The Last Swallow of the English Channel: Marie-Fernand

This article is adapted from the article "Marie-Fernand: the last swallow in La Manche" from the website BoatNews.com.

As beautiful as the day the sides touched the water...

She still plies the waters of the harbour, just as she did on the day she set sail. All in white, with her mainsail proudly raised, on which the number H23 is clearly visible. Marie-Fernand is not just a sailboat, but a living relic of a bygone era. This wooden pilot cutter from Le Havre is the last of its kind.

Source: marie-fernand.fr

On June 20, 1894, the Abel Lemarchand shipyard in Le Havre launched a pilot cutter under the command of a young pilot named Eugène Printoux. It was he who named the boat after his two children, Marie and Fernand. 

Eugene's job was clear and dangerous: spot a merchant ship on the horizon, reach it as quickly as possible, put a navigator on board, and bring the ship safely to the pier, preferably without breakdowns or delays. At that time, about forty crews competed in this field. The competition was fierce, and the sea was treacherous, with shallows and fickle currents.

Grotto with a distinctive sign

On the sail of the Marie-Fernand, a black anchor and the inscription H23 were more than just symbols. The inscriptions on the mainsail had a specific meaning: the letter H stood for the maritime district of Le Havre, and 23 was the registration number in the official register of pilot cutters.

This inscription, painted large on the sail, made it possible to instantly identify the cutter both from the shore and from the water. But it was also a kind of identification - a sign of authority in the world of pilots. However, such markings were also useful in regattas as an identification mark. To this day, Marie-Fernand wears these numbers - as a seal of her destiny. As a reminder of a profession that disappeared with the approach of the modern era.

Source: FB-group Marie-Fernand

Marie-Fernand became famous almost immediately. Just a month after its launch, the cutter won a prestigious regatta among pilots. Its designer, Abel Lemarchand, introduced elements of contemporary yacht architecture into the project in order to lighten the hull and improve sailing performance. Curved frames, outrigger ballast… Marie-Fernand was not just a boat. It was a prototype. A sailboat that was ahead of its time – created for speed and maneuverability.

The Cruel Life of Swallows

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the profession of a pilot was not a job, but a struggle with the winds, waves and time. The pilot cutter did not wait, but went to sea - at random, by smoke on the horizon, by intuition, by the wave. Each merchant vessel on the horizon was not only a chance, but also a risk for the boat and the crew. Each crew acted on its own, directly competing with the others. 

So the cutters had to be the fastest – to be the first to reach an approaching vessel, since the first one on board got the contract. The long, dark silhouettes of these boats became a symbol of the profession. They were nicknamed the Swallows of the English Channel.

Pilot life in the pre-digital era

At the end of the 19th century, shipping in the English Channel was booming. Le Havre, one of the most important ports, received more and more ships and vessels from all over the world every day. In these difficult waters, even experienced captains were looking for a local who would guide them through the smallest traps of the coast. They were all looking for a pilot. Yes, in those days there were no radio compasses, radars, and they couldn’t even dream of GPS. Therefore, pilots took on the duties of guides, helping ships navigate difficult places, and avoid dangerous shoals.

Source: marie-fernand.fr

The pilots knew these waters like the back of their hand. Where the shallows were, where the sandbanks were, where the treacherous rock was just under the water's edge, where the depth deceived the eye. They did not need an echo sounder - they threw a hand lead from the bow, "read" the bottom by ear and with their fingers. In the English Channel there are special depth steps, characteristic drops, by which the pilot instantly understood: he was on the right track... or had already made a mistake. It was with this skill that the training of each cabin boy began.

The cutter's crew was small: a captain, a sailor, and sometimes an assistant. The turn to go out to sea was determined by lot, and maneuvers required skill. When the wind died down, they took in some of the sails - reefed the mainsail, raised the staysail with reefs, and set a weak front sail. And when the wind died down, they lowered the oars and rowed. Sometimes, in the absence of a favorable wind, they had to row for hours.

