The Friendship Rose is the only surviving Bequia Schooner.
Bequia schooners embody traditional Scottish ship building skills and were the primary schooners of trade in the Lesser Antilles for many decades.
Built entirely by hand on the beach of Friendship Bay, Bequia, by Calvin Lewis. Friendship Rose was Calvin Lewis's third build, each larger than the one before. His second build, Friendship Pride (also built on Friendship Bay beach) was built for fishing and cargo, The Friendship Rose "bigger yet" for cargo.
The frames were hewn from local white cedar felled from the hillsides of Bequia island.
the planking: pitch pine below the waterline and greenheart above the waterline
the stringers: greenheart
stem keel and stern post: all greenheart
deck: mora, masts and spars :douglas fir, ballast: stone
She was launched in 1967, rigged and registered in 1968.
Worked as a cargo vessel carrying up to 150 tons of cargo between the islands.
She became the mail boat in the Grenadines and connected the islands together well really for the first time, carrying all goods, materials, animals, people and occasionally vehicles.
Her builder and captain, Calvin Lewis was awarded the MBE by Queen Elizabeth for his services.
The Friendship Rose retired from the twice daily sailings between the islands and has been restored by the current owners who have taken on the responsibility for her operation while Captain Calvin Lewis sails her with the crew - everything is done by hand.
Apart from maintenance restoration works, and repairs the Friendship Rose has been in continuous service since her launch, and under the same captain.
The Friendship Rose makes scheduled sailings to the Tobago Cays, to Mustique, and is also chartered for filming, and events, weddings - all under the most experience captain in the west Indies and her original builder - Calvin Lewis MBE.
She weighs 88 tons
is 80ft (24,38m.)on deck, beam 22 ft (6,70m.) a hundred foot (30,48m.) overall including bowsprit and boom overhangs
the main mast is 66ft (20,12m.) tall from the keel
The rig traditional two masted gaff rigged schooner.
The restoration work is continuous and ongoing and is carried out during the "off season" months of May, and October
The operation now employs around 20 people and is a healthy part of the island economy as well as representing the island's maritime heritage.
(Grenadines of St. Vincent 1981, $2, StG.188; 1988, 50c. StG.555???)
Thanks to mr. Alan Whitaker, director Caribbean Schooner Ltd., Bequia
http://friendshiprose.com