PRECIOUS training to preserve Maldon's iconic red-sailed barges will be funded thanks to a £19,600 grant, the Thames Sailing Barge Trust has announced.
The charity award will help fund the trust's successful training scheme for skippers and mates.
Trust spokesperson John Rayment says the Thames sailing barge community faces a shortage of skilled crew.
“It is vital that new blood is swiftly brought in so precious skills are not lost,” he said.
“The pool of talent we can draw upon is shrinking as time goes by, due to an increasingly ageing demographic.”
This is the third time the scheme has been supported by Trinity House, an ancient organisation founded in 1514 to safeguard shipping and seafarers.
John added: “The trustees are grateful to Trinity House for making this award which will ensure there is sufficient trained crew to sail these iconic vessels, including our sailing barges Centaur and Pudge, well into the future.”
One of the trust’s objectives is to inform people about the historic and cultural role of Thames sailing barges in the seagoing heritage of Great Britain. It also provides training in traditional seafaring skills needed to sail and maintain the unique barges in their Essex home.
Currently, it can take up to five years to gain sufficient experience to become a mate and ten years to become a skipper.
There are currently only eight skippers under the age of 50 and about 25 mates.
Over the last seven years, the trust has taken on several trainees each year to develop their skills as future third hands, mates and skippers. It aims to create a pool of people available to sail the barges in the future.
So far, Trinity House has funded 11 mates and four skippers for the trust.
The latest grant will cover the costs of Royal Yachting Association training courses, books, and hire of barges.
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