Ship's log

The Davia blog

Work in progress, historical accounts, commemorations. The news, month after month.

October 2014: under a tarpaulin in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, I found a Dunkirk Little Ship

How Bruno Van Hemelryck discovered the Davia, a 1929 Scottish yacht lying asleep under a builder's tarpaulin in the port of Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, and why he gave everything up to save her.

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History 22 January 2026

What is a Dunkirk Little Ship? History, numbers and recognition

The 700 British civilian boats that evacuated 338,226 Allied soldiers from Dunkirk in May to June 1940. Fewer than 50 survive worldwide. The Davia is the only one over 50 ft (15 m) still in France.

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Restoration 14 December 2025

Varnishing the deck of a 1929 wooden yacht: why it's redone every year

How the exterior brightwork of a classic teak-and-oak boat is maintained. The product used, the number of coats, drying times, cost. The hands-on experience of ten years restoring the Davia.

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History 18 November 2025

5 myths about the Davia and classic wooden yachts

No, a 1929 yacht does not sink in the first storm. No, she does not pollute more than a modern plastic boat. Five misconceptions we hear on every visit, and the documented reality.

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Events 2 October 2025

September 2016: the day the Davia officially became a Dunkirk Little Ship again

How I contacted the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, the correspondence with archivist John Tough, and the certification received under the patronage of Prince Michael of Kent. A personal account.

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