Neville Shute’s Yacht Wrecked

[TLouth7]

She is still on the beach, hard to judge if she is taking any further damage; no doubt she is flooding with each tide. The bowsprit seems to have taken a fair bit of the foredeck with it - I suspect the culprit was the harbour wall when she first broke free.

 

[Povremeni pomorac]

There was also lot of flying in small aircraft in his books, in real life he was an aeronautical engineer, he worked on many designs including Airships. He ran his own aircraft building factory. He also had an air transport company , Airspeed, in Portsmouth. His real name is Neville Norway. I love detail of the plots, they are all possible. His engineering details are spot on. I have all his books some are first editions which I inherited from my father who was an engineer in the RAF, having previously worked for Hawker aircraft and Westlands. I am sure that in some novels some of the characters are Shute himself, others are people he knew.

David MH

Neville Shute Norway I think.

 

[Povremeni pomorac]

I think "On the beach" was one of the best books I ever read. The film adaptation, however, was not wonderful IMO.

 

[DanTribe]

A friend's mother told me a story how they were anchored in Newton Creek [I think]. There was a fire which led to a petrol explosion and they all took to the dinghy. They were quickly recued by Nevill Shute who happened to be passing. I wonder if it was in this boat?

 

[catsonayacht]

She is still on the beach, hard to judge if she is taking any further damage; no doubt she is flooding with each tide. The bowsprit seems to have taken a fair bit of the foredeck with it - I suspect the culprit was the harbour wall when she first broke free.

Is there any visible damage below the waterline? Seems she could have been re-floated, but I guess there must be something...

She was looking very heavy when I saw her in Berwick - I don't think it would have taken much to put her down - but that pier can be brutal in the wrong conditions...

 

[TLouth7]

Is there any visible damage below the waterline? Seems she could have been re-floated, but I guess there must be something...

She was looking very heavy when I saw her in Berwick - I don't think it would have taken much to put her down - but that pier can be brutal in the wrong conditions...

I couldn't see anything obvious, but given how much expanding foam had been used in the deck I can't imagine the caulking of the hull was in good shape. There may be sprung planks that she is lying on.

Frustratingly none of the yachts on the pontoon on the other side of the pier took any damage at all, and she definitely could have had a berth there.

 

[Stemar]

Looking at her, I'd say her only hope now is another Lea Samson, he of Tally Ho fame. There may be more original wood in her post restoration than in Talley Ho, but probably not a lot more

 

[dunedin]

I couldn't see anything obvious, but given how much expanding foam had been used in the deck I can't imagine the caulking of the hull was in good shape. There may be sprung planks that she is lying on.

Frustratingly none of the yachts on the pontoon on the other side of the pier took any damage at all, and she definitely could have had a berth there.

I would be more concerned whether she had any third party insurance - which I fear she may not, as clearly would not have passed any insurance survey.
It looks like she hit other boats and probably damaged them. And it will be an expensive recovery and disposal job from Granton Harbour. Sadly others are likely to have to pick up the bills caused.

 

[wombat88]

Near the lock in Chichester Marina there is Dorenda Ellen, a similar, fine big Hillyard ketch and a veteran of several transatlantic crossing under a previous owner. She looks unloved and has been a static exhibit here and on a mooring in Chichester Harbour for some time. I believe she is owned by a business that is in some financial bother(?) and as such is not getting the attention she deserves.

It would be a great shame to see another of these excellent boats go.

 

[TLouth7]

I would be more concerned whether she had any third party insurance - which I fear she may not, as clearly would not have passed any insurance survey.
It looks like she hit other boats and probably damaged them. And it will be an expensive recovery and disposal job from Granton Harbour. Sadly others are likely to have to pick up the bills caused.

My suspicion (caveat - I have no insider knowledge) is that she will sit there until they start work on the new marina, at which point a JCB would make short work of her. She is sitting in the corner with orange shading in the plan below.


Image taken from http://edinburgh-marina.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Granton-Decision-Notice.pdf

 

[catsonayacht]

I couldn't see anything obvious, but given how much expanding foam had been used in the deck I can't imagine the caulking of the hull was in good shape. There may be sprung planks that she is lying on.