In 1905, Marie-Fernand rescued seven sailors from the schooner Marthe, an act for which the pilot received the Legion of Honor. And this was just one episode in a profession where courage, instinct and knowledge of every stone under the keel were routine.

From pilot to fisherman - and into oblivion

In 1915, everything changed. Steamboats began to perform pilotage services, and technology gradually began to replace tradition. Marie-Fernand was sold, first for fishing purposes, and then she crossed the English Channel. The name changed: first Marguerite II, then Leonora. For more than sixty years, she sailed under the British flag.

Source: FB-group Marie-Fernand

At first she sailed along the coast of Cornwall. Then Leonora could be found off the coast of Scotland. Her owner, Archibald Cameron, a lonely sailor with a taste for silence and whisky, was heading for the Hebrides. There Leonora became something of a cross between a Royal Navy outpost and a personal floating refuge for the ageing captain and his faithful dog.

Returning Home - After 63 Years

In 1985, the Norman association Hirondelle de la Manche dreamed of building a replica of a pilot cutter from Le Havre. And then a miracle happened: the English owner got in touch. Leonora turned out to be the last surviving cutter of the Le Havre pilot service.

The purchase was made without a budget, but with faith. In June 1985, Marie-Fernand returned to her home port as a true hero. She was met by more modern boats and cutters, helicopters and a whole flotilla. She went to the harbor as a high-class state ship. On the quay, Marie-Fernand was met by both former pilots and young volunteers. Everyone felt the same thing: awe. 

Patient Revival

At the Honfleur shipyard, Marie-Fernand was patiently given a new lease of life. Thirteen frames were replaced, the hull planking was renewed, and damaged sections of the hull were restored. The rigging was reassembled, and the chart room was recreated according to old descriptions, with respect for detail.

Source: FB-group Marie-Fernand / Author: Melanie Joubert

The restoration was carried out in the spirit of authenticity, without attempting to erase the traces of time. In 1986, Marie-Fernand was declared a historical monument. The legendary Eric Tabarly became her “godfather” – a rare honor for a working cutter who had been almost invisible to the world for decades.

Under sail again

In 1992, the cutter took part in the Voiles de la Liberté in Rouen, and then in Brest 92, proudly joining the ranks of traditional sailboats. Since then, Marie-Fernand has been a regular at maritime festivals, supported by the L'Hirondelle de la Manche association, volunteers and enthusiasts.

In 2004, Marie-Fernand began a new chapter in her life. The complete restoration was entrusted to the Guip shipyard in Brest, one of the world’s leading centres for maritime heritage. The stem, stern, keel and several frames were rebuilt, and the deck was completely dismantled. At the same time, about 70% of the original 1894 planking was preserved – an astonishing testimony to the quality of the wood. The project cost 370,000 euros, with government support, donations and the association’s own resources.

Source: FB-group Marie-Fernand

The mechanics were also rethought: a Max-Prop variable pitch propeller and a 115 hp Nanni diesel were installed. But due to the hull's features, the engine could not be placed on the axis - otherwise the structure would have suffered. Therefore, it was shifted slightly to the right of the center.

On July 13, 2008, Marie-Fernand was launched again in Brest, in the midst of the maritime celebrations. Eric Tabarly's widow was also present. The hull was ready, but there were minor adjustments: the mast had been delivered from Normandy, work was underway on the interior decoration, rigging and engine group adjustments.

Living Heritage

Every Wednesday, volunteers work on board. Carpenters, mechanics, former dock workers, simply those in love with the sea - they repair, maintain and pass on knowledge. To keep Marie-Fernand going, about 20-25 thousand euros a year are needed.

But unlike many other similar yachts, Marie-Fernand is not just a maritime museum. She is a training vessel, a memory boat, and a joy boat. Both naval veterans and curious guests come aboard. She is still the voice of wood and sail – and the voice of the vanished profession of sail pilots.

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05.06.2025