Features and Review

Tres Hombres- a Tall Ship that's back in business!

Gliding into the port on Sat 15th October, aided by the pilot ship was Tres Hombres, a unique sailing ship with no engine, only sail power to transport its cargo to Brixham and beyond.

Arriving at the Town Pontoon, Tres Hombres dates from 1943 so might be considered a ‘youthful sailing vessel' compared to the other Brixham Heritage boats moored there. However built in the style of the Cutty Sark and now restored with an 1870s design of rigging, she has completed 4 journeys across the Atlantic to date and TransOceanic Wind Transport (TOWT) intends this to be just the beginning of a fleet of sailing vessels that don't rely on oil to carry cargo.

Captain Jorne Langelaan, said, “Brixham is the first place we've come to in England and whilst there are hybrid tall ships with engines it is quite radical to take out the engine and rely entirely on wind power.”

Are sailing ships a step back in time or a future necessity, as oil reserves are depleted? Guillaume Le Grand, a founder member of TOWT said, “This journey is an environmental statement, delivering products with an exemplary carbon footprint.”

The ship also has its own wind turbines and solar panels generating needed electricity for the up to date navigational equipment. The crew of 13 may be volunteers but this is a serious business venture as the ship rounds the Atlantic in winter to collect cargo from the Caribbean amongst other places.

On board in the ship's hold, Tres Hombres Rum, a 8 year old Gran Anejo from the Dominican Republic awaits sampling, as the Captain hopes to do business with local caters. All are invited to visit on Sunday 16th October after 2pm for a rum tasting on board at Brixham Harbour.

Tres Hombres is open to the public to have a look around up until set sail (weather permitting) on Thurs 20th October. There are other goods on board which come from the Netherlands, such as specialised jams and berry wines, as the ship sailed from Den Helden after its summer break, following last winter's Atlantic run.

Here in Brixham prestigious Exeter Brewry's Avocet Ale will be loaded on board to take on the next leg of the journey to Brest in France and so the trading continues as the ship moves around to Portugal , The Canaries and then across to Grenada to pick up chocolate to take to New York.

Captain Jorne said that, 'The whole project is not the mastermind of a rich entrepreneur but a community effort, as people came together financing the boat through buying shares, then they restored the boat and now some sail it.'

Nevertheless the vision is to create an ‘Ecoliner' the largest tall ship the world has ever seen to help solve the transportation problems of the future, hopefully with the backing of the Dutch Government.

Captain Jorne Langelaan, a founder of Fair Transport said, Until then Fair Transport will keep trading and raising the question of where and how do the products we use every day get to us and at what cost to us and our environment?

For anyone wanting to become a volunteer member of the sailing crew (no experience necessary) please contact fairtransport.sabine@gmail.com For further information about TOWT click here... www.towt.eu