From 15-19 May, visitors to The Royal Yacht Britannia will have the opportunity to meet Her Majesty The Queen’s former Royal Yachtsmen, and hear their stories about life in Royal Service, as they return to Britannia for their working party called ‘Yotties Week’.
The Yotties come home once a year to put on their white overalls and work alongside Britannia’s own Maintenance team for 4 days of painting, scrubbing, sanding and polishing – ending each day with their traditional daily tot of Pusser’s rum at 4pm!
They help to look after the Royal Barge, they cook ‘Pusser’s Grub’ in the original Royal Galleys and their days will be spent sanding deck boards and touching up paint work –the Yotties slip easily back into some of their former duties.
Peter ‘Syd’ Field will be supervising the working party of over 50 Yotties, who are all members of the Association of Royal Yachtsmen. When Britannia was in Royal service, over 220 yachtsmen lived and worked on board.
Chief Executive Bob Downie thoroughly enjoys the colour and atmosphere that the Yotties bring to Britannia during their time here, he jokes that the Yotties Working Party is like ‘a rugby tour, without the rugby!’
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