An early Skentelbery built clinker Mayflower Sailing dinghy has joined the collection of craft in the boat shed ready to be restored to her former glory. After spending the last 17 years in a garage a quick survey has revealed that she is reasonably sound. The first task will be the removal of the numerous layers of old varnish before a full assessment of what work is required and can be completed.
Shamrock's planned visit to Saltash Regatta has been cancelled. The crew will now be concentrating on getting Shamrock shipshape for 'Sutton Harbour Plymouth Classic Boat Rally' at the end of July. To counteract any drop in moral a new notice has appeared on the boat shed crib room door.
Shamrock had a successful weekend at the Plymouth Classic Boat Rally with a steady stream of visitors on the bright and sunny Saturday and a rush of visitors in the dry part of the afternoon on what was a mainly wet Sunday. Shaune was even spotted doing a couple of interviews!
Return Trip Delayed
Due to high winds Shamrock's return trip was delayed until the afternoon of Tuesday 28th. Even then unseasonably high winds made for a difficult trip with the ruder having to be held over to try and keep her traveling on a straight course. With Nancy Belle pushing and a north westerly wind all the way the trip back to Cotehele was completed in about three hours with the biggest problem being the boats moored in the river at Weir Quay. With some of the boats lying into the wind across the river and some with the tide Shamrock was required to complete a bit of a slalom course to pick her way through them. Shamrock's rudder is made of large oak sections pivoted at the forward end resulting in no balancing forces when turning making the helming of her hard work. Skipper Shaune was exhausted by the end of the trip. On arrival back at Cotehele Shamrock was secured alongside “Steps Quay” to await the full tide and from there was roped around into her usual berth. A task which attracted considerable interest from the visitors on the quayside at that time.
After a extremely wet four hour journey Shamrock is now safely berthed at Sutton Harbour and once dressed overall will be open for visitors during the weekends Plymouth Classic Boat Rally 2015.
With some last minute painting and general preparations Shamrock is being prepared for her trip to Sutton Harbour Plymouth Classic Boat Rally 2015. As the tides will be dropping off Shamrock is due to be put on her river mooring about 10 am on Wednesday 22nd July and should depart for Plymouth approximately 10 am on Friday 24th and is due back at Cotehele on the afternoon tide on Monday 27th. She is scheduled to be open for visitors at Plymouth on the Saturday and Sunday. As normal with Shamrock trips bad weather can result in a last minute change of plans.
When plans where being made for the restoration of Shamrock in 1974 it was decided to dig out a slipway to allow her to be hauled out on a cradle well clear of the highest tides allowing easy access to all parts of the hull. This slipway is still used today, along with a updated metal cradle, when Shamrock needs to be hauled out to have her hull maintained. The rail sleepers have started to rot and the metal rails to corrode and distort with age causing the cradle to occasionally stick when hauling out or floating off Shamrock so the decision has been made to renew them this year. As a start the fire pump was manhandled to the bottom of the boat shed slipway, rigged and used to wash away around fifteen months of accumulated mud from the slipway.
Note to the crew.
Design and manufacture a trolley for the fie pump before it needs to be used again.
Stop Press
Sutton Harbour Plymouth Classic Boat Rally 2015 organisers have published an outline program for this years rally scheduled for Friday 24th to Monday 27th July. Conformation is being sent that Shamrock is due to attend weather permitting.
