Paid Off

Due to a reduction in hours caused by: the Coronavirus, a drop in income and there being no funding for completion of the restoration of Shamrock for at least two years. Shaune has now taken redundancy, retiring from his role as her skipper, and the repair and maintenance of all the other craft associated with Shamrock. The crew has also taken the opportunity to take a break as they have no wish to watch Shamrock rot on her cradle. Her bottom hull planks are already drying out with the gaps between them getting larger resulting in her being flooded during spring high tides.

One of the crew’s last jobs before locking up the boat shed for the final time was the hoisting of Shamrock's new set of sails into the rafters, using a ladder as a storage platform. It is hoped that this will prevent any vermin damaging them before they are required. 

Before the crew left, they presented Shaune with a tidal clock, set to Cotehele Quay tide times, mounted in a wooden rigging block and also, an Isle of Mann TT book. We have all enjoyed working with him over the past 10 years.

Shamrock & Covid

With Shaune classed as a non-essential worker and furloughed during the lockdown and the volunteers sent home, Shamrock was left sat in her cradle on the slipway at Cotehele Quay. With his and the crews return in late August, Shamrock was checked out and found to be drying out with her ‘Elm’ bottom hull planks seams opening up. Her cover had also taken a battering with the after section needing the most attention this has now been covered with a new tarpaulin.

Shamrock aft cabin.

Under the cover looking aft

Looking forward.

Open seam.

Repaired cover.

Due to the sudden shutdown in March, Nancy Belle was left in the boat shed during the lockdown this resulted in her hull planks drying out and seams opening up from stem to stern. On the crews return she was moved out onto the slipway and the hull was soaked by filling it with water in an attempt to swell the planks back into place. This failed, and was evidenced by water pouring out of her seams, so to facilitate the removal of all the various sealant materials used on her hull planks over the years all her electrics and engine have been removed and cleaning the out of the seams started.

Nancy Belle not holding water.

Bow needs repairing.

Open seams.

Braced and chocked.

Stripped out.

Around the site the stocks of wood have been recovered where the previous covers had deteriorated or rotted away.

In the boat shed, Shamrock's workboat has been braced and chocked, this craft also needs some planks replacing, and the shed is in the process of being cleaned and tided in preparation for it being closed up and secured in November, no date has yet been set for when it will be reopened. 

Shamrock's workboat.

Shamrock Photos from 2009

News has filtered through to the crew that Shamrock is still beached on her cradle with her temporary cover still in place. With that in mind it's back to trawling through her photo archive for a Shamrock fix and selecting some from her two 2009 trips, one to Morwellham Quay, for the filming of the 'Antiques Roadshow' and a day sail to Halton Quay.

Shamrock alongside Cotehele Quay.

Leaving the Quay.

Under tow.

Dressed overall at Morwellham Quay, tide in.

Tide out, boarding was a bit of a problem.

Under sail heading for Halton Quay.

Halton Quay sighted.

Still under sail.

Becalmed.

 On her buoy waiting to be docked.

Lockdown Boredom

With the crew in lockdown the chance has been taken to publish some more of the large selection of Shamrock photos.

May 2016. Shamrock's bow from the top of the main mast.

August 2010. Shamrock alongside Cotehele Quay during the filming of the 'Edwardian Farm' series. Note Nancy Belle hidden from the cameras.

Shamrock Gets Wet

A combination of low pressure, high winds and weeks of heavy rain resulted in an higher than expected morning tide on Thursday 13th February this over topped Cotehele Quay, flooded the boat shed and nearly had Shamrock's stern lift off the cradle. The weight of water which had ingressed through her shrinking hull planks and keel, helped stop her stern lifting.

Thanks Wreckers

Thanks are due to the “Wreckers Border Morris” a local Morris dancing group who, during 2019, managed to raise a total of £1,542.14 which they have now donated to the Shamrock Appeal. After performing at the Cotehele 'Let's Wassail' on the 21st December they visited the quay and after yet another dance a cheque was presented to Shaune. Wreckers Border Morris are no strangers to Shamrock, in the past they have used the boat as a stage for their musicians whilst the troop were dancing alongside. Only another seventy seven similar donations are needed and a start can be made on phase two of Shamrock's conservation program.
For details of how to donate, visit the National Trust ‘Saving Shamrock’ appeal web page.

Shamrock Below Deck

The following photos of Shamrock interior are for visitors to Cotehele Quay who can now see more of her but are still not allowed onboard and anyone else who is interested.

Aft cabin, soon to be engine room.

Cargo hold.

Fore cabin looking forward .

Fore cabin looking aft.

Fore cabin looking to the chain locker.

Chain locker.

Shutting Up Shamrock

The latest news from a busy Cotehele Quay.

• After a final check for size and a layer of ‘black butter’ the fitting of Shamrock's covering boards has been completed.

• Her bulwark stanchions have been through bolted into place.

• The sheer strake and top hull plank has been marked to insure the shutter plank nails are driven into solid wood thereby missing any existing metal fastening.

• The starboard forward shuttering plank has been steamed, temporarily clamped into place and allowed to cool. Once released the set of the curve is clearly visible. Shutter planks are the strake of planks below the sheer strake and the last to be fitted shutting up the hull.

• Shamrocks new deck timbers have been moved to the boat shed to dry ready for cutting and shaping.

• ‘Nancy Belle’, with the first of her river trips due in April, has been hauled into the boat shed and is having a lick of paint and some minor alterations ready for the new season. 

Lots Of Coach Bolts

Repairs to the last of the top sections of the starboard side frames of Shamrock are nearing completion, so, the next job will be the ‘coach bolting’ of the beamshelf onto the frames. Coach bolts which were left over from Shamrock's restoration are to be used, however, the screw threads of the bolts needed to be lengthened by about 5cm (2in), not so easy. Luckily an old thread cutter, (that’s a tool not a person), has been pressed back into service making the job a bit easier and the sixty bolts required have been completed. Visitors to Cotehele Quay will have noticed that Shamrock's temporary cover now has had a large number of reinforced venting holes cut in the top and bottom of the sides. This is to allow her to dry out as originally the cover suffered from a severe condensation problem on the inside. As the old and new sections of frames need to dry out as much as possible before being sealed in by the new hull planks, the actual fitting of these planks will be one of the last jobs. In the meantime the drying out will enable the re-caulking of the deck to press ahead.

Last of the frame repairs.

Thread cutter.

Modified coach bolts.

Shamrock's vented cover.