Friday 2 November 2007

A PASSION FOR FISHING BOATS



It's a strange thing this passion for old boats,most people I am sure would look at an old fishing boat and think that it was a depressing ugly piece of old wood and scrap iron,and why would anyone want to preserve it !!!!
If I was rich I am sure I would have a collection of them in the same way that some people collect cars or tractors.Although I am more than happy with the one I already have to me she is a beauty and I feel very lucky to have her.I just wish she was a bit closer than 650 miles away.
But despite that progress is being made ,the deck has all been caulked down the starboard side and the bulwarks painted ,the inside of the hold and forepeak hull timbers have been treated with wood preservative ,which they can smell about 300 meters away !!! There is very little sign of any wood rot in the entire boat ,which shows how well these boats were built , originally the inside of the hull was soaked in creosote.
Back here in Oxfordshire I am still very busy building the interior which is going very well.So one day when it all comes together I hope to have a very cosy and interesting boat that I will be able to spend plenty of time aboard watching the world go as I paint and scrape and paint and scrape etc....

Thursday 1 November 2007