Restored Norfolk Broads half-decker Jamesia II back on the water. Click on the image for a larger shot
Mat Gravener has sent us this shot of his repaired and restored Norfolk Broads half-decker Jamesia II back on the water following lots of work over the winter. She’s certainly looking as pretty as a picture.
Mat reports that she was launched on the 23rd April 2011 and immediately floated on her marks. She took on a little water but, as he says, that was to be expected after being out of it since 2004!
He then sailed her back to her moorings and found she performed very well, even with just the mainsail set.
For more posts featuring Jamesia II and Mat’s earlier projects, click here.
Jamesia II looks stunning – a great job well done! My father used to rent a half-decker (without cuddy) called Jamesia for family holidays, during the 1960 – 1970s. Perhaps the built by the same yard that built Jamesia II? I wonder if anyone knows if that boat is still being used and if so, where she is now?
Back in the late 60’s / early 70s we used to hire half-deckers from Martham Boat & I’m 99% certain that one of these was Jamesia II. We either stayed at Ranworth or near Repps Staithe. However at that time she was only decked in front of the mast.
I haven’t sailed on water for many years – am now an active glider pilot so I “sail” through the air.
Jamesia II has always had the Cuddy. Jamesia I was open. Both were on the Martham Boat Yard fleet for many years
Further to the comments by Malc. (my son)
I sailed a half decker from Martham boatyard – first in the 1940’s as a teenager and then some years later with my kids. Camping out on board (for which the small fixed half cabin – much smaller and lower than the one on the restored Jamesia 11 was very useful) This was also called Jamesia – presumably the Jamesia 1. I was told a story of the boat by an old inhabitant of Potter about the boat – I have no way if it was true or not (the Jamesia is not a sea going boat – but then in extremis people do all sorts of things) – but he seemed genuine and not spinning a line. He said that a local sailed the boat over to Dunkirk to help the evacuation from the beaqches – he never came back but that after the was the boat was found on the canals in Holland by someone who recognised it and it was broucht back. The local Dutch said it had been taken to Holland by some German officers who had sailed it there during the war. John Hardy