Gaff schooner sunk in Brixham

[Gary Fox]

Just seen this, she is a ferro gaff schooner. I was one of the delivery crew who took her from Dover to Brixham a few years ago, her intended destination was Turf Lock Exmouth, she looked quite presentable and was capable of sailing back then.
I wonder what happened?
We were towed into BM with a broken injector pipe on the 6354. But the new owner seemed to have the resources to do what was needed. Very sad anyway. She is a heavy old 'beast', we tried to get her lifted at Sovereign Harbour for a scrub, and their 50 tonne hoist tripped out!
was Turf

 

[TernVI]

Sad.
If it was insured , I suspect the underwriters will see the 'before' photo and think the boat was neglected.

 

[dom]

Sad.
If it was insured , I suspect the underwriters will see the 'before' photo and think the boat was neglected.

I thought that, then I wondered if the top image is post reflotation?

 

[Gary Fox]

I thought that, then I wondered if the top image is post reflotation?

Good point, maybe. She was clean and tidy when we tied her up there.

 

[dom]

Good point, maybe. She was clean and tidy when we tied her up there.

Although just Googled this: seems it was just left to rot?

Sea Beast – 70ft Ferro Cement Schooner – Cheap Boats

 

[Vicarage]

she's been dumped on the heritage pontoon waiting for die for as long as I can remember

 

[Vicarage]

I thought that, then I wondered if the top image is post reflotation?

top image is pretty much the condition she was in last time I was in Brixham! Sad really but big boats cost big money

 

[bedouin]

top image is pretty much the condition she was in last time I was in Brixham! Sad really but big boats cost big money

There's simply not a market for ferro boats of any size

 

[Wansworth]

What would it have been costing to keep such a craft tied up on a pontoon was she for charter?

 

[Gary Fox]

There's simply not a market for ferro boats of any size

Scuba diving reefs, or gunnery practice!

 

[Wansworth]

Scuba diving reefs, or gunnery practice!

Houseboat......in mud berth

 

[Bajansailor]

I wonder if somebody did buy her for Current Price: £113.11 as mentioned in the advert?

I wonder what 'went wrong' to cause her to sink?
Maybe failure of a through hull fitting?
Have you had a lot of rain recently? Although if she filled up gradually with rain, then surely this would have been noticed?

If she had at least a couple of watertight bulkheads then they might have helped to keep her afloat a bit longer until help arrived.

Re insurance, it is very difficult to get insurance for even a well found ferro boat, never mind one that is rather tatty.

 

[Gary Fox]

What would it have been costing to keep such a craft tied up on a pontoon was she for charter?

Private owner, and get this..she was his first boat!
I'm fairly amazed Brixham HM let her remain on the Heritage Pontoon so long, to be honest.

 

[Wansworth]

Private owner, and get this..she was his first boat!
I'm fairly amazed Brixham HM let her remain on the Heritage Pontoon so long, to be honest.

He should have asked on the forum.......before

 

[Gary Fox]

I wonder if somebody did buy her for Current Price: £113.11 as mentioned in the advert?

I wonder what 'went wrong' to cause her to sink?
Maybe failure of a through hull fitting?
Have you had a lot of rain recently? Although if she filled up gradually with rain, then surely this would have been noticed?

If she had at least a couple of watertight bulkheads then they might have helped to keep her afloat a bit longer until help arrived.

Re insurance, it is very difficult to get insurance for even a well found ferro boat, never mind one that is rather tatty.

Zero meaningful bulkheads, and I had constant issues keeping the neglected machinery working. Probly a through-hull;
at least we can be sure it wasn't an insurance job
Although joking aside, it will cost a lot to raise and destroy her, who pays? Just out of curiosity.

 

[pvb]

Looks like the harbour authority was selling the boat to offset unpaid mooring fees. I wonder whether it sold? The auction notice doesn't appear to have a closing date. It could be that the harbour authority will end up paying the cost of removing the wreck.

 

[Mark-1]

Although just Googled this: seems it was just left to rot?

Sea Beast – 70ft Ferro Cement Schooner – Cheap Boats

"The condition of the underwater hull and appendages has not been
established "

I think it has now.

 

[burgundyben]

I saw her last September. She was a sorry mess. The remains of the superstructure were disintegrating. That'll be a big recovery job.

 

[Pete7]

she's been dumped on the heritage pontoon waiting for die for as long as I can remember

She was on a mooring buoy in the outer harbour for a good 5 years before appearing on the pontoon.

 

[trevbouy]

If you want to see the masts at least, here is a live link to a webcam. It does a stop start tour of the harbour but dwells long enough to see it clearly. There's 3 web cameras in Brixham
Seems either the harbourmaster and others were 'inspecting' it around 9am today or just surveyers. In a boat with orange hi viz and lifejackets.

Brixham Harbour Cameras