Classic Boat – August 2019

Craftsmanship

C/O BEAULIEU ESTATE

C/O IBTC LOWESTOFT

PETER WILLIS

C/O ASH FAIRE-RING

CLASSIC BOAT AUGUST 2019 89

Edited by Ste an Meyric Hughes: +44 (0)207 349 3758

Email:ste [email protected]

Yard News

A new, traditionally-built Norfolk reedlighter was o– cially launched

on 21 May. The 23ft 6in (7.2m) marshman's boat was commissioned

by the How Hill Trust and built to the lines of their existing reedlighter

Swallowtail. Her larch planks were copper and bronze fastened to

laminated iroko frames, with an oak centreline.

Built by Alex Hunter at International Boatbuilding Training College

Lowestoft Marine Services, she is named Alderman Norman II after the

boat she is replacing and the foundation that funded her build. She will be

primarily used as a trip boat for school groups, educating children about

local history, wildlife and conservation. This new boat – the fi rst of her kind

to be built this century, probably since the 1970s – resumes a long history

of reedlighters, the men and women who used them, their cargoes and

associated industries.

The historic Woodbridge Boatyard has a new owner: Eric

Reynolds, a specialist in urban regeneration and a passionate

owner and restorer of classic boats writes Peter Willis

The yard, still known locally as Eversons, was founded in 1889

by Alfred Everson, and its rickety-looking wooden sheds facing

onto the river Deben have been a landmark since 1912. “We fi rmly

intend to maintain and preserve the timber sheds and continue

their use as working boatsheds, rather than follow the plan of the

previous owners to demolish them and replace them with retail,

o– ce and holiday apartments,” said new yard manager, Matt Lis.

Workshop facilities to the rear of the sheds are being rejigged to

enable high quality paint, varnish and new-build work to be

carried out in clean, modern conditions.

The yard also has extensive outdoor boat storage and

pontoons and moorings on the Deben. With Eric Reynolds’

eclectic taste in boats, it is looking forward to a promising future.

LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK

A new, traditionally built

Norfolk reedlighter

WOODBRIDGE, SUFFOLK

Eversons sheds saved

for boatbuilding

PROJECT

GROWLER

Winner of the

2019 Jotun

restoration

competition

Jotun Yachting UK is pleased to announce sailing barge Growler as

the winner of its 2019 restoration competition. This 34ft traditional

Thames barge is being restored by students Ash Faire-Ring, 17, and

Ben Danziger (16) who raised £2,000 through crowd funding to

pay for initial project costs. Jotun Yachting will provide all the

coatings required to bring this historic boat back to seaworthy

condition. Growler was built in 1922 on Conyer Creek and following

a working career, she had a brief sailing life before being retired.

HAMPSHIRE

Bucklers Hard investment

Award-winning Buckler’s Hard

Yacht Harbour in the New

Forest is planning a major

£2m investment to extend

the Beaulieu River marina. The

redevelopment will increase its

moorings by 66 to a total of

264 and ož er more convenient

walk-ashore pontoons. Beaulieu

is one of the few privately

owned rivers in the world and

the estate will be working with

agencies to protect its habitat.