Friday 14th April
This is copied from Bonify's blog which I hijacked briefly for Victoria.
Our lovely 21ft wooden gaff cutter, built in 1897 for the Colne River Police, passed into new hands today. Very worthy and capable hands we have to say. Tony Winter has restored and maintained old wooden sailing boats for many more years than I have been sailing, in particular Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters Mascot and Cornubia (aka Hirta) and his dynasty of East Coast Winters (if I can call it that) has an impeccable record for looking after old sailing boats. He has a host of grandchildren of varying ages who we hope will cut their gaffering teeth on Victoria in years to come.
So yesterday we took her winter cover off for the last time and today she is rigged with the help of her new owner.
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| Cover's off Thursday |
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| Mast rigged as ridge pole for cover - bow |
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| Mast rigged as ridge pole for cover - stern |
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| Mast back in its proper place - tabernacle |
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| Bowsprit going on |
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| Juggleing bowsprit |
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| Coffee time - mast ready to raise |
Photographer then left them all to it and went back to apply some thinned varnish to Bonify.
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| All done, rigged and ready to sail |
She will be staying in the Walton Yacht Basin for now so all her East Coast gaffer friends will be able to keep an eye on her. For us, the end of a happy era - and the end of this blog.
Bonify's blog contines: www.bonifyatlarge.blogspot.co.uk
