The Team

Robertson’s Boatyard was a hive of activity last Saturday (14th March) ahead of Nancy Blackett’s fitting-out party next Saturday, 21st March. The antifouling team, comprising Ian McGlynn, Neil Brooks, Elizabeth Moad and new member Steve Jarvis, also found time to polish her topsides.

Meanwhile in the shed, repairs to the mast have been completed, and Laura, on behalf of Robertsons, was applying the fourth coat of varnish.

Laura varnishing

Robertsons have really pulled out the stops for us in the last few weeks, when the mast – inspected before its seasonal revarnishing began – proved to have a crack across it, at about the level of the spreaders. It was thought to have been caused by the failure of a bottle-screw last season. A new length of wood has been obtained, shaped and formed into a long scarph – a strong diagonal join.

The Scarph

Now the mast is nearly ready and we expect Nancy Blackett to be slipped into the River Deben on Thursday or Friday, and brought round to Woodbridge’s Tidemill marina ready for fitting-out on Saturday. Do come along if you can, from about 10am onwards – many hands make light work, and there’s always plenty of time for socialising.

Photo credits: Peter Willis

Final polishing