Work on Nancy Blackett’s winter refurbishment continues with both varnish and an experimental coating having been applied to different parts of her.

Neil Brooks, volunteer boat manager and a Trustee of the Nancy Blackett Trust, took her fore-hatch cover home to give it a much-needed protective coating, using, as an experiment, Woodskin rather than conventional varnish. After three coats, it has come up looking very good.

Nancy Blackett’s hatch cover before and after with Woodskin.

Made by International, Woodskin is a semi-gloss flexible microporous oil/varnish hybrid which repels water but still allows the wood to breathe. Back at the yard, they have also been applying it to Nancy Blackett’s rubbing strake. It is being used as an experiment this season. Other parts of Nancy – the coachroof and cockpit – have been treated with traditional varnish.

Nancy Blackett’s rubbing strake with Woodskin, at Robertsons Woodbridge.

Meanwhile we have been studying the lockdown ‘roadmap’ to see what opportunities there are for volunteer working on Nancy Blackett over the next few weeks, and what sort of sailing might be possible this summer. Once the ‘rule of six’ is introduced after 12th April it should be possible to have that number of volunteers working on Nancy, socially-distanced in the open air, applying coats of anti-fouling and attending to other jobs.

Relaunch is planned for around the end of April. We’re still assessing the opportunities for local sailing, but as this is Nancy Blackett’s 90th anniversary year we hope to make sure she’s both seen and sailed by as many people as possible.

If you would like to support the work of the Nancy Blackett Trust, and help with the average annual maintenance cost of £10,000, you can purchase various gifts and souvenirs from the Nancy Blackett Shop, become a member of the Trust, and make a donation.