Current Projects

Vega Of Garth

Sole Bay Ketch Vega of Garth was one of the last of the gaff rigged 35ft ft. Sole Bay class to be built. She was built in 1965 by Gordon Armstrong in Scarborough to a high specification for a Liverpool barrister, who kept her from 1965 to 1991 at Garth, next to Bangor, on the Menai Straits in N Wales. Gordon Armstrong is not a well known yacht builder but he had an excellent reputation as a builder of fine fishing boats for use on the Yorkshire coast and the few yachts he did build (before handing over the yard to John Ley, principally known for his Scarborough One Design) were very successful and have lasted well.

She has come to use for work to be carried out on here stern pot and rudder, on inspection the following item were found seriously wanting to be done, believe it or not this was after a survey was carried out.

PLEASE NOTE As all of this items were found each was dealt with and corrected the hull and all her mechanical and electrical systems are now correct and working as they should be.

Beam Shelf

<h2>Beam Shelf</h2>

Cracked beam shelf hiding itself at the back of storage locker move a few things and its amazing what you find.

Heads outlet

<h2>Heads outlet</h2>

Not the best way to join the heads pipe work, disaster waiting to happen, the rest of the pipework to skin fittings was no better,

Heads Outlet

<h2>Heads Outlet</h2>

Here is what the heads pipework should have looked like

Hydraulic Steering

<h2>Hydraulic Steering</h2>

The helm hydraulic pipe work left a bit to be desired also, plus it was leaking from the helm pump above.

hydraulic steering

<h2>hydraulic steering</h2>

In this picture the hydraulic pipework can be seen passing through the original cable steering pulleys. Not long before these would have been worn through as there was no support on the pipework.

Exhaust outlet

<h2>Exhaust outlet</h2>

this is a shot looking down the exhaust outlet, the large ball valve was completely locked solid leaving only the slightest gap for the exhaust to exit through just visible atthe top of the ball. The engine did run but under considerable back pressure but amazingly had not done any damage to the system. The owner was not aware there was a ball valve on the exhaust so had not touched it since purchase but it was visible from outside of hull when looking up the exhaust outlet. This was obviously replaced along with the hull fitting which had to be cut off as this valve had been attached to a steel joining piece and stepped down to match the exhaust flexible hose. [see later picture]

exhaust outlet

<h2>exhaust outlet</h2>

This is what came out eventually, not a pretty site, mixed metals do not work.

Stern Gland

<h2>Stern Gland</h2>

Inner stern gland minus retaining bolts and heavy corrosion

Head inlet pipe

<h2>Head inlet pipe</h2>

This pipe was only just on held right at the end of the pipe

Wheelhouse varnish work

<h2>Wheelhouse varnish work</h2>

Whilst at the yard the owner asked us to finish the job by getting to grips with the varnish work which was totally removed as it had failed in most places on the teak woodwork, this was removed using varnish stripper and then the woodwork was cleaned and scraped back to a nice finish and then sanded.
This brought back the colour of the wood ready for a fresh coating or 6 as the case may be.

Hull paint and Anti foul

<h2>Hull paint and Anti foul</h2>

the hull below the waterline was checked for any plank damage/rot the only area was found around one of the anode bolts and the engine water intake skin fitting.
In fact the skin fitting was fitted in an oval hole which had been filled with brown sikaflex, this was cured by taking the skin fitting up a size and re boring the hole round.
The anode bolt hole was plugged and copper tingled over and the anode moved to a more accessible spot and re fitted, the whole of the boat was then bonded to anodes and the remainder of the skin fitting checked out.

Vega of Garth

<h2>Vega of Garth</h2>

Varnished, and anti fouