Old wrecks

Now this is what I call a PROPER wreck..

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Is it me or is there something romantic about old wrecks ?


Yep..... it's you.

I always feel that at sometime those boats were somebody's pride and joy and what happened to change that! If and I hope it never happens my "old" boat gets the better of me I wont be leaving it around to be an eyesore I will be giving it away or burning it!

Our shores are littered with rotting hulks that should have been burned as firewood years ago!

OK rant over.

Tom
 
Yep..... it's you.

I wont be leaving it around to be an eyesore I will be giving it away or burning it!

Our shores are littered with rotting hulks that should have been burned as firewood years ago!

Tom

You cant do that! Here in Chi Harbour its against the rules. Burning an old boat will damage the invertebrates (worms) in the mud. Thats official, courtesy of the HM.

The fact that professional bait diggers are lifting perhaps 25 kilos of worms per tide further down the beach, leaving it looking like the a*** end of the moon, doesnt come in to it!

And OPs original question? Short answer -No. Much the same as leaving derelict cars around IMHO, though nowadays local Councils are pretty hot on clearing abandoned cars up.

Just occasionally you get one that has 'artisitic merit' in its own right. A wartime MFV has sat on the beach at Dell Quay for over 50 years. The HM announced his intention of demolishing it a couple of years ago. There was a huge outcry from local artists and photographers who had been using it as a subject for many years. So it survived. I was glad, as it makes an excellent breakwater from the north for my winter berth!

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edit: ...and contrary to popular opinion, the wreck is the third one out. Got it! :) :)
 
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Yep..... it's you.

I always feel that at sometime those boats were somebody's pride and joy and what happened to change that! If and I hope it never happens my "old" boat gets the better of me I wont be leaving it around to be an eyesore I will be giving it away or burning it!

Our shores are littered with rotting hulks that should have been burned as firewood years ago!

OK rant over.

Tom

My Great Uncle has a lovely old wooden Day fishing boat.

The poor old boy is getting just a little bit long in the tooth and his wife needs a little bit of help as she has a problem with her knee (so I think he feels a little bit guilty spending too much time down on the boat).

It upsets me a little that I'm over here and not able to help him out more...

I do wonder what will happen to his lovely old boat..
 
Is it me or is there something romantic about old wrecks ?

Yes there is. Not all of them or always or everywhere but definitely some are romantic. It depends what and where etc. A little bit of past history slowly reverting.

Usually the mania for clearing everything away is down to someone wanting to develop the bit of land behind and you can't possibly have an old boat blocking the view of the old harbour, can you now?

It does help if it is a woodie though. Decrepit plastic mostly just looks horrid.
 
Yes there is. Not all of them or always or everywhere but definitely some are romantic. It depends what and where etc. A little bit of past history slowly reverting.

Usually the mania for clearing everything away is down to someone wanting to develop the bit of land behind and you can't possibly have an old boat blocking the view of the old harbour, can you now?

It does help if it is a woodie though. Decrepit plastic mostly just looks horrid.

I quite agree.
The attached photo isn't a wreck - at that point.!
The topmast schooner started life in 1822 - ordered by the family from Fyfes of Fairlie as a gaff rigged smack. She was sailed by GGG grandfather between Saltcoats and Arran as a packet service until 1857. They then lost too much business to steamers, so being resourceful men, (and good with their hands) GG father and two brothers hauled her ashore, cut her in two, adding 15 feet, found a suitable tree, made a new keel & keelson and planked her up. She was 60ft as a schooner. They scrounged a 2nd mast, gaff and other spars from wrecked schooner. She then sailed as a fore&aft rig for a year or 2 -until they had time to make the spars for the square sails. She was then sailed as a trading schooner up & down the west coast from the Clyde (Salt from up the Weaver canal, Lime from Ireland - Coals to Skye -you name it..) Sailing only with master & mate - did most of the cargo handling as well.
In 1894 they were again struggling with competition from steam -she was 72 and they laid her up. They then built themselves a wooden hulled puffer, and carried on.
The point is... I know exactly where her remains are.. not much more than a keel and some ribs, I walk past them quite often. I cannot but feel the pull of history on that particular walk. I have a lump of one of her ribs which is in reasonable condition and I have a fancy to make me a new (old) tiller for my current yacht from it.

Graeme
 
Can anyone identify this old wreck?

That looks like an old broads cruiser, could be from a number of makers.
But it also has a "look" of an old seaplane tender. (apart from the front cabin) Burgundy ben might know, he's into those type of boats.

Looking again, closely, that's definitely an old broads cruiser.
 
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