Chrusty1
regular
Reged: 27/02/2008
Posts: 847
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In connection with a post I just made to "Seagreen" on buttlescut, I was wondering what is the oldest in comission vessel on these forums??
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monkey_trousers
regular
Reged: 02/01/2008
Posts: 74
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I'm sure she's not the oldest, but Pansy has her 70th Birthday next month
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Restoring an old MFV Motor Fifie
http://bf494.co.uk
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CBT
regular
Reged: 16/02/2005
Posts: 260
Loc: UK
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This one is 70 this year also http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii69/ctelfer38/?action=view¤t=RagnaR.jpg I know she will not be the oldest - but she has been in continuous use since 1945 which might be a record of sorts? 
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oldharry
regular
Reged: 30/05/2001
Posts: 3795
Loc: North from the Nab about 10 mi...
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Not the oldest overall, but well in the running for the oldest GRP construction - 'Portly', a Classic 19 believed built 1959/60 and still in comission. 19ft and 2.2 tons displacement - the Lay up in places is over 50mm thickness!
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If you cant fix it, get a bigger hammer...
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tillergirl
regular
Reged: 05/11/2002
Posts: 1791
Loc: West Mersea
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That's all rather nice to look at.
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Seagreen
regular
Reged: 30/07/2005
Posts: 1364
Loc: ked myself in the locker again...
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Hello Chrusty1 and all.
Cleone is "allegedly" 148 years old. That's to say her previous owner told me that the previous owner to him, going back many years, all believed that she was built in 1860. Certainly in terms of hull shape and design, she's very much of the period.
Having done some little research, there seems to be only one other small sailing boat still in active commission, and thats Boadicea, built in 1808. There are older ships, to be sure, but these are either total museum pieces either afloat or in dock (like Victory and Constitution) but only Boadicea seems to still be sailing on a usual "boaty" basis. There are a couple of rowing boats which are still used, notably the gig on St Michael's Mount.
I didn't realise her provenance when I bought her. I may have thought about it a bit longer. Probably 5 seconds longer. 
Once I've finished the maintenance, she'll be back in the water swinging round the bouy next month, or maybe July, just in time for some nice summer weather. So when are Aldi selling these Oilies again?..
I'd like to know if there are any older vessels between Cleone and Boadicea. I'm beginning to think that Cleone is the oldest gaff yawl actively in commission on the Planet.
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"Let Joy be unconfined!"
I'll get her chastity belt keys, then..
http://www.linesquall.co.uk
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Chrusty1
regular
Reged: 27/02/2008
Posts: 847
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Hello Mac,
I think you are one lucky fellow!..........It has always been my dream to own an old gaffer, but I mean old, sadly, now at my time of life, I fear it will never be, but I don't fret too much, there is plenty to take an interest in, and the odd regatta to get to as funds permit.
Do you have any links to "Boadicea".....Or should that rightly be Boadica, these days? I would also very much like to see a photo or two of "Cleone"?
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Seagreen
regular
Reged: 30/07/2005
Posts: 1364
Loc: ked myself in the locker again...
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Oh, all right then:
This is as close to an action shot as I can get. I'm in the dinghy with camera. Can you tell where this is?
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"Let Joy be unconfined!"
I'll get her chastity belt keys, then..
http://www.linesquall.co.uk
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Chrusty1
regular
Reged: 27/02/2008
Posts: 847
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Of course I can...................
It's on the sea!  
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Login_name
regular
Reged: 07/05/2008
Posts: 555
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Quote:
Can you tell where this is?
Pole Sands?
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Peterduck
regular
Reged: 10/04/2002
Posts: 1010
Loc: Melbourne, Australia
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She's beautiful, Seagreen! Swallow, the gaff ketch which I owned until recently [she is now another man's joy and despair, both at the same time] was built in 1917, so she's 91 years young. Built as a fishing boat for the Southern Ocean, with an expected working life of perhaps 30 years.
Peter.
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Clifford_Pope
regular
Reged: 28/10/2005
Posts: 741
Loc: Pembrokeshire
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Xenia built 1880s, according to a former owner who knew a former owner who knew another former owner .....
