Prawner "Arthur Alexander"?

[Seagreen]

Does anyone have any info on the state of the Arthur Alexander, last seen falling to bits at Port Penryn. Is she match-ready yet? I looked at her with a view to buy 5 years ago but she was a soggy heap needing a total rebuild. Is she lost? I have fond memories of her being sailed by Dennis Wright.

 

[Woodlouse]

Which one was she? Not the big one down by opposite the Cafe on the Quay?

 

[Seagreen]

She's (was, last time I was there) along the quay just seaward of Scott Metcalf's place, with some other stored boats. Drove up to her to find bathroom sealant not quite holding the rotted remains of the stem together and spent a happy hour seeing just how far I could push a small knife blade into her planking. It was very sad, but I was quite annoyed the "broker" said she was in very good nick. I wasted 2 days driving up to see her.

 

[Woodlouse]

If it's the one I'm thinking of (telegraph pole for masts etc) then a couple of years ago the tide came up and the boat didn't. I think she's been fed to a wood burner now.

 

[Seagreen]

That may be her. Sad but there's a picture of her with Dennis Wright at the top of the Nobby Owners Association website of her in happier days. Ah well. Sic transit Gloria. I was told that she was still fastened with iron nails and maybe this was the problem.

 

[SunyBay]

I know Scott Metcalf, and a couple of others who keep their boats at Port Penrhyn and are friends with Dennis, so I can easily find out whether it was Arthur Alexander who is at the bottom now, if you like.


I have fond memories of Dennis sailing her around the Irish Sea to many traditional boats events, often just himself and a wee dog.

 

[TQA]

Saw this one in Grenada this year!

Has been cruised by a US couple for 20+ years

 

[SunyBay]

I've just been in contact with a friend who keeps his boat in Port Penrhyn, and he believes that Arthur Alexander went to Essex, via the Wirral, eventually, so it is definitely not her that sunk in Port Penrhyn.

Who the sunken boat is, I don't know.

 

[Seagreen]

Well SunyBay, I'm glad to hear the AA may be saved to sail again. Good to see Swyn Y Mor's still going strog, too. Been in contact with my old pal on Espanola about her, but his last word was that shed fallen apart on the quayside.

 

[SunyBay]

Oh, do you know Martin? He's a good friend of ours, too.

I spoke to John, who used to own Biddy,, then Irmgard, and now owns Bridget, a converted lifeboat. All of them he kept/keeps in Port Penrhyn, and he knows Scott Metcalf well. I also spoke to my parents and they confirmed that Arthur Alexander did manage to be rescued. I think she was in a state when whoever it was rescued her. It's possible that Arthur Alexander did sink, but then someone bought her as a project (I only got a text message from John, as opposed to having a conversation with him, so I didn't get all of the details.).

Yes Swn Y Mor is still plying the seas. I can't envisage a time when she won't be!

 

[Seagreen]

I certainly know Martin, having crewed for him years ago, and you gave me a guided tour of Swyn Y Mor a long time ago in Peel, (I think 14 years ago). I was planning to buy the AA when she came up for sale, being a long time admirer (maybe worshipper-at-a-distance) of Dennis. I now own (more like curate) "Cleone", also on the NRHV register.

Glad to hear AA is being restored by someone. As I posted right above, I was full of hope for her but she was in such a state of decomposition when I saw her, I didn't have the resources to do her up. Sort of glad about that as Cleone is a thoroughbred.

 

[SunyBay]

Oh, fabulous. Yes, I suspect that Arthur Alexander needed a lot of work on her! It is better to get a boat that may need some work, but you don't have to bankrupt yourself over. Cleone does look a beauty.

 

[Woodlouse]

It seems I was duped by a typo in the original post. The difference between port Penryn and port Penrhyn can take you to very different parts of the country. Especially when it comes to the presence of mouldy boats.

 

[SunyBay]

Ah yes, that can make a difference!

 

[Andrew Rosthorn]

Arthur Alexander on The Move Again

Arthur Alexander was bought in November 2010 by her former owner Mike Griffiths. He heard she was lying unattended on a farm near Kirkham, Lancs, and stepped in to move her to the hard at Spike Island, Widnes, for a major refit. Coburg Yacht Brokers were involved. Formerly TERN, she was designed by William Storba and built by Gibsons of Fleetwood as a long keeled gaff cutter of carvel construction, copper fastened and close-ribbed in the Morecambe Bay style and registered at Preston as PN64 on 29th June 1894. In 1907 she was owned by Henry Milling of St Anne's. She was registered at Fleetwood as FD182 on 4th May 1913. Registered Liverpool LL25 on 22nd February 1916, she was fishing during the First World War. Registered Runcorn RN37 21st June 1923. As JEAN MORE, she served as a fire-fighting float in Liverpool during the Second World War. She was later found abandoned back at Fleetwood, lying in the mud, washed by the tide. Mike Griffiths made her seaworthy, towed her to Fiddlers Ferry and restored her to his usual standard and renamed her - after his father.

 

[Seagreen]

"Major refit"

Well that's an understatement. She was falling apart when I saw her with a view to purchase in 2005. Don't get me wrong, I'd absolutely love to see her back in the water and sailing again. She seemed to me like a total rebuild and I wish anyone who buy's her and wants to restore her all the best.

It would be fantastic to find out how her rebirth proceeds.

 

[Seagreen]

Cleone does look a beauty.

Oh yes, but so very much work.

 

[SunyBay]

Good heavens, I've only just seen that photo attachment (for some reason it didn't appear when I originally saw this thread) and she was in a state! Very odd that she should be in Kirkham - I used to live there! Not exactly the place you'd expect to find any boat!

 

[Seagreen]

So, I wonder. Its sort of implied that Andrew Rosthorn is her new owner, and the lucky fellow undertaking the restoration. Is this true? Love to know what progress you make, and it would be fantastic to see her afloat again. Best of luck.

 

[Andrew Rosthorn]

Not me guv!

Andrew Rosthorn at Sealand Boat Deliveries just helped Mike Griffiths to bring her back to Spike island: "Arthur Alexander was bought in November 2010 by her former owner Mike Griffiths. He heard she was lying unattended on a farm near Kirkham, Lancs, and stepped in to move her to the hard at Spike Island, Widnes, for a major refit."