The major restoration of Chance (Token) James Silver Western Isles Motor sailer

[jstarmarine]

I'm looking forward to following.

Love the name Chance, great name for a boat, I wonder how it came about.

Hi Ben,
I look forward to you following my progress on Chance once Chance is back down in Essex.
The first owner wish to have a boat which could both sail as well as it could motor and he got the Chance. Now we are given Chance a second Chance to do the same after her restoration and for many years to come with the help of my family and hopefully with some volunteers along the way, now Chance is going to be down in north Essex close to my yard and workshop.

 

[davidej]

Are we allowed to know where in Essex it will end up?

 

[jstarmarine]

Are we allowed to know where in Essex it will end up?

Chance is going to be coming down to Walton on the Naze. Near my yard and workshop at foundry yard

 

[jstarmarine]

Over the past week my son Michael and myself have been at Woodplumpton finishing off loading the two box trailers with the last of the items from Chance. Now the trailers are loaded up to the gills with the last of the ballast weights from out of the bilges of Chance. The last of the furniture and old floorboards and other items from inside the cabins of Chance are now loaded all that is left to do is bring the trailers home to Walton on the Naze and empty the contents and label up the parts that are going to be used as patterns and what will be reused later on in the restoration project.
That bit of the time we spent up at Woodplumpton in the yard where Chance is presently and waiting to be moved at the end of the month to come down to Walton on the Naze to continue the restoration where Chance will be close to my workshop and my home.
This part of the operation when well enough apart from the weather was against us and it was showers and then rain for the time we were at the yard where Chance is presently stored.
So my son Michael and myself got the trailers loaded as best we could under difficult conditions, however, we did get the trailers loaded with as much ballast and other items from under Chance so there is not going to be much left to load when /Chance get put on to the transport. All that is left under Chance now is her Main and mizzen masts and that is all. The main and mizzen booms are on one of the trailer ready to come back to Walton on the Naze this coming week.
The first trailer load should have been coming down with us this weekend, but the new to us pickup died on us on the way to my brothers home in Leeds after the first days work. So the trailer is still at Woodplumpton and the pickup is on its way to the dealership to be repaired.
The pickup problem was the alternator packed up and killed the battery and it came to a stop. Thankfully it happened in the motorway service station, so my son and I could get something to eat and drink while we waited for the AA to arrive to take me to my brother's home overnight and then on down to my home in Essex.
So one failed trip, however, it saved paying for the fuel on the way home.
On a different note, once the trailers are back in Walton on the Naze and unloaded then some of the jobs can be started on while we wait for Chance to be transported back to Walton on the Naze.
One of the first dirty jobs is going to be cleaning the floorboards which are going to be reused and also to clean and repaint the ballast iron ballast that as come out of the bilges and is covered in all sorts of dirty and god know what else.
The ballast is going to be sandblasted and then given a few coats of epoxy tar and put to one side until it is refitted in the bilges of chance at the end of the restoration project.
In the meantime there are a lot of jobs small and large to get on with over the course of the next four years so we will busy doing these jobs and showing ho they are done.
So the next time we see Chance she should be arriving in Walton on the Naze to continue her restoration close to home.

 

[jstarmarine]

Update on the movement of Chance,
Yesterday had a long drive to Woodplumpton to pick up the larger of the two trailers with the last of the bits from Chance The larger of the trailers had the last of the ballast weights we removed from the bilges earlier in the year before we cleaned out the bilges. This time it was about a ton in weight of iron weights . This with the three quarters of ton of iron ballast weights we have already got back at the yard is quite a lot of weight we have removed from the boat. This is only a small amount of the weight we have removed, one a quarter tons of which the engines weighted and the fuel and water tanks and the stern gear which as also been removed. Then a lot of furniture as come out of the interior of the cabins so all that is left is the bulkheads which are still in position keeping the boats shape.

So it is one final trip to Woodplumpton on Monday to pick up the smaller trailer and supervise the loading of Chance on to transport fro her trip back to Walton on the Naze. Chance should be arriving on Tuesday to get off loaded at Walton on the Naze for the family and I to get on with the restoration with her near to my workshop. This will make the restoration a lot easier to do and control.

