Friday, 15 December 2017

Sadly Eider the Lapwing was beyond repair, nearly every timber need replacing. the hog, keel, garboards and plate cas were rotten. Most of the planking was split in at least one place.
However, I appear to have acquired an Edwardian Thames B Rater, the We’re Here. A rather unusual sailing sailing dinghy built before the Great War. Here she is racing on Oulton Broad.

She was substantially rebuilt by Peter Wilson at Aldeburgh Boat Yard about 15 years ago before being left in the field of dreams waiting for a new owner. With the yard under new ownership I didn’t take much persuading to take on the challenge.



With some help from Tim Hannon and his sons we got the 24ft dinghy back to Burrell’s Farm Barn and just managed to get her indoors next to Bobtail our 1949 National 12. Aquamarina the i14 from the 60s has been evicted and now lives in my Fathers garage until I can find a new owner.






A quick assessment revealed the ‘new’decks were quite rotten and they would need to be replaced. This then uncovered more rot in the top of the sheer strake. This is now replaced with salvaged mahogany planking cut from the remains of Eider.

The deck framing nearly complete. I now need to start cleaning up the inside.