Slow Progress....

Slow progress with stripping varnish from the inside of the hull, but the end is in site! More ribs to replace on the port side of the hull, but still better than expected.

Peter Wilson ( The Aldeburgh Boatyard Company) has supplied timber for a new transom. He will not let me repair the old one! All I have got to do is trim to size, cut the bevels and glue it in.

The old transom from bobtail is tiny compared to our other National 12. An indication of how the boats have evolved.

Hope to get transom fitted and a couple of coats of varnish on the inside over Christmas and then look for some green oak ribs and copper nails....

3 weeks Work

A slow week but I have finished stripping varnish on the starboard inside half of the boat! So far I have removed 12 pounds of burnt varnish/ dust from the boat.Only 3 broken ribs to replace on this side. I think she has cleaned up pretty well and am very pleased with progress so far..... Turned round and started on the port side.

However I have noticed some rot in the bottom of the transom which has been covered by an old repair- fibreglass and P38 ! Only thing to do is remove transom and carry out a proper repair. Incredibly nearly all the screws came out without too much trouble and with no damage to the planks. My carpentry skills are about to be tested in replacing the bottom of the transom. A trip to Aldeburgh Boat Yard is required to see if Mr Wilson has some suitable timber.

First Week

Most of the modern decks are removed, without any difficulty. All the decks beams are loose and need to be re-fixed

Lots of varnish stripped and 3 broken ribs removed. Still lots to do but looking much better with nearly 60 years of muck and grime removed.

Builders plate cleaned up very well.

My Purchase of N760

On Monday 3rd November, I was amazed to find that I was the only bidder for Bobtail on Ebay. She had been dry stored in a barn at Needham Market in suffolk for 8 years. Here she is covered in dust, bird droppings and bits of barn.She is complete with wooden boom and mast, cotton sails, rudder and some very modern oars.

I saw her for the first time on Saturday 8th and towed her home very carefully.

Here she is parked outside our house. In the short time she sat in the road before moving her into the garage she was spotted by a passing motorist who stopped to discuss vintage National 12s. She looks ready to sail but it will be sometime before she is back on the water.

Pictures of her prior to removing decks and the starting to strip 59 years of varnish. Any tips on doing this appreciated.

Bobtail The Beginning 1949

Bobtail designed by Leslie Landamore and built by E.C. Landamore (of Wroxham) in 1949. She is constructed by the clinker method of nailing the lands of the planks to ribs at about 6 inch centres.