Had a fantastic trip on the Wash last night. Boston Belle with party through the town out along the channel to Tabs Head and then down to Fosdyke. Wind over tide on the way out but great on the way back. Tide held back so we were about an hour before we came back through the lock.
Trip on the wash
June 13th, 2010Photos of Prince Charles during refit
June 6th, 2010Below are a few photos taken during March and April. Due to the ice damage sustained during the winter three planks needed to be replaced on the port side and twenty two timbers (ribs) needed to be sistered. Planking is in African Mahogany and the timbers are steamed oak. Sorry did not take as many photos as I should have.
The Wedding Party
June 5th, 2010Two hour cruise along the Ouse and Cam hosting a wedding party of 32. Plenty flowing an they seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly. Graham impressed by the new dipstick (no not me!) and the hangers. Helming her back I had to get the weekender’s. A narrowboat going deadslow. A very small pram dinghy where the helm seemed to be close to getting a wet bottom. A cruiser hogging the whole of the bridge and another who decided to shoot anouther bridge with a blind bend on the wrong sided into the path of another oat. I thought I needed practice.
Lovely trip on Boston Belle
June 5th, 2010Party of 18 to the Ferry Inn. A really gorgeous evening. From Boston Marina to the Ferry. 3/4hr each way Along the river Witham.
A little bit further on the Baden Powell
May 29th, 2010‘The Baden Powell was built in 1900 in a boatyard on the River Nar by Walter Worfolk.
He sold the 33ft Baden Powell for Harry and William Cook, for £50. It is a double-ended cockling boat. The Cooks were so pleased with the workmanship that they gave Walter an extra fiver, and presented his wife Lily with a cruet set for the table’.
For more details of the restoration see www.floatourboat.co.uk
Tim had yet again got a new lump of oak for the restoration. I think it was a little heavy for the trailer let alone his 4*4(!). Unloading it was a little hazardous. Straps broke and it dropped the last two foot. Removed the remains of the engine beds and finalised preperations to lift her so we can remove the keel.
Opps
May 28th, 2010
Got to the boat first and thought I’d better impress the boss. Gas box sitting in full view. Alright who sorted out the keys and bugger which one just dropped in the bilges. Full crew turnout today. Guests arrive in their day out best. I’d forgot that we had some rain. Boat moved and rainwater tumbled off the canopy just missing them.
Any water in the tank. No dipstick. Steve can you make one?
Can you put towel in the loo. No hangers. Steve can you make one?
Teas being served and thought I’d offer to help. Had I washed my hands. Yeap in the bilges. No way.
Nice day though.
The Gas Bottle Box
May 25th, 2010What do you mean a box for the gas bottle is more important than a cup holder for the helmsman!. You try holding a cup while trying not to run down the little beggars from the KSE rowing club.
Hello world!
May 23rd, 2010I’m Steve. I qualified as a boat builder a couple of years ago at the IBTC (International Boatbuilding Training College Lowestoft UK) and have been a jobbing boat builder since. Earlier this year I was asked to replace some planking in the BOSTON BELLE, a trip boat operating out of Boston in Lincolnshire. A bad winter in the UK resulted in ice ripping out softwood at the waterline. In all six new planks were replaced (actually replacing nine shorter ones). On completion the owner asked if I could look at her other boat PRINCE CHARLES based in Ely. Again ice had found a weakness and gouged out a hole about 10″ long. First one plank out, about 20 foot and then the discovery. Sometime in its life PC had take a major slam to the port side resulting in 22 cracked timbers! both adjacent planks were also found to be soft and would also need replacing. Basically small hole turned into a major repair.
Well repairs were carried out and PC relaunched on time. The owner then totally surprised me by asking if I would like to become a skipper for PC. This blog will be tracking my progress (or lack of)
The Baden Powell is a restoration of the first fishing boat built by Worfolks in Kings Lynn. It will need rebuilding completly if we are to reach our dream of refloating her.