Frustratingly none of the yachts on the pontoon on the other side of the pier took any damage at all, and she definitely could have had a berth there.

I do know prior to the storm, she was taking on 4 litres a water a day, and everything above the waterline leaked - just don't know why he left her there. I know he had a little engine trouble while he was here in Berwick, so maybe he wasn't able to move her - either way its a tragic waste. There were a lot of beautiful fittings on her.

But looking at the pics, some work has been done to he since she sank, she looks much tidier - perhaps an effort is afoot?

 

[catsonayacht]

I would be more concerned whether she had any third party insurance - which I fear she may not, as clearly would not have passed any insurance survey.
It looks like she hit other boats and probably damaged them. And it will be an expensive recovery and disposal job from Granton Harbour. Sadly others are likely to have to pick up the bills caused.

Agreed!

Almost every leg of that boat's trip from Newcastle to Edinburgh involved the RNLI, she was a complete liability in that shape. And there was/is no insurance, that dude is on the hook for it all. He gambled, and lost

His only 'out' is if she can float - if she can float, she can be towed for storage or disposal at a much lower cost than what the city is gonna charge to clean up...

 

[Frogmogman]

Thank you to the OP. If nothing else, I was inspired by this thread to read another of Shute’s books (having read a town like Alice when I was a schoolboy).

I’ve just finished Trustee from the toolroom, a sailing yarn which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

I’ll have a crack at On the beach next.

 

[Minerva]

Agreed!

Almost every leg of that boat's trip from Newcastle to Edinburgh involved the RNLI, she was a complete liability in that shape. And there was/is no insurance, that dude is on the hook for it all. He gambled, and lost

His only 'out' is if she can float - if she can float, she can be towed for storage or disposal at a much lower cost than what the city is gonna charge to clean up...

Presumably a crowbar inside to get any batteries / metal fittings removed quickly followed by 20l of petrol and a match at low tide would have the bulk of the boat away in no time. Following low tide pick up any remaining bits of metal i.e engine with a hi-ab crane and flatbed truck.

Can't imagine trying to crane out such a rotten hulk would end well

 

[catsonayacht]

Presumably a crowbar inside to get any batteries / metal fittings removed quickly followed by 20l of petrol and a match at low tide would have the bulk of the boat away in no time. Following low tide pick up any remaining bits of metal i.e engine with a hi-ab crane and flatbed truck.

Can't imagine trying to crane out such a rotten hulk would end well

Def a JCB Job...lol But a burn would also be effective.. ha ha - and much more fun!

But I believe a plan to refloat her is afoot...

 

[penfold]

Def a JCB Job...lol But a burn would also be effective.. ha ha - and much more fun!

But I believe a plan to refloat her is afoot...

Fother it with some cheap tarps, then some really big pumps should keep it upright. Still leaves the same problem of how to get it to Grangemouth; given the owner was incapable of that previously it doesn't inspire confidence.

 

[catsonayacht]

Fother it with some cheap tarps, then some really big pumps should keep it upright. Still leaves the same problem of how to get it to Grangemouth; given the owner was incapable of that previously it doesn't inspire confidence.

I agree - talk is cheap.

 

[Stemar]

I still think the poor boat took the dignified way out, rather than becoming a rotting "floating" home

 

[NormanS]

Fother it with some cheap tarps, then some really big pumps should keep it upright. Still leaves the same problem of how to get it to Grangemouth; given the owner was incapable of that previously it doesn't inspire confidence.

Grangemouth? There was a suggestion that she was heading for the muddy graveyard of Charlestown. Grangemouth seems much less likely. Probably doesn't matter now though.

 

[DanTribe]

Thank you to the OP. If nothing else, I was inspired by this thread to read another of Shute’s books (having read a town like Alice when I was a schoolboy).

I’ve just finished Trustee from the toolroom, a sailing yarn which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

I’ll have a crack at On the beach next.

What happened to the Corbetts has some interesting period sailing descriptions.