 

[tillergirl]

Best wishes for next week. Exciting times for you.

 

[jstarmarine]

Got my fingers and toes crossed that it goes okay and we get Chance back in Essex and offload in her new home to get the restoration underway big time over this coming winter and onwards into next year.

 

[steadyeddy]

Got my fingers and toes crossed that it goes okay and we get Chance back in Essex and offload in her new home to get the restoration underway big time over this coming winter and onwards into next year.

 

[steadyeddy]

It will give you a lot more time not having the long return journey.

 

[jstarmarine]

The time is almost upon us and just got to get Chance loaded on to Transport and moved to Walton on the Naze in Essex

This past year as been a uphill battle against the effects of Covid and its effect on Simon;s boatbuilding business, which thankfully as come through the pandemic and other family pressures which has put a strain on the Chance restoration project. We have now been able to finally move Chance to Essex from Lancashire.
So after 18 months of working on Chance in Woodplumpton and doing a lot of work to strip her down to a stage where it is possible to gauge the task ahead. It has been able to get Chance moved to be closer to Simon's yard and workshop so that the major work to restore Chance can be done. Now with Simon's workshop close by and he and the family will be able to do the major work much easier than before. When before it involved and 600 mile round trip very time we had to work on Chance to get her to this stage in her restoration.
Because Chance will be closer to Simon's Workshop there will be more time being able to work on Chance and not travelling up and down country using up much needed funds to help with the restoration of Chance.
So hopefully on Monday Chances' next great adventure will start with her move down from Woodplumpton to Walton on the Naze.
We hope to video as much of the loading and movement and offloading as possible and show it it in our next weekly vlog.

 

[burgundyben]

Good luck with the move.

 

[ianc1200]

Being chocked up at Titchmarsh Marina as we speak! Good to see safely arrived in this corner of NE Essex. Hope the rebuild goes well.

 

[tillergirl]

Great!

 

[jstarmarine]

Getting the crane and lorry set up to get Chance loaded on to the low loader so she can make her road trip down to Essex from Woodplumpton



Getting the slings set upo to lift Chance for the first time in 2 years



Making final adjustments to the slings before making the lift



Taking the weight and ensuring Chance lift level so it can be moved over the loader trailer





Finally the crane operator feels it is okay and is ready to make the lift



There Chance is in the air and over the low loader and being moved into position







Finally on the low loader trailer and just needs the props putting into position





The company I use for any of the big boats I need moving round the country and always give a first class service



There Chance goes out of the yard which has been her home for the past 2 years and now on her way to her new home in Walton on the Naze in Essex

 

[jstarmarine]

Chance arrived at midday and was offloaded at the local marina boatyard where is in now laid up ready for the major works to start in the coming weeks and months to come.



Now Chance is near to my workshop work should be easier and be able to be done at a faster rate than before.



She will be well protected from the elements as she is low down with high banks around her



Chance is going to be supported a lot better now with many more supports under her in better places and keep her in the correct shape



This part of the stem is going to need some attention when we get round to this part of the restoration and may have to do a bit of investigation into why this as happened and sort this problem out





The once proud boat is once more looking to the future with renewed hope and a second chance of making the high seas once more

 

[ianc1200]

It's right next to one huge pile of greenheart - huge lengths.

 

[jstarmarine]

I do not think I will need any just yet, time will tell. The yard crew have just got to finish off chocking Chance up today and I will be able to make a start on Chance on Sunday,getting things squared away on Chance, Wood and other items still in the boat from being transported back from Woodplumpton. So it is now time to get on with the work and make thing happen.

 

[burgundyben]

You're a braver man than me.

I hope the project goes well.

 

[jstarmarine]

You're a braver man than me.

I hope the project goes well.

The boat is well worth the effort as Chance is a one off and needs saving and I feel I am the person to achieve it with the help of my friends and volunteers and a few donations from people who feel the same way as l do about saving our maritime heritage

 

[jstarmarine]

Chance now safely chocked up in her home for the duration of her restoration. Now it is time to build a framework over her to keep the weather.



At least now we can get all the way round Chance to work on her at any angle



Another boat that is similar to a James Silver in the same yard