18th October 2009 - Working boat race - Falmouth
The Falmouth working boats are unique to the Fal estuary due to the nature of the oyster fisheries.
Oysters grow freely in the shallow waters of the upper reaches of the Carrick Roads. Restriction to protect the fisheries mean the oysters can only be dredged under sail or oar.
The fisheries are worked during the winter, in the summer the boats are used for charter and regularly race in the Carrick roads.
The Falmouth Oyster festival celebrates the start of the Oyster fishing in October each year.
One of the festival's events is a working boat race.
The working boats have different colourful topsails.
They use the bouys in Carrick roads as course markers.
The working boats do not have engines and under full sail they test even experienced sailors.
