Well it took a bit longer.....

[DoubleEnder]

........and it cost a whole lot more, than I was expecting. But today NYACHILWA
is afloat again, first time for nearly 4 years.

The last time I saw her afloat, the only time I saw her afloat, was in an ice bound marina in Long Island New York. She was shipped to UK, and what I thought would be a refit/repair turned in to a rebuild and complete restoration. And its not over yet. But she is floating. we went for a little motor in the creek, all good, rig goes in next week, joy of playing with sails........
I think she looks good.

 

[BrendanS]

Looks beautiful!

Where in Long Island did she come from? I used to spend a lot of time there when working for a small scientific software company based there.

 

[Searush]

Nah, she doesn't look good,

















/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
She's gorgeous! Well done! I'll bet there's a lump in your throat the size of the hole in your wallet! Congratulations.

by the way, what's the name all about?

 

[donm]

Stunning. What a beautiful job!

 

[DanTribe]

However long it took and whatever it cost, she's worth it.

 

[Lakesailor]

What's all the green stuff?

I much prefer that lovely yacht in the foreground. Now that is nice.

 

[Seagreen]

Now, there's lovely. Nice touch putting the green bough on the stem.. or did you misjudge the turn somewhere. Where is this picture taken. Like it said in the advert, georgeous pays for itself in the first five minutes..

Congratulations. But what's the name all about?


Oh and went googling, and found this:

[image]

[/image]

Shot in 1954 at Tail o' the bank, Clyde, allegedly.

 

[old_salt]

Yes She is Beautiful you have done a splendid job.
I am sure more photos and some history would be appreciated by all the peeps on here.
I am still working hard at it to get to the point you have achieved back in the water. That would be reaching the final mile stones for me.
I congratulate you on a wonderful job so far.

 

[Bajansailor]

She is absolutely exquisite, a real heart stopper and head turner! And she hasn't even got her rig in yet.
There will be many wobbly knees when folk see her sailing.
Congratulations on a very fine job.

 

[JesseLoynes]

She looks absolutely stunning. Hard work, but now you get to see the awed looks she will surely cause on everyones faces as you go by. Congrats!

 

[Poignard]

Well done!

BTW, I like that winter cover on the vessel ahead of you; just what I need!

 

[Porthandbuoy]

Oooohh nice! May superlatives continue to rain down about your ears.

Time to update your bio. She's no longer in a shed in bits.

 

[ccscott49]

Looks magnificent, well done!

 

[pyrojames]

Magnificent, well done. I am envious and nervous, I am just about to start my repair/refit... :0

 

[Roach1948]

Wow, is she a Fife the third? What lines.... Is that a new deck?
It is wonderful to see that you have brought her back to this side of the Atlantic where she belongs. I think 4 years is pretty good going. I took 7!!!

 

[burgundyben]

BZ!

 

[alb40]

Wow, i bet you feel like every ounce of effort has been worth it, she looks absolutely stunning!

Very well done!

 

[DoubleEnder]

Thanks everybody. Yes it is quite emotional. Designed by William FifeIII, launched 1952 at Fairlie though the man was dead by then. She was the second to this design, the first was NYATONGA. There was also a NYAGRA I think, and then maybe 3 more. One is called (I think) SUMAREL. I have the impression that as time went by the design was modified quite a bit, with a coachroof that went further aft and made more internal space.

It's nearly all new, now. Completely refastened, copper rivets and bronze screws & bolts. Every plank came off, about 40% -50% were replaced. New stems and forefoot. New carlins, about 40% new deck structure, new rudder stock and trunk in massive good-for-1000-years bronze from Colin Frake, new deck in 1" teak laid straight on to the beams. New floors. Quite a few new timbers. New cabin sole, new cockpit sole. New engine, bearers, shaft, prop, tanks, pumps. New chainplates. New systems - not really in yet, but it will be very simple, just a few lights and basic instruments. New tiller! (needs finishing...)

Keel, coachroof, cabin doors, coamings are original or at least old. I dont think the doors are original, at all. I will at some stage also get the sliding hatch remade. The rig is original hollow spruce. It is huge - 50' on a 24' waterline so may be exciting. New standing rigging. Big, original Highfield levers for the runners. Yikes

Most of the interior is original, though not the galley - she's not really finished below, yet - as far as the furniture goes. Definitely need a stove.....Oh and the head is stylish, period Wilcox-Crittenden.

The 1954 photo is the boat indeed. At some point she got to the US, I bought her on Shelter Island at the end of Long Island. She looked OK, in fact looked great but was mainly held together by paint, varnish and habit. The garboard planks and a fair bit of the underwater planking were mainly kept in place by water pressure, I think. The boat had been used as a summer cottage, had huge fresh and foul water tanks, and a massive diesel turning a tiny prop, very odd. For all the propellor freaks out there I have a Beta 20hp 3 cylider diesel which is smooth and turns a 16x10 two bladed prop very, very nicely. I agonised over that but it was a good decision.

Next is to get the rig working, I have a near new main which looks excellent and a lot of funny looking headsails. More money, but at least the foretriangle is small. Get sailing, work out the ergonomics and build a little galley, put the rest of the furniture back. Finish the paint job, add a boot top once I know where is the waterline, get the dragons/wheatsheaves carved. And gilded. Paint the name on.

The boatbuilder who did all this is Simon Grillet at Iron Wharf in Faversham. When the boat went in yesterday the ingress of water amounted to one small weep from a jubilee clip. His work is truly excellent.

 

[kaysveistrup]

Its a labour of love. The cost is nothing. You have done a fantastic job and should be really proud of yourself. As Jesse says, when you take her out she will turn a lot of heads.

 

[Peterduck]

Aye, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever". [W. Shakespeare]
Peter.