SERIOUS FUNDING REQUIRED FOR THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT.

JOIN IN AND “SPONSOR A PLANK”……………………..WATCH THIS SPACE FOR DETAILS or contact Dave Parker on 0777 9785.666

Forthcoming Events Include:

18th to 20th June – Seahouses Festival, music and cultural events with Rachel Douglas and Favourite in the harbour.

9th July- St Abbs, where we plan to have Rachel Douglas and Favourite on display in the harbour.

10th July – Eyemouth Herring Queen Festival –  Rachel Douglas and Favourite again, this time following the Herring Queen on her journey from St Abbs, then spending the day at a hopefully accessible place in the harbour.

7th to 10th August – Tall Ships Hartlepool. We hope to be positioned at an accessible location to accept visitors to our vessels which are planned to include Royal Diadem II, Peggy, Rachel Douglas and Favourite

11th and 12th September – Heritage Open Days at our workshop in Wapping Street South Shields, including visiting heritage vessels tied up alongside Corporation Quay.

Favourite has been in Fred Crowell’s boat shed for attention to a few defects and is back in prime condition, being launched again on 10th May. She has had attention to hull caulking, a damaged deck beam, a little new decking and repairs to her stem. Before leaving the slip a full external repaint was undertaken. A last little detail improvement has been the making and fitting of new nameboards by Fred. These followed the style of the boat’s builder, Walter Reekie.

The vessel is the Excelsior, currently moored at Maryport. She worked out of Beadnell and Craster during the 1990s when her identity was Lead Us BH87. Joe was impressed with the shape of the boat, she is 32 feet long and one of the narrower ones, like the earlier sailing vessels. He rigged her for sail and has used her on the west coast but is sadly unable to sail very often. He has reluctantly decided he must part with her. If you are interested, ring Joe on 019008813308.

Celebrations down at the river front as the Royal Diadem II is unveiled!  A very proud day for all.

Click on picture to enlarge:………

The restored Kelvin P4 engine is back into Royal Diadem II.

Launch day is getting closer.

Get the April 2010 issue of Old Glory magazine for a six page feature on the Rachel Douglas.

Loads of photos.

Shemaron is undergoing some attention to her undersides at Clydebank.

A range of work has been done over the last few months including minor re-caulking, some re-nailing, attention to rubbing strips etc. The opportunity has been taken to carry out a detailed professional survey and there were no shocks when the report was received, so she will be back in the water in the spring and cruising the Firth of Clyde again.

Rachel Douglas spent the start of the year in Fred Crowell’s boatshed undergoing a spruce-up.

She has been rubbed down and given a full external repaint. Whilst in Fred’s the opportunity was taken to make good a length of suspect rubbing strake, the inwyvers were replaced and a number of other minor repairs undertaken.

She is back in top condition and ready to make appearances up and down the coast during 2010.

Extensive repairs necessitating vast amounts of timber replacement, incorporating all aspects of construction arrangements for which the Northumbrian Fishing Coble is unique. We are delighted with the standard of workmanship that has evolved throughout the whole learning process of the project. It has been possible to show and adopt the traditional skills, using the traditional tools, required to restore and maintain such vessels. The restoration has progressed in such a way that we can assure the vessel will be conserved for a maximum period of time. We have introduced a balance by using the very tradition materials and building methods, along with modern fastenings and adhesives which are now available to boat builders to ensure sustainability whilst maintaining the tradition of our Maritime Heritage. A continual and detailed photographic record of the project has been maintained along with the development of a soft back booklet made widely available to illustrate the restoration and history of such fishing boats and lifestyle.     

“Click on thumbnails to enlarge”

            It is so rewarding to see the immense progress and confidence building of the volunteers as they learn the wide variety of skills and techniques required throughout the project. Old traditional boat building tools have been donated to the Trust over the years and it has been a golden opportunity to put these tools back into use and to teach the skills and techniques required by each one of them. Many open discussions have been held during the work to learn about the choice of materials and methods originally used; the various weaknesses of the vessel’s design and construction and why these elements were incorporated at the time along with availability of local timbers. As each anomaly was uncovered it has been a wonderful opportunity to analysis and promote new ideas as to over come the failings without detracting from the traditional method of construction. 

   

       

   

      Many thanks go to International Yacht Paints for sponsoring us for the wonderful paint.