Falmouth students collaborate with creative writing lecturer to bring ‘seaworthy’ project to life
15 May 2026
Four second year students have worked with Booker-nominated, creative writing lecturer Wyl Menmuir on his project Seaworthy to design and paint a series of illustrations for Eleana, the renovated boat set to embark on a journey to the Isles of Scilly as part of the immersive research phase for Wyl’s new book.
Students Mason Bruce, Meryn Griffiths, Sailor Barber and Olive Helliar started working with Wyl as part of their BA(Hons) Illustration module centred on collaboration, where students work together with internal or external partners, gaining valuable experience and building creative relationships. Working with Wyl at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall (NMMC), the students have illustrated the boat as a team before it begins its sea trials next week.
“Working with such a talented and enthusiastic group of people was an incredibly rewarding experience,” Mason told us. “We developed visual concepts centred around a sequence of storm petrels along the side panels, which we felt best captured both Eleana and the meaning of being ‘seaworthy’.
Mason continued: “Wyl’s admiration for these birds and their connection to maritime folklore became a key source of inspiration throughout the process. Despite their small size, storm petrels are renowned for their resilience and ability to endure harsh conditions at sea. These are qualities that strongly reflect Eleana herself: small, yet remarkably powerful.
“We also incorporated a mermaid illustration on the boat’s transom as a reference to the legend of the Mermaid of Zennor, celebrating the richness of Cornish folklore. The ‘oculi’ eyes painted on the hull symbolize protection and guidance, drawing on longstanding maritime traditions.”
Reflecting on how the group have found the project, Mason added: “One of the most rewarding aspects of the collaboration has been witnessing Wyl’s genuine dedication and passion for the project. It was evident that Eleana had been shaped through immense care, perseverance and personal investment, which in turn inspired us as artists to create illustrations that felt thoughtful and meaningful.”
Ella Cornish, a Falmouth BA(Hons) Television & Film Production student, has also been involved with the project and is producing both a documentary and social media coverage of Wyl’s journey. Having filmed Wyl restoring the boat, and the responses of members of the public seeing what he’s been up to, Ella is now looking forward to filming Eleana’s initial launch into the ocean.
“I’ve found the experience to be so much fun,” Ella told us. “I’ve filmed sailing content before and it’s always something I love doing. It’s very rewarding to see the progression of the restoration from its early stages, and it’s also a pleasure to be working in the NMMC. It’s an incredible space, and I have filmed some segments of Wyl talking about how some boats in the museum have proved themselves to be ‘seaworthy’ over the years.
“Through the collaboration I’ve learned a lot more about the process and behind-the-scenes work that goes into preparing for shoots, which is something that will come in handy for my third year of study.”
What does it mean to be ‘seaworthy’?
That is the question at the heart of Booker-nominated author and Falmouth creative writing lecturer Wyl Menmuir’s latest writing project.
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