Adrian Morgan

Adrian Morgan’s award winning boatbuilding, complete with galleries of restoration projects and new builds: http://www.viking-boats.com

The faering below was designed by Iain Oughtred to be built from solid wood rather than ply, and there’s no doubt that Adrian has done a great-looking job of building it. When you go to his site, look out also for his other projects including a Folkboat, and a collection of articles for Classic Boat and others. Well worth a look, I’d say.

Adrian Morgan Faering project

boatbuilder, boatyard, faering

Newson’s reopens with style (with a NEW shed!)

On Thursday 7th December 2006 at 11am, the new boatshed and pontoons at Newsons will be officially opened by Lady Anne Wake-Walker.

A couple of years ago the main shed burnt down, but when the workshop doors are opened MTB 102 will again enter the building for further restoration work to be carried out.

It’ll be a big day after all the hard graft that has gone into rebuilding the yard. Anyone wishing to attend will be able to come into the main building and talk about any of the boats currently being worked on.

If you can get there, I say go along and cheer!

For more, and for the story:
http://www.newson.co.uk

Can you help save a gracious old lady?

Rania was built in 1937 by the Rampart Boat Building works in Southampton. Just before delivery in 1939, however, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940, when many small British craft sailed across the Channel to rescue the British Expeditionary Force – and army of 400,000 or so.

This astonishing exercise took place in perfect millpond conditions (see the images of this event at the Rania site, and see Wikipedia for more on the fighting and evacuation). She continued to serve in the ‘Mosquito navy’ for the duration of the war.

She is now in real need of help. Rania has been dismantled and is in urgent need of repair; she has been saved by the Dunkirk Little Ship Restoration Trust but unfortunately the funds are not available – nevertheless her supporters wish to restore her to her original condition and return her to Dunkirk in 2010 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuations.

For more on Rania, and some very evocative music:
http://www.rania.co.uk

Rania in her heyday