- Name — Stiell, known by the nickname "Boyie"; his first name remains to be found
- Village — L'Esterre, on the island of Carriacou
- Job — shipwright, builder of schooners and sloops
- Boats mentioned — Starlight, Faithful Star and Trader's Choice; perhaps also Sea Fortress
- His son — Henry Stiell, former school principal
What people say to each other in L'Esterre
The following is based on memories recounted in 2026 by his son and an island resident. These are the stories passed down in Carriacou; they are not necessarily verified by other sources.
When we talk about shipbuilding in Carriacou, we first think of the village of Windward. But boats also have deep roots in other communities on the island, including L'Esterre, on the west coast.
Schooners and sloops on the beach at L'Esterre
In 2026, under a video from the Grenada government information service dedicated to preserving traditional shipbuilding, an island resident remembers him. "Uncle Boyie" Stiell, Henry Stiell's father, built many renowned schooners and sloops in L'Esterre Bay.
Uncle Boyie Stiell, Henry Stiell's father, built many famous schooners and sloops like Starlight and Faithful Star and Traders Choice on L'Esterre Bay.
Comment posted under the GIS Grenada video, 2026
These boats transported goods between Carriacou, Grenada and other islands in the region.
Starlight, the mail schooner
The most famous of his ships is Starlight, also known as Starlight V. In the 1960s, this schooner provided mail and passenger service between Hillsborough and St George's. Its story is told on the Starlight V entry.
Trader's Choice and Faithful Star
Trader's Choice appears on a canvas by the painter Bill Cameron: traditional merchant sailing ships moored at the Carenage of St George's, in 1968. Faithful Star is known, for the moment, only by the memory of this comment.
The memory of his son
In September 2026, the Explore Carriacou and Petite Martinique page published an interview with Henry Stiell, a former school principal who grew up in L'Esterre. He spoke about the boats built in his village. His father, he said, built Starlight and Trader's Choice, and he may also have worked on Sea Fortress.
What remains to be found
His first name, dates of birth, a complete list of his boats, and the years they were built remain unknown. Any information, photographs, or memorabilia that could complete this record would be greatly appreciated.
Contact — Boyie Stiell
No public site, page or address is known.
If you know of an official and public page to contact this boat, or if you have any information that could enrich its history, write to us via the form below — this record will be completed.
Sources
- GIS Grenada, Facebook, 2026, video and comments: Race to save the Traditional Boat Building Industry
- Explore Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Facebook, September 2026, interview with Henry Stiell (also spelled Steele or Steill): When we speak about traditional boatbuilding in Carriacou
- Bill Cameron, paintings of the Caribbean: Traders Choice, Star Light V, The Crossing
Complete this form
Do you know this boat, its history, its voyages, or an official page where you can contact it? Help us enrich this information: your message goes directly to us.
Your message is forwarded by email to the site team; it is not stored in the site's database. The email address you provide is used solely to reply to you. You can request access to, correction of, or deletion of this information by writing to the site team.