Celebrating 30 years of Classic Sailing 1996-2026
Last year we celebrated the PEOPLE that bring your sailing voyages to you, and the fascinating range of customers that shape these ‘hands on’ adventures. We also took a behind the scenes look at the many supporting businesses, charities and organisations that share our love of traditional sailing vessels.
Our theme for 2026 is to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Classic Sailing Ltd. The History of Classic Sailing, a Cornish based company.
As co-founder I turned 60 this autumn and realised I have been involved in Classic Sailing for half my life. The other co founder is my husband Adam and he still works full time for the company. We have worked with over 60 sailing vessels in that time, given a lot of customers a route into a lifetime of sailing, and helped launch and economically support the sort of ‘labour of love’ businesses that would turn most accountants hair grey.
Why are we still here?
Well its a bit like a good book you cant put down. Over the next 12 months we will try and explain why Classic Sailing is not perfect, but has proved an unstoppable force within the traditional sailing industry, and lured in so many brilliant people and vessels through the decades.
So what is our secret….and where is the company going?
We aim to share the powerful business lessons in this tale of creativity, resilience, and much adapting to economic trade winds and social needs and trends. Adam and I have the overview as we have been here from the start in 1996. It would be easy to simply trip down memory lane but we have a reason to mark ‘a line in the sand’ at 30 years….and it is not the R word.
The Future History of Classic Sailing
The existing staff team of Jessie, Jess, Adam and Debbie are in it for the long haul and we have some exciting news about the future of Classic Sailing to reveal in September 2026.
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30 Years of Classic Sailing history as a Timeline
“And you may find yourself sailing (living) in a beautiful place (house), with a beautiful boat (wife)
And you may ask yourself – Well, how did I get here?”
Lyrics by Talking Heads
Classic Sailing through the years. Our story looks a bit like this…..and it involves a cast of thousands.
- Chapter 1 – In the beginning was Eve, but we had big plans for a fleet 1996-2001 (See Below)
- Chapter 2 – An office ashore –How we became a booking agent for other boats (2003)
- Chapter 3 – A new RYA sailing school for Boats with Bowsprits (2004)
- Chapter 4 – Ambitious growth – More ‘bums on berths’ for tall ships
- Chapter 5 – Pilot Cutters Are Us – the 1st Pilot Cutter Review
- Chapter 6 – A tall ship of our own – Plans to build a Privateer
- Chapter 7 – Chasing the Dutch Ships – Trade Wind Routes & Icebergs (2007)
- Chapter 8 – World Recession, working for Trinity Sailing & Brixham Trawlers (2008-2009)
- Chapter 9 – Rebirth of Sail Cargo & Promoting Green Transport (2012). Plus how our history makes a big advance in September 2026
- Chapter 10 – ‘Eve of St Mawes’ Sold – Travel Company Ambitions (2017)
- Chapter 11 – Brexit and Covid Years – Global Travel is dead. Sad Goodbyes (2020-22)
- Chapter 12 – New Priorities – Sailing for human company, sanity & camaraderie
We will publish a chapter a month through 2026, and see where the memories take us. If you remember the Women go Wild Weekends on Eve, were at Grayhounds launch or the first Pilot Cutter Review, or can tell us where some boats and characters are now, we would love to hear from you.
Chapter 1: In the Beginning was Eve
1996: Choosing A Flagship to Launch the Company
Adam wanted a tall ship. I thought the 72ft ocean youth club ketches I was working on in the 1990s were quite big enough to handle. Neither of us were commercial skippers yet, but we knew our first charter boat had to be wood, traditionally rigged, and drop dead gorgeous.
1892 Brixham Trawler Leader was for sale and quite tempting to our sense of maritime history. Our business ideas for the perfect charter vessel were based on inspiration from the tempting brochures of Marguerite Explorer in Scotland and the engineless Maine Schooners with their ships rowing boats. Apart from that, everything else seemed to be youth sail training. We had both done plenty of volunteer watch leading with tall ship youth crews but we wanted something adventurous and uplifting for adults.
Wood seemed so good for the soul, but neither of us were boatbuilders, so in the end it was a 38ft brand new replica pilot cutter that settled it. In Classic Boat Magazine small ads we spotted Luke Powell’s first project as a boat builder in his own right. A sexy little hull with a mast and spars and not much else, down on the Exeter Maritime Museum Quay.
