A 1970s French sloop on the Scottish coast. A working boat, carefully rebuilt, heavily used, and ultimately lost while seeking shelter on a dark night. This is her story.
I wanted something I could actually sail and actually maintain. Not just photograph. A small cruiser-racer that could live on a UK mooring, be worked on weekends, and still make coastal hops without drama.
The Écume de Mer — designed by Jean-Marie Finot, built by Mallard in La Rochelle — fitted that picture well. A proper quarter-tonner. Light, responsive, honest. This is the 1976 comfort version with the extended coachroof: slightly more headroom, better handholds, a cockpit that makes sense when you're sailing alone.
Skellig. Remote, a bit rough, worth the effort.
1976 comfort / extended coachroof variant. Sourced from Groupe Finot archives and sailboatdata — figures may vary slightly by build year.
While searching for safe anchorage in the dark, Skellig struck submerged rocks. The impact tore the keel away from the hull. Nobody was injured, but the boat was lost. After years of repairs, upgrades, passages and plans, this marks the end of Skellig's story.
The last photographs of Skellig. Not the ending I expected, but part of the story all the same.
This isn't a museum rebuild. It's a rolling refit shaped around how I actually sail — UK coastal, mixed weather, often alone. Practical over pretty, though pretty can follow.
The professional electrical and systems work on Skellig is handled through Winchwork — my marine services business based in Scotland. If your boat needs the same treatment, get in touch.
Boats rarely leave our lives the way we imagine. We picture a sale, a handover, a new owner carrying the story forward. Skellig had other ideas.
While looking for safe anchorage in the middle of the night, I found a patch of rocks before I found shelter. The impact was enough to tear the keel away from the hull. Nobody was hurt, but the boat's sailing life ended there.
For a boat that spent decades afloat and gave me countless hours of work, learning and adventure, it felt strangely fitting. Skellig was never a showpiece. She was a working boat. She carried me through Scottish weather, taught me more than any textbook could and always demanded a little effort in return.
This page remains as a record of that journey.
The running record. What happened, what broke, what got fixed — and eventually how the story ended.
Rebuilt the boat page from scratch after an accidental WordPress deletion. Fresh start — cleaner and easier to keep updated.
Full audit of the existing 12V installation. Several dubious connections sorted. Interior lighting converted to LED throughout — significant load reduction.
Rerouted reefing lines and mainsheet setup for solo sailing. Makes a real difference shorthanded.
A few days up the west coast. Boat performed well. Weather was typically Scottish. Made the passages I came for.
Follow ongoing projects and adventures on @projectgomad.