Our knowledge and expertise

Jess Clay – Business Operations Coordinator

Jess discovered sailing a little later than most, taking her first step aboard a Tall Ship at 30 — not bad for someone born and raised in land-locked Birmingham. What began as a life-changing voyage on the Dutch Brig Morgenster through Classic Sailing quickly became a new way of life. Jess went on to volunteer aboard several vessels before leaving a long career in the education sector to join National Historic Ships UK’s flagship SHTP2 traineeship in 2019.

Since then, Jess has worked & sailed aboard many of the vessels in the UK’s traditional fleet in a range of roles from Deckhand to First Mate to Cook, completed STCWs and RYA qualifications, and spent time learning traditional boatbuilding at IBTC Lowestoft. Combining over 15 years of communications and marketing experience with hands-on maritime background, Jess brings a unique perspective to Classic Sailing’s storytelling and outreach.

A passionate advocate for inclusion and community in the maritime world, Jess is an active member of Women in Boatbuilding and Balancing the Boat, and co-hosts the Off Watch Podcast, celebrating life aboard traditional ships and the people who sail them.

Jessie Atkinson

Jessie is a colour blind sailor and jumped-up ship’s cook who has spent most of her adult life as a traditional seafarer. She has been involved in all aspects of the industry, starting as a deckhand and bosun’s mate on the square-riggers over a decade ago.

Having sailed professionally on ships of all sizes, from 40′ gaff cutters to 150′ barques, Jessie has since moved on to vessel support and marine coordination (although she’d still be happier scurrying up the rigging while dinner’s in the oven…)

Adam Purser – Co Founder

Adam is a life long entrepreneur and sailor and has always been the business genius behind Classic Sailing. He is always learning new things about marketing and trying to find approaches to selling experiences that no one else has thought of.

A RYA Yachtmaster Instructor, Adam was Classic Sailing’s first RYA  Principal, now succeeded by Debbie. Adam has been the driving force of the business and instrumental in growing the Classic Sailing fleet to about 25 vessels working all over the world.

Debbie Purser – Co Founder

Debbie helped create and set up Classic Sailing with Adam in 1996. She was Operations Manager and skipper of Eve of St Mawes for 20 years, as well as using her creative talents and photography to design and write our websites, most the brochures and sales literature. Involved in all aspects of the business she is also a very well travelled as a tall ship sailor. If you want to know more about Antarctica, Greenland, Iceland, Cape Verde, Cuba and most of our fleet then she is happy to talk to you. Debbie is also our RYA Chief Instructor and has been to Nautical College to gain her STCW95 Deck Officer ticket so she can advise you on sailing career paths too.