It is often useful to have at least two jobs to juggle. When one gets stuck – for lack of materials or client decisions or lack of money etc. the other can take over. This winter I have been working on two very different jobs – and enjoying the contrast.

‘Monty’ is a delicate 12′ motor launch. She is double planked in mahogany on light steamed Canadian rock elm timbers spaced at 2 1/4″. She needs planking repairs, new engine beds. floors (only three were salvageable), sole board framing, wholesale replacement of knees (they all had woodworm), new rubbing strakes, new engine box and refurbishment of the deck plus a few more things of course. All delicate work with each layer of planking being 3/16″ thick and timbers moulded 3/8″. Davey had to supply me with what they thought was their last ever box of 16g copper boat nails – not much call for them nowadays.

‘Monty’ – New framing in place

‘Monty’ was designed and built at Morgan Giles, Teignmouth, in 1947. The build number, embossed on a stemhead casting, came to light during work and, with the help of the Teignmouth museum, who hold the Morgan Giles archive, provided some welcome provenance. Such provenance is always useful for a boat that was, until the build number was uncovered, only tracable back to eBay a few years ago!

‘Monty’s Provenance – Build number 554’

Anyway, with ‘planking repairs complete, framing in place and nailed up with the help of Marc Chivers it is time to turn my attention back to the Folkboat ‘Shotley Rose’.

Whereas ‘Monty’ is in a nice dry well-lit workshop, Shotley Rose, although under cover, is in a dark damp and very well ventilated barn. Even with four florescent tubes strung round the boat I work all day using a head torch. When it blows the rain comes through the slat walls and mist the boat in moisture – good for the boat but not so good for me. At least it isn’t cold.

With the bottom three planks off each side cleaning out the bilge is much easier and re-assembly can begin. We have decided to opt for Utile to replace the mahogany planking. The planking was originally fastened with copper boat nails but used bronze dumps for the hood end, rabbet and floors. The dumps now have little grip in the oak backbone and easily pulled out with a prybar. A good job that they did not use gripfasts! We will be using silicon bronze screws instead of dumps.

‘Shotley Rose’ – ready for some new planks