Photo: Tony Coley
Silver Oyster Race - Winner B Class,
November 5th 2008

Most locals will have seen the famous Falmouth Working Boats racing in the Fal Estuary or will have seen the many GRP Working Boats built as pleasure\cruisers by Martin Heard's Tregatreath Boatyard at Mylor. Not all will be aware that traditionally they spend their winter dredging for native oysters on the Truro Oyster Fishery.

Photo: Ranger
The transom of the Alf Smythers

Alf Smythers was one of the very last boats built of wood specifically for oyster dredging on the River Fal. A typical Percy Daulton design, very similar to the Meloris that was used by Martin Heard’s father Terry to make the now famous mould for GRP hulls. She is a 26ft Pitch Pine on Elm and Oak, Gaffer, built by Alf Smythers and Peter Mayes between 1966-71. Sadly Alfie died before she was complete, so Peter finished her of at Cowlands Creek and as Alun Davies once said in Martin’s kitchen, its was he that suggested Peter named her after his friend.

It was infact Martin Heard who acted as the agent for Peter Mayes and found him a suitable young man to restore and work the Alf Smythers. With the help of many friends at Tregartreath in 2008 Ranger stripped her right back to replace the deck and beams and totally rebuilt her during the summer.

Photo: Helen Garnett
A glass of Champagne with Peter Mayes
celebrating her first sail in 12 years

Relaunched in time for the Falmouth Oyster Festival 08 she has proved to be a welcomed sight in the harbours around Cornwall. At the Falmouth Oyster Festival she entered her first Working Boat Harbour Race and due to Golly's good sportsmanship actually took the Bottle of Whisky prize for the licensed dredging class. It was in fact the same skipper who surrendered the prestigious Silver Oyster Race to give Alf Smythers her first ‘completed’ race and winning a trophy!

Photo Ranger
Oyster Festival Harbour Race 2009 -
Dredging Class Winner

Photo - Ranger
The Fifth of November Silver Oyster Race - Winner 2008

Photo: Steve Miller
Alf stripped back with new deck beams offer'd up

Photo: Dr Phil Slater

Alf Smythers leaving Cowlands Creek 2008