Water Wag "Hilda" getting ready for the sailing season 2019

It has been an absolute delight to build another clinker boat from scratch - and an honour to build a new addition to the wonderful fleet of Dublin Bay Water Wags. Construction began during summer 2018. Can't wait to see it sailing in the fleet!

Flying Fish R emerging from shed... one step closre to launching

Long restoration projects tend to become part of the furniture of a workshop... they leave a gaping hole when they finally move out for launching!
There are still some niggly jobs to do now before the big day: checking all the plumbing (this was difficult to do inside the workshop with water) and solar electrics etc.
Props had to be built to transport the spars on top of the boat.

Flying Fish R is getting ready for sail trials!

The new sailing season is fast approaching. We're delighted to say that after months and months of meticulous work, Flying Fish R is getting ready to go back to sea, with several glorious sailing months ahead!

Happy Return for Sale!

We have had three great summers on Happy Return - after her complete 7-year restoration in 2015.
We love her to bits - she is a great weekender for around West Cork - but we would like to move onto something a bit bigger. So, not without regret, we would like to sell her on to a good new owner. We are open to serious offers - please ring us or send us an email if you would like to view her: 00353868243073 ruiandanke@gmail.com

Here some pictures:

Specifications: 

Designer:	Kim Holmen
Builder:	Tucker Brown
Make:	Tucker Brown
Model:	Stella One Design
Year constructed:	1961
Sail number:	84
Berths:	4
No. of engines:	1
Engine model:	Yanmar 1GM
Engine power:	10 hp
Engine hours:	40 hrs
Fuel type:	Diesel
Drive type:	Shaft drive
Length over all:	26' 6"
Hull material: Mahogany on Oak
Hull colour:	White
Keel type:	Full Keel
Displacement:	2 metric tons
Fuel capacity:	4 Gallons

Engine

Yanmar 1GM reconditioned in 2015

Equipment

Yard Trailor - fully serviced
New standing rigging. New running rigging.

Sails & Spars

Mast and boom in spruce.
Sails: 2 mains, 1 genoa, 1 jib, and 1 storm main and jib.

Navigation Equipment

GPS and VHF

New deck for Flying Fish

After many weeks of sorting out the fitting out, I have finally come to the icing on the cake - a beautiful swept deck. Since the boat is not 100% symmetrical ( very few old wooden boats are) , the fitting and shaping of the coamings is crucial in the overall layout of the deck. The timber used is Sipo Mahogany. This is particularly suitable for the Mediteranean climate - Iroko, for example, would split and warp under those conditions.
I like to rebate the decking rather than a "V" - it gives me more control over the width of the gap. When the deck is sanded, a "V" gets smaller and smaller, giving rise to the need to correct seams before sealing. The rebate remains constant with sanding. It also seems to be easier to fill it with sikaflex.

Sipo Mahogany coamings ready to fix

Sipo Mahogany machined for decking.

The coamings are scarphed using recorcinol glue before fixing onto the deckbeams

Restoration of Saucy Sue

Here some pictures of one of the projects we have been busy with for the last few months.
Saucy Sue is a very old boat ( probably about 100 years old) from Kenmare, where she was originally used as a small ferry. At some stage, an inboard engine was installed, which wasn't quite supported by her original build. She is 22ft long, Larch planking on oak. The gardboards appear to be made of real teak.She was stored in a shed in Kenmare for several decades

10 sections of planking had to be replaced, as well as all the steamed frames.
We fitted new stringers and gunwhales in oak. The lower section of the stem was also replaced.
Floorstraps were fitted, bolted to the keel, 16" apart.

Saucy Sue - propped up at the beginning of the restoration

Steamed frames

Gunwhales and stringers were strung

Saucy Sue tilted to one side to facilitate working on the keel as well as the fitting out

Saucy Sue - fitting the forward deck beams

Preparing Flying Fish for fitting out and engine fitting

The hull has been completely repaired and sealed - no more surprises from here on. Painting the interior of a wooden boat is always a daunting task... and it is very tempting to push on with fitting out at this stage - but to do a top class job, the painting has to be done now.
Fitting out will be a pure pleasure!

Once the boat is fitted out, this amazing view will be hidden ...forever

Add caption

Merciless restoration progressing on Flying Fish

Restoration is very much about showing mercy to a beautiful old wooden boat - ironically this means mercilessly taking care of every single detail - scraping off all the old paint, replacing broken fastenings, removing, repairing and refitting ancient planks. Because of this, a restoration is always much more involved than a new build.
Flying Fish has been fitted with some splines and new planking to seal up the hull. Broken timbers (which I discovered were made of Elm) have been replaced by new oak ones. The whole interior and exterior has been scraped.

Fitting a new second plank

All down to bare wood

Spline fitted to seal large gaps

Brand new mahogany plank

Interior beautifully cleaned

Ready to refit gardboard on starboard side

New Project for the winter months ahead

Flying Fish, a beautiful classic one off, was built for a Mr W. D. Kilroy to his own design by Primmer & Snook, of Hampshire in 1936. She will be restored from the bottom up in our workshop over the next few months. As you can see from the photographs, quite a lot of preparation has already taken place. 

Scraped to bare wood!

Laying out bitumous felt on ballast keel

In mid air - preparing keel for ballast seal

The ballast keel being resealed up to the wooden keel

Happy Return at Glandore Classic Regatta 2015

During the final preparations in June it seemed almost an impossible dream to bring Happy Return to the 2015 Glandore Classic Regatta - but, it finally came true - she raced in Glandore from the 18th to the 24th of July, winning "Boat of the Regatta" as well as coming first in her class.
As with every boat, we're getting to know her better with each sail, gaining more and more trust in her seaworthiness and reaction to the slightest adjustments.

The moment of truth....

Because craning in had to fit in with so many other schedules, it happened all of a sudden on Monday afternoon in the pouring rain. Official launching will be on the 18th of July at the Glandore Classic Regatta.

That gives Happy Return enough time to swell up and get back into shape. Summer adventure here we come!

Last minute preparations at Roaringwater pier

The moment of truth - about to touch the water after decades on dry land ( sometimes not so dry).

The difficulties of bringing a boat to water....

During the many years of restoring Happy Return, we never thought much about finally bringing her to the water once she was ready. So, there were a lot of last minute logistics to sort out: new wheels on the trailer, a help from neighbour Connie O'Sullivan with his tractor on Sunday morning, organizing the crane at Roaringwater pier with the Whooley brothers.
Impossible to plan in detail!

Gleaming in the sunshine - ready to go to sea!

At the pier at last - loading fenders, mattresses, sails and camping cookers