Historic prawn boat Helen, Conwy quay

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This fishing boat was built in 1910 by Crossfields in Arnside and named Helen II. You can normally see it at its mooring near the Liverpool Arms.

It is a Morecambe Bay prawner, known as a Nobby. The same company also built Nobbies at its boatyard in Conwy, beside the wing of the town walls which leads across the foreshore.

Nobbies were typically used by relatively poor fishermen to catch prawns, herring and other fish. They had gaff-cutter rigs with three sails. The jib used a retractable bowsprit. Nobbies were steady when handling heavy nets but could also sail quickly. This latter characteristic endeared it to leisure sailors early on, and for many years owners of preserved Nobbies have converged on Conwy for the annual Nobby race during the Conwy River Festival.

Helen II, which is 12 metres in length, worked out of North Wales harbours before the Second World War - see the boat's chronology in the footnotes.

Photo of Helen boat being restored at ConwyIt was purchased for restoration by the Roddick family from Wirral in 1999. Ten years later, it moved to Conwy quay for a project that involved students from Coleg Llandrillo and others. Conwy County Borough Council and sponsors funded the creation of a compound and shelter to keep the boat dry during restoration. In April 2012 the Heritage Lottery Fund provided a £50,000 grant to help with the work. The photo shows restoration under way in November 2012.

Helen II was returned to the water in April 2022 and subsequently renamed Helen of Conwy. It is a floating ambassador for Conwy county borough and available for youth sailing and training programmes or team-building activities.

Thanks to Vicky Macdonald for the audio recording

Postcode: LL32 8BE    View Location Map

'Helen of Conwy' website

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Footnotes: Chronology of Helen II

1910 - Helen II constructed for George E Stonall of New Brighton, Wirral
1920 - winner of Liverpool Yacht Club’s regatta
1930 - swept out to sea by a storm but eventually towed back to shore by lifeboat
c.1931 - begins sailing from Porthmadog and Bangor
1943 - moves to Fleetwood, Lancs
1999 - bought by the Roddick family
2009 - donated by the Roddick family and moved to Conwy for restoration
2012 - £50,000 Lottery grant boosts restoration project
2022 - returned to the water