An incredible 6 months followed where were we raised the private investment, bank loans, sold a house, designed the fit out, commuted back and forth from Derbyshire to Devon, launched and named our first flagship – Eve of St Mawes, fought the expensive battles to get the boat licenced with MCA and moved to Cornwall by boat.
Eve’s interior when we first saw her, floor, benches and partions only.
‘Eve of St Mawes’ ethos was simple.
Adventure Afloat. Exploring Ashore. Avoiding Marinas. No sailing experience needed. One skipper and 6 guests. Hands on sailing with everyone involved from day 1. Adam and Debbie took turns at skippering one week and running the office the next. We hardly saw each other for 3 years… but absence makes the heart grow fonder. In 1999 we got married on Eve in St Mawes Harbour.
Making our business look bigger than it really was
We invented numerous voyage themes to appeal to every sort of audience: Sailing and Walking, Cornish Gardens by boat, Marine wildlife interpreter courses, basking shark specials, Island Hopping in the Scillies, Wildlife Safaris with Will Wagstaff, women go wild weekends.
We chased PR and recognition from Cornwall Today Magazine to Climber Magazine, wiggled into every national newspapers and ran competitions and offers in places that were starved of stories from the sea – Newbury Times, Sheffield Star, Birmingham Post and many more. Our whole winters seemed to be mailing brochures and writing new press releases.
Total Publicity tarts.
Row the Boat Ashore
Aquiring a 15ft clinker rowing boat was an important part of Eve’s holiday style. It was inspired in part by a St Mawes sailing instructor from Adam’s childhood (Les Ferris?) who wouldn’t take you sailing unless you could row out to the boat. Another for Debbie was influence was an atmospheric photo of an American charter guest rowing the captain’s ‘pulling boat’ away from a Maine Schooner at anchor.
Number 8 was a lucky find. A replica tender of an 1890’s St Mawes based pilot cutter F8 Vincent, build by Falmouth Marine School students and sold to us by gig boat builder Ralph Bird. The perfect workhorse for crew changes, posing alongside waterside pubs and exploring ashore. Today Tallulah tows her successor. A replica of the replica, built by Peter Williams – another great gig boat builder from Fowey.
Cocky, Ambitious. Up to our neck in debt
In 3 years from a database of zero, Eve was up to 80% capacity for guests and we asked Luke to design us a second larger pilot cutter. We even put a deposit down on the build and still have the plans.
Would this be the beginnings of a company owned fleet?
Find out next month in Chapter 2 of the ‘Classic Sailing at 30’ story.
News and ArticlesWill our 2026 theme be interesting to you?
We will still be featuring all the news from the vessels themselves, new voyage programmes and destinations, but we hope you like our focus this year on Classic Sailing at 30. If you think you have a story of interest to our subscribers, we would love to hear from you.
If you EMAIL or message us – just pop the word CLASSIC SAILING AT 30
Author: Debbie Purser
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Classic Sailing still here after 30 years?
Well it’s a bit like a good book you can’t put down. Over the next 12 months we will try and explain why Classic Sailing is not perfect, but has proved an unstoppable force within the traditional sailing industry, and lured in so many brilliant people and vessels through the decades.
What was Classic Sailing’s first boat?
Eve of St Mawes, a 38ft brand new replica pilot cutter built by Luke Powell in 1996. We found her in Classic Boat Magazine small ads – a sexy little hull with a mast and spars and not much else, down on the Exeter Maritime Museum Quay. Eve’s ethos was simple: Adventure Afloat. Exploring Ashore. Avoiding Marinas. No sailing experience needed. One skipper and 6 guests.
Who founded Classic Sailing?
Co-founders Debbie and Adam Purser founded Classic Sailing Ltd in 1996. Adam and Debbie took turns at skippering Eve of St Mawes one week and running the office the next. They got married on Eve in St Mawes Harbour in 1999. The excellent existing staff team includes Jessie, Jess, Adam and Debbie.
How many sailing vessels has Classic Sailing worked with?
Over 60 traditional sailing vessels since 1996. Classic Sailing has worked with these vessels over 30 years, helping launch and economically support the sort of ‘labour of love’ businesses that would turn most accountants hair grey.
What is the Classic Sailing theme for 2026?
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Classic Sailing Ltd (1996-2026). We will publish a chapter a month through 2026 sharing the powerful business lessons in this tale of creativity, resilience, and adapting to economic trade winds and social needs. We have some exciting news about the future of Classic Sailing to reveal in September 2026.
