Late Season Update

With the end of season approaching the crew made use of the unseasonable hot and sunny weather by setting Shamrock's main, mizzen and stay sails allowing them to get an airing before being dropped onto the quay, folded and finally stored in the boat shed for the winter. Her sail covers have been refitted to the spars and will remain there until Shamrock is de rigged sometime in November. The year’s final Nancy Belle river trip has been completed and planning has started with tide tables consulted in readiness for next year’s trips. Shamrock's workboat 'Edgcumbe' along with the mud buggy have been used to keep the crews feet out of the mud while they paint Shamrock's chain plates.

Setting Shamrock's sails.

Edgcumbe alongside.

Mud buggy ready for action.

River Tamar from Nancy Belle.

Finally with Shamrock's Skipper Shaune back after his operation the quay shall we say is not so quiet as it has been of late! Welcome back Shaune.

Winter Storms

So far Shamrock has survived the winter storms with only minor chaffing of one of her mooring ropes, resulting in the loss of some of her hull paint. The offending rope has been repositioned.

Storm Imogen did manage to lift the workboat ‘Edgcumbe’ off her support wedges on the boat shed slipway and move her onto the grass at the side of the slipway. Luckily her bow was secured to the boat shed and she did stay upright.

At present the crew spends most of their time in the boat shed close to the log burner. They have not exactly been idle though, much time has been spent in the preparation of the rigging of Shamrock, her anchor and rigging blocks have now been painted and varnished as required. Also a new hold guardrail is being manufactured as the old one was found to be rotten and has been consigned to the log burner.

Nancy Belle's refit continues with her wooden centre seat knees being replaced with phosphor bronze knees, new deck boards have been completed and are in the process of being painted. Side bench seats have been roughed out and lines checked, the after bench seat sections causing the most problems as there is a 3 inch (8 cm) curve towards the stern. This meant that to end up with an 11 inch (28 cm) wide seat along its full length,15 inch (38 cm) wide planks have had to be used.

New Knees

New Seats

Shamrock well afloat on Thursdays spring tide

Edgcumbe Repair

After a couple of years without any maintenance Shamrock's workboat Edgcumbe was beginning to look a bit shabby and her after seat was rotting away. With the fitting of a redesigned after seat, renewal of the remaining seats and a coat of paint on the seats, gunnels and internal hull she is looking smart again.

Shaune's top boating tip.

Nancy Belle is normally moored mid river and one of Edgcumbe's tasks is to act as her tender. This has resulted in the crew being advised to keep hold of Edgcumbe's painter when boarding or alighting Nancy Belle as opposed to tying her alongside. Then if the worst happens and you do fall in and are swept away by the current the tender goes with you ready to be climbed back onto or used as a large buoyancy aid. This obviously applies to any craft being used as a tender.

Painter, a rope attached to the bow of a boat.

Waifs And Strays

Making an appearance in the boat shed is an abandoned fiberglass pram dinghy ready to be restored to a seagoing state. She will need a large hole in the stern of the keel line repaired, wooden gunnels replaced, resealed and polished. The seats seem in good condition and are probably the reason why the hull is still in one piece. Its planned to fit a small wheel or wheels to the stern which will facilitate one man launch and recovery. The intention is to use her as as a tender for getting Nancy Belle to and from her river mooring. At present this duty is performed by the Edgcumbe which, with great difficulty, can be launched single handed but recovery needs to be at least three handed or the aid of a handy-billy. The pram dinghy will also be useful for completing odd jobs on Shamrock's external hull, when there is sufficient water in the dock.  

One for the album.

Shamrock's early morning visitors.