Scotty_Tradewind
Active member
Just prior to Covid I was offered a sensible price for my beloved Ambler of Arne.
I arrived pre season in the boatyard in the ria de Arousa, a large estuary type inlet bigger than the Solent, on the west coast of Galicia, a few sea miles above Portugal.
With me was my pal and boat maintenance professional Bob, who with my limited assistance, would be getting Ambler ready for the season.
Linda and I normally spent 4months away sailing the wonderful cruising grounds of the rias Baixas. With over 600 recorded beaches, Galicia is most appealing. Along with that it is relatively inexpensive and has safe anchorages, tens of harbours and many marinas.
So, having set the scene for you, I can tell you that I was considering this to be our last season in Galicia.
Linda and I had enjoyed the luxuries of cruising the area for six consecutive summers. We had 'been there and done that'.
I just happened to mention this to boatyard owner Nito in a casual way on the second day of this maintenance visit.
On the third day whilst still unravelling the all-over cover to reveal the splendours that are Ambler, I was called from outside.
"Hi John, i've brought my friend, he wants to buy your boat !"
And so it was...., Ambler was sold and we had hardly done any of the pre-season work.
Now, after the dreaded Covid and a few years after the cruising sailors nightmare of Brexit, I have received this week by email, photos of Ambler, no message attached.
She was sold to a wooden 'boat builder', or more correctly a builder of wooden boats.
Taking you back some years to when I first saw Ambler, it was autumn and the bitter cold winds and rain had started coming in and making the yard at Wicormarine seem like the North Pole.
A fresh lift was going on and one of my dream boats, a Tradewind was coming up the slipway.
I ogled and stared open mouthed as the familiar bow sprit towered above me from the hard.
"It's for sale" said the yard hand.
Two weeks later the deal had been done and 'Johnnie Two Boats' become the name dubbed on me by Ben from one of the liveaboards at the yard.
Now, Betty Dee, my Twister28 had to be found a new home.
Betty, being an almost immaculate well found example soon attracted several potential buyers and was gone.
Ambler however had 9 buckets and containers below to collect the drips from the leaking decks !
Fortunately, Scott, the owner at Wicormarine, had one of the large lean-to sheds available for hire for the winter, so in she went.
In the following weeks and months, Ambler was stripped topsides of all her finery and fittings. She began to look naked!
Stripping off the teak deck was no joke ! It had been laid onto the balsa sandwich deck with resin. It came away in splinters.
Stripping, planing, sanding, filling, sanding again and layering with new grp and brushed on resin, took many weeks but terminated when son Sam and I took a fortnight sleeping aboard and working 12 hour shifts.
The new deck, fully sealed, strengthened and pristine with a white base and grey non slip pads was a site to behold. By the way, the non slip was an added grey coloured resin with shell grit finely sieved over it at time of application. Not a bed for romance I assure you, yet perfect for active deck work !
We had chosen the pale colours for the deck to come in line with most modern 'white boats' as it would reflect much of the heat from the sun especially if we went Med' bound.
Now, taking you quickly back to the newly arrived photos last week, early Sept '24
To my surprise and and part disappointment she had been redecked, or should I say had a 'deck addition'.
Beautiful and almost certainly a labour of love but why ?
If you've ever worked in wood or a composite such as this, you'll know why !
John Scottorn
I arrived pre season in the boatyard in the ria de Arousa, a large estuary type inlet bigger than the Solent, on the west coast of Galicia, a few sea miles above Portugal.
With me was my pal and boat maintenance professional Bob, who with my limited assistance, would be getting Ambler ready for the season.
Linda and I normally spent 4months away sailing the wonderful cruising grounds of the rias Baixas. With over 600 recorded beaches, Galicia is most appealing. Along with that it is relatively inexpensive and has safe anchorages, tens of harbours and many marinas.
So, having set the scene for you, I can tell you that I was considering this to be our last season in Galicia.
Linda and I had enjoyed the luxuries of cruising the area for six consecutive summers. We had 'been there and done that'.
I just happened to mention this to boatyard owner Nito in a casual way on the second day of this maintenance visit.
On the third day whilst still unravelling the all-over cover to reveal the splendours that are Ambler, I was called from outside.
"Hi John, i've brought my friend, he wants to buy your boat !"
And so it was...., Ambler was sold and we had hardly done any of the pre-season work.
Now, after the dreaded Covid and a few years after the cruising sailors nightmare of Brexit, I have received this week by email, photos of Ambler, no message attached.
She was sold to a wooden 'boat builder', or more correctly a builder of wooden boats.
Taking you back some years to when I first saw Ambler, it was autumn and the bitter cold winds and rain had started coming in and making the yard at Wicormarine seem like the North Pole.
A fresh lift was going on and one of my dream boats, a Tradewind was coming up the slipway.
I ogled and stared open mouthed as the familiar bow sprit towered above me from the hard.
"It's for sale" said the yard hand.
Two weeks later the deal had been done and 'Johnnie Two Boats' become the name dubbed on me by Ben from one of the liveaboards at the yard.
Now, Betty Dee, my Twister28 had to be found a new home.
Betty, being an almost immaculate well found example soon attracted several potential buyers and was gone.
Ambler however had 9 buckets and containers below to collect the drips from the leaking decks !
Fortunately, Scott, the owner at Wicormarine, had one of the large lean-to sheds available for hire for the winter, so in she went.
In the following weeks and months, Ambler was stripped topsides of all her finery and fittings. She began to look naked!
Stripping off the teak deck was no joke ! It had been laid onto the balsa sandwich deck with resin. It came away in splinters.
Stripping, planing, sanding, filling, sanding again and layering with new grp and brushed on resin, took many weeks but terminated when son Sam and I took a fortnight sleeping aboard and working 12 hour shifts.
The new deck, fully sealed, strengthened and pristine with a white base and grey non slip pads was a site to behold. By the way, the non slip was an added grey coloured resin with shell grit finely sieved over it at time of application. Not a bed for romance I assure you, yet perfect for active deck work !
We had chosen the pale colours for the deck to come in line with most modern 'white boats' as it would reflect much of the heat from the sun especially if we went Med' bound.
Now, taking you quickly back to the newly arrived photos last week, early Sept '24
To my surprise and and part disappointment she had been redecked, or should I say had a 'deck addition'.
Beautiful and almost certainly a labour of love but why ?
If you've ever worked in wood or a composite such as this, you'll know why !
John Scottorn