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Morgana
regular
Reged: 28/08/2003
Posts: 12431
Loc: East Coast
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That is one beautiful boat!
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Bored?.... why not read my blog .... its the developing story of the trials and tribulations of boat ownership!
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Seagreen
regular
Reged: 30/07/2005
Posts: 1364
Loc: ked myself in the locker again...
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I have to say that my original intention was not to buy such an old boat, just a gaffer of some sort, and a yawl if possible. I was actually looking at prawners, being small stout boats, shallow draft with nice low freeboard, but it was just synchronicity that Cleone was up for sale via Peter Gregson, at the same time as I was looking. All the other boats I'd seen were in shocking condition for some reason. I'd even gone all the way to north Wales to look at the Arthur Alexander, a prawner of some note, only to find her rotten as a pear and falling to bits on the quayside at Scott Metcalf's yard. Great shame. Cleone was local, in fantastic shape and all the work I've done over the last 2 years has mainly been upgrading. That said, I'm still up to my eyes in rebuilding the cockpit, but its given me a big chance to "re-develop" the stowage and bunkering. Just don't remind me of the amount of varnishing I have to do!
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"Let Joy be unconfined!"
I'll get her chastity belt keys, then..
http://www.linesquall.co.uk
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Chrusty1
regular
Reged: 27/02/2008
Posts: 847
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I think I am "Seagreen" with envy!................in the nicest possible way of course 
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Chrusty1
regular
Reged: 27/02/2008
Posts: 847
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Quote:
Xenia built 1880s, according to a former owner who knew a former owner who knew another former owner .....
"Xenia" is a lovely boat, I am sure that now you have her bottom wet, she will give you tremendous enjoyment, something about her size would do me very well.
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Clifford_Pope
regular
Reged: 28/10/2005
Posts: 741
Loc: Pembrokeshire
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Thanks Chrusty1 - I intend to!
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Fezza
regular
Reged: 27/03/2007
Posts: 10
Loc: North Essex
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Hi link to Boadicea here http://www.oystersmack.org.uk/
She still sails regularly and is still in the Frost family (my brother in Law)
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Chrusty1
regular
Reged: 27/02/2008
Posts: 847
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Thank you very much indeed!.......I have put it on my desk top and will look at it properly this evening.
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Piddy
regular
Reged: 18/01/2005
Posts: 397
Loc: Hampshire
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Hi there,
When I was a kid, my Parents had Morning Star, an Itchen Ferry that the previous owner had researched in some depth back to 1857. We bought her from Cooks yard in Maldon and sailed her to Portsmouth leaking like a sieve, although being only 8 at the time, it didn't matter to me. I assumed all boats leaked like that!
It's not quite "on thread" as she isn't sailing today but still slightly relevant!
Cheers
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Work is for people who don't know how to sail!
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Seagreen
regular
Reged: 30/07/2005
Posts: 1364
Loc: ked myself in the locker again...
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Is morning Star still going? Be great if she was. The only references I can find for her are the Boston schooner that was a missionary vessel in 1866.
Boadicea looks fantastic, and its good to hear she's still owned by the same family. I feel a related topic coming on...
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"Let Joy be unconfined!"
I'll get her chastity belt keys, then..
http://www.linesquall.co.uk
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Piddy
regular
Reged: 18/01/2005
Posts: 397
Loc: Hampshire
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Sadly after my Parents sold her, the next owner kept her ashore for a couple of years while working on her. Not surprisingly she dried out and was eventually scrapped by burning. In hindsight, it was a terrible waste but at that time no one was interested in taking her on.
I look at boats like that and really do appreciate how much work needs to be done to keep them in commission. Despite only being a kid at the time, I spent most weekends working on the boat with my Dad during which time we fitted new floors, keel bolts, engine (Petrol Mid 50's vintage), rudder fittings (it fell off in Cowes, next to Uffa Fox's house) and so on.
When my Parents bought her, she came with a trawl net as the previous owner intended to go fishing with her - bit of a dreamer, I think!
Cheers.
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Work is for people who don't know how to sail!
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