Saturday, 11 September 2010

New uses for picnic benches!

It must have been a very long summer holiday. It their boredom toward the end of the break the local hooligans threw all of the picnic benches at a local beauty spot into the river. Last night, with the water levels raised by the rain and an ebb tide, look where this one ended up! This is Dads boat, The 'Master Frank'. Fortunately she is not damaged. Not the greatest of pictures I know, but that is a picnic bench forced under her by the tide.
Master Frank is a piece of local heritage, she was built here in Ramsey at the end of the 1800s. (That's my old house!)
She was originally built as a working fishing boat and named Frank for the owners son.
When Dad inherited her, she looked worse than this and was almost 100 years old.
It took Dad several years to rebuild her, he replaced about 75% of the timbers and gave her a new mast. That wheelhouse was an addition which was removed. Dad restored to to her original state. She is Gaff rigged a Traditional Half Deck Longliner.
Now she is purely a pleasure vessel. Dad spends most of each year sailing the Irish sea and often crosses the channel to visit France and the low countries.
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No sewing for me today after getting my hopes up! I spent the morning on the quayside while Dad inspected the boat and waited for the tide to come in again and ensured there were no leaks. Then Tony and I went off to do the grocery shopping and mail his project report for his course. One down, one to go! Only a few more weeks of revision and an exam left.
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My job interview yesterday went very well, but that was only round one, there is to be a second round of interviews. To be honest, now that I get a look at the place, I'm not sure I want to work there after all! As I have a job, I can afford to be choosy, and I will be!

6 comments:

Janice said...

Thank goodness "Master Frank" is OK. It would have been a terrible shame for her to be damaged by such foolishness. Tony must be pleased to have another one out of the way.

Ali Honey said...

Good for you. It's nice when you may call the shots. Hope your Dad's boat is undamaged - wonderful old craft.

QuiltSue said...

Don't you just wonder about some people's state of mind? Why did they think that was a good thing to do? I'm glad the boat was OK. It's wonderful to have the history of it like that. It's good to hear the interview went so well, even if you don't want the job - that's a great position to be in, where you have the choice.

Shirley Goodwin said...

It's a great boat - I love gaff rigging, I didn't know you had another job - well done! And tell Tony "well done" from me when he finishes his degree!

Justflo said...

Glad your Dad's boat appears to be OK. Such a shame that some folk have to wreck other peoples belongings.

Gina E. said...

Oh Lou, what is wrong with kids these days? We have similar incidents of senseless vandalism here too, and I just wish I could find the culprits and chop their hands off!! Glad that your Dad's boat is not too badly damaged.