Enthusiast of navigation and old sailing ships, Jérôme wishes to share its passion through the restoration of an old schooner.

The schooner TIMSHEL is at present on dry dock in Brittany (France) and will be based in Brest (France). Her restoration is already undertaken, but the last deep works, in particular of motorization, rigs and sails fitting, electronic installation renewal are calling your contribution to envisage a launch in the course of springtime, 2015.

This ship can then, thanks to you, relive and enrich again our maritime heritage, sailing around the shores of the Celtic Sea, and further.

THE SHIP TIMSHEL

The name, TIMSHEL, was chosen because of its Hebrew meaning, deep expression of the potential of choice and action of the human beings. It was also a tribute to Bernard Moitessier in reference to the last chapter of its book “La longue route”. Since August, 2015, the word TIMSHEL is now associated to the revival of a beautiful schooner formerly baptized “Gros-Calin”. A new name for a new life, a part of our maritime heritage as the support of further journeys and projects…

The ship itself is a Schooner “Belle Amie” built in 1978 on the plans of the American naval architect J.R. BENFORD (http://www.benford.us/index.html). The lines chosen for the hull are inspired by Friendships lobster fishing boats frequently used in the Maine (US) in the 19th century. The design’s concept was, at the end of the 80s, to create a more poetical alternative to the industrial production of sailing units.

It was also some kind of revival of the American maritime heritage.

TIMSHEL is a now a rare unit who needs care.

This ship already has gone through several transatlantic sails and through much navigation.

Rigged in schooner, she presents a length of 11 meters for a 3,20 meter width and a 1,40 meter draft. She presents beautiful lines and a charming silhouette which deserves to keep on crossing big nautical events.

However, she was formerly manhandled especially during its last transatlantic sail and before we found it in the mouth or the River Vilaine in South Brittany.

TIMSHEL needed, by care and by a restoration to continue to navigate.

It is the history and the poetry of this “old lady” which motivated its recent acquisition.

It is its revival and the open way that will come further which arouse the present project

“But the Hebrew word, the word Timshel – ‘Thou mayest’ – that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if ‘Thou mayest’ – it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not” John Steinbeck – East of Eden.

THE AIMS OF THE PROJECT

This project is carried by various dreams and as an open way. The sea is a place of freedom and adventure, isn’t it? But it’s also a space for sharing.

In this way, the first and central objective of the project is to save a beautiful but old sailing ship and so to contribute to the preservation of a small part of the world maritime heritage.

We all have in everything our little part to play.

The gatherings of old sailing ships and other nautical events live for the public only through the presence of beautiful units of tradition and that through such initiatives. TIMSHEL, once renovated, will have authority to liven up, with other sailboats, these international events, associating every time voluntary crews to lead her navigations and for greatest pleasure of all.

After its launching, TIMSHEL hopes to participate to the coming nautical events:

La semaine du Golfe 2015 http://www.semainedugolfe.com/
Tonnerres de Brest 2016 http://www.brest2016.fr/
Les temps fêtes de Douarnenez 2016 http://www.tempsfete.com/

Further on, she will follow the winds and hopefully might set sails overseas for other gatherings of this kind.

UNE BRISE POUR TIMSHEL

UNE BRISE POUR TIMSHEL