Versión en español | Spanish version
“El Moll" (the dock, in catalan) is how fishermen from Arenys de Mar (Barcelona) refer to their port, where they ply their professional trade. Not only fishermen, but also mechanics, carpenters, painters and many others who are reviving one of the main economic centres of the town that typified the lifestyle of Arenys de Mar over the past centuries. With "El Moll", a new project is born whose aim is to promote new activities around the port of Arenys de Mar by enhancing of education and research on maritime heritage and nautical history of this municipality.
EL MOLL drives a network of partnerships between individuals, companies and public entities that coexist in the port of Arenys and in the Costa Barcelona-Maresme with common skills, professional experience and passion for the sea and seamanship. From an initial proposal Classicmar, EL MOLL is a project that aims -since 2013- to make the Port of Arenys a hub for over time classic boats sailing in the Mediterranean sea. Over time, more ideas have been added, ranging from offices to promote new cultural projects and new economic activities related to the marine and maritime world.
These projects progress at different rates. In all cases they are activities that must be sustainable and their autonomous in funding and future exploitation. EL MOLL has established a series of objectives and actions with a clear spirit of innovation and finding new ways of promoting the culture of the sea, from the nautical trades and career development of youth tourism and cultural services.
One of the priorities of EL MOLL is to create a living space of nautical history and shipbuilding:
- Establish a fleet of classic and vintage boats in the Port of Arenys.
- Promote a project of naval recovery (Sea's Classroom).
It is also proposed to promote a draft interpretation of boating and fishing (Maremar project):
- Didactic proposal, covering from school to familiar and international tourism.
- Proposals related to fishing activities and seamanship tourism.
"We promote classical and traditional sailing to build on our maritime heritage"
EL MOLL establishes various partnerships, with private and public entities to launch ideas and incorporate more boats, that are part of the core of the project. The Sea's Classroom is one of the activities that have been initiated with young apprentices (students of “Els Tres Turons" High School and young people from the occupational plans of the City Council of Arenys de Mar) and retired volunteers experienced in nautical activities.
Together, we work for the recovery of the scottish fishing boat Margaret Allison (1937). This project is made possible thanks to the spaces and facilities yielded by the ARESA shipyards and the Nautical Club of Arenys de Mar (CNAM).
During 2016, Odina, a replica of a 'barca de mitjana' was recovered for navigation. It is a recreation of a coastal trade ship (S XVIII) which was used during the filming of the movie Capità Escalaborns (1991) with Ariadna Gil.
Collaboration between companies and professionals of the Port of Arenys is absolute and, in this sense, Varador 2000, the Fishermen's Brotherhood and the CNAM have provided their facilities, services and spaces for mooring classic boats.
The promotion of boating safety and marine salvage are other outstanding lines of work. With SALVACAT, we work on the maintenance of LS-AM-6, the only rescue boat of its kind still in operation.
Pilot School
The Port of Arenys wants to become a benchmark for classic sailing. Its features and good weather are a will help to achieve this goal. Classic sailing school has been promoted since 2014 with the Raptus seilskøyte, built in 1932 in Rysor, by following the designs of Colin Archer. Several crews have been formed with the aim of participating in local races and classic games.
This project aims to identify the Port of Arenys as a outstanding centre for the classical navigation in the western Mediterranean and to promote nautical heritage and sea culture in Catalonia.
In order to become a centre for classic boats, it is proposed to offer excellent of maintenance services -according to the specific demands of these vessels- and also to give a good deal on the cost of the moorings and other services. Additionally, we hope to promote a programme of sea-related activities, supported by regular mittings.
Crowdfunding
To achieve the projects of nautical recovering, EL MOLL has a campaign to raise funds. A crowdfunding system as been setup which should compensate funders with different proposals and nautical services for each of the projects. Thus, the projects receive individual contributions and sponsorships.
