Mayflower Project “Open Session” report.

May 22, 2017

While I could not attend the recent Harwich Mayflower Project Open Session, there were people there who have contacted me with reports.

A professional examiner of shipbuilding training was present at the meeting and stated the following:

“The build is not likely, especially as the structure as it stands would not pass scrutiny. Thus the build would have to start from scratch and I can’t see that happening”

The representative of the Project denied this was the case, but it did emerge that they have set a cut off date of May 2018, which will see the Project unable to build a ship. It was said that if this is the case, the Project will revert to “Promotional activities” for the 2020 anniversary.

While I myself do not have a history of ships or shipbuilding, ( and neither it seems do the Harwich Mayflower Project as  public records show their Trustees vary from “retired” to “woodlands manager” ,  “Ex wing commander” and “Hotelier” the  youngest being 63 and the eldest 74 as of 2017. I believe the staff of 2 or 3 also consist of nobody with any history of shipbuilding or the business of building ships either) I am becoming more and more of the opinion that the Mayflower Project will probably end up as a Heritage Centre for Harwich and simply promote Harwich during the 2020 celebrations.

But as usual I remain cautiously optimistic.Several questions were asked at the meeting,  such as “why is there such limited information” and “why are the opening hours so erratic” but apparently, questions were met with a bland and well rehearsed “We will address your concerns”
Pretty routine stuff, but apparently things heated up when someone was heard saying “Sean Day (staff) and Robert Day (Trustee) are well known local *wide boys who should not be encouraged to continue with their plans”. Now while I have no knowledge of Robert Day (apart from once overhearing “The best thing about him is that he’s not his brother Sean” )  I did spend 18 months in the company of Sean while I was a volunteer.

It would seem that in the lack of any concrete information coming from this meeting, the one thing we can take from it is that as of this month, it seems the HMP have a year to get funding in place. Fingers crossed.

*For my American followers, Wikipedia states that Wide boy is a British term for a man who lives by his wits, wheeling and dealing.

Written by James Kelly Posted in The Build Tagged with harwich, Harwich and manningtree standard, harwich mayflower project, mayflower, shipbuilding, shipwright, wooden ship