Helen Mary R

A Sail Training vessel with a purpose

Helen Mary R is more than a boat. She is a place of fun, learning, challenge, and belonging. For nearly four decades, she has carried young people to sea and helped them discover confidence, resilience, and capability they did not know they had.

She is a 57-foot sailing vessel designed specifically for Sail Training; robust, capable, and built to be worked as a team. Everything about her encourages cooperation, responsibility, and shared endeavour.

Helen Mary R is a Bowman 57, designed by Holman & Pye and built by Southern Boatbuilding Company for the Rona Sailing Project. She was launched in 1986 and spent her first 24 years delivering Sail Training voyages before joining Morvargh Sailing Project in 2010.

Her rig is that of a ketch, a traditional two-masted sailing vessel with a mainmast and a smaller mizzen mast set aft. This rig provides balance, flexibility, and a wide range of sail combinations, allowing the boat to be handled effectively in varied conditions. She is also cutter rigged on the mainmast, meaning she can carry multiple headsails. This creates more opportunities for shared responsibility on deck, enabling trainees to work together in smaller teams, build confidence progressively, and take an active role in sailing the vessel.

Since her launch, Helen Mary R has helped inspire and support more than 6,000 young people and sailed over 100,000 miles! Her design reflects that purpose; she is strong, seaworthy, and forgiving, yet demanding enough to teach respect for the sea and reliance on others.

In 2026, Helen Mary R celebrates her 40th year afloat. Built in 1986 for the Rona Sailing Project, she was designed from the outset as a vessel for Sail Training; strong, capable, and able to carry young people safely offshore on meaningful voyages.

Reaching 40 years is not an accident. It reflects careful design, professional maintenance, and above all, a shared commitment to stewardship. Helen Mary R has been looked after because she matters, not as an object, but as a platform for life-changing experiences.

As Helen Mary R enters her fourth decade, our focus is on ensuring she remains safe, welcoming, and capable. This means continued investment in maintenance, refits, sails, and onboard systems, all carried out with care and professionalism. She is sailed, worked hard, and relied upon every season. Her story continues with every watch stood, every sail hoisted, and every young person who discovers they are capable of more than they thought.

Helen Mary R can accommodate up to 16 people. The crew consists of young people, known as trainees, who are supported by a team of trained adults called the Afterguard. The Afterguard includes a Skipper and Mate at all times, with Watch Officers and, on some voyages, Watch Leaders.

Watch Leaders are young people who have previously sailed with us and have been invited back as volunteers after demonstrating leadership potential. This progression is a vital part of how responsibility and aspiration are modelled on board.

Together, trainees and crew live and work as one team. Sailing the vessel, preparing meals, keeping watch, and caring for one another are shared responsibilities.

Helen Mary R is designed to be practical and welcoming. Below deck, she offers two communal spaces, the upper and lower saloons, where crews eat, learn, and spend time together. There is a compact but well-equipped galley and two heads (toilets).

The sleeping accommodation is open-plan, with individual bunks and personal storage. While space is shared, privacy and dignity are respected. Living closely together is part of the Sail Training experience; it encourages communication, patience, and mutual respect.

In 2026, Helen Mary R was awarded the prestigious MCA/ASTO Sail Training Vessel of the Year. This national award, presented in partnership between the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Association of Sail Training Organisations, recognises a vessel that demonstrates excellence in seamanship, safety, and the delivery of high-quality Sail Training experiences for young people.

Morvargh Sailing Project exemplifies the very best of Sail Training in the UK. Helen Mary R demonstrates not only high standards of seamanship and safety, but a deep and sustained commitment to the personal development of young people. This award recognises a programme that delivers meaningful impact through challenge, responsibility, and care.

Kerry, Chief Executive of ASTO

Safety at sea

Helen Mary R operates as a coded small commercial vessel under the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s Sport and Pleasure Code of Practice. This framework sets out the standards required for vessels operating commercially at sea, covering construction, stability, safety equipment, manning, and operational procedures. Compliance ensures that the vessel is independently assessed and maintained to a recognised national standard.

She is surveyed annually by an independent marine surveyor and is certified to operate up to 60 miles from a safe haven, enabling meaningful offshore Sail Training while maintaining appropriate safety margins.

Safety on board is built through preparation, professionalism, and shared responsibility. All sea staff are appropriately qualified and undertake thorough training and vessel familiarisation before sailing. Clear passage planning, weather assessment, and risk management processes underpin every voyage.

On board, safety equipment is checked routinely, and emergency procedures are practised with every crew. Lifejackets with integral harnesses and high-quality waterproof clothing are provided to all participants. Clear codes of conduct, strong supervision, and a supportive onboard culture ensure that young people feel safe, respected, and able to fully engage in the experience.

Helen Mary R is recognised as a Class D Tall Ship; a modern-rigged sailing vessel designed for offshore work and Sail Training. While smaller than square-rigged ships, she demands teamwork, coordination, and commitment from everyone aboard, creating an environment where safety and learning go hand in hand.

Technical specifications