Jess Clay

Volunteering on Brigantine Zebu - September 2019

So having left my job and my home ahead of my new adventure in October, I found myself in Liverpool volunteering aboard the brigantine 'Zebu'. Zebu has had quite a dramatic life, built in 1938 as a Baltic trader. She was conscripted for use during WW2, only to be commandeered by the Polish Resistance, who kindly returned her after the war. Not much is known about her after that until she was found in a state of disrepair in Guernsey. She was restored in the 1980's as Operation Raleigh's expedition and Sailing training ship. She had been sunk at least twice and was finally bought by her current owner for the grand sum of £1, here in Liverpool.

The plan is to get her sea worthy enough to travel to Bangor for a major restoration. The owner has done some incredible work so far and I was pleased to be able to spend some time contributing towards her repair. Over the course of 10 days, we removed her 4 diesel tanks and cleared the engine room ready for her new electric motor and battery bank. We stripped some of the deck paint, uncovering rotten planks which can be filled for the time being before the full restoration. And after 3 days of removing the old, crumbling caulking on the Portside Bow, my final 2 days aboard Zebu were spent applying some lovely new oakum! Very satisfying way to spend my last day on Zebu - even had a visit from Maybe Sailing who joined us in the Canning Dock.