Where we’re at – Winter 2016

Dear NEMT member,

A key part of the trust being able to take our boats onto the water for trips on the river and further afield lies, of course, with the renovation and maintenance of our existing ‘fleet’.  As you will no doubt be aware, we have three major projects underway at the trust at present – each with a variety of demands on volunteer time and expertise.
 
1.  The lifeboat Henry Frederick Swan under the direction of Tim West has been our main project for several years now, and is beginning the final stages of what will be a fantastic and important piece of heritage restoration.  Several of you continue to work on her on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and we are very hopeful of a launch date in 2017.
 
2.  Our boat-building classes are held on Monday and Thursday evenings and you may have seen progress recorded on our Facebook and Blogs.  The boarding boat ‘Cygnet’ is our first new-build and we have laid the keel and major stern pieces ready for a recently purchased Stuart Tuner engine to be fitted.
 
peggy16_11_13.  Finally we have taken the sailing coble ‘Peggy’ up the slipway into our boatyard for assessment and repair under the direction of Dave Parker.  She  is one of the oldest cobles still afloat and is in need of some timbers to be replaced before a complete repaint.  When finished she will again be a key asset and favourite among the public.  We intend to restore her to her previous glory, but as you can see she is in need of some urgent work.
 
If you are interested in working on any (or all) of these projects then please come down to the yard on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday for Henry Frederick Swan, Monday or Thursday evenings for ‘Cygnet’ and get in touch with myself or Dave Parker if you would like to help with the work on ‘Peggy’. 
 
For each of these projects it would be brilliant if you are a heritage boat building specialist, but if – like most of us –  you have few or no skills but an interest in learning and getting hands-on experience of a dying art, please get in touch or come down.  You’d be most welcome!

Best Regards
Jerry Dudman
Secretary NEMT

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