from container ships.
The next stop was something a little more exciting for the apprentices, going blow carting!  They had to cycle to the beach, which lends itself perfectly to this sport as the beach is so flat and wide.  It was a great sport to try, so everyone took part.  As it was windy, they managed to get up to some impressive speeds...and impressive tumbles!  When the bikes were packed away and everyone was back on the boat, the day seemed over all too quickly.  Once on baord, Jim, the skipper, told the crew that there was some bad weather approching and they needed to leave in the morning.  If not, they might be stuck there for another week!  Some of the apprentices thought this did not sound like a bad idea!
Setting out for another journey accross the North Sea, Pioneer left Terschelling about 9am the next morning.  All the sails went up as the conditions were calm.  They were making good progress.  As they approached the shipping channels, the conditions started to get more challenging.  Pioneer seemed to thrive in these conditions and sailed like she knew her way home.  Steadily, the sea state worsened but Pioneer was in her element, powering through the waves. The sails needed to be reefed, making it a little easier to handle;,at some points the bow sprit was going under every other wave and there were a few big ones over the bow.  For the well trained crew, handling the boat was no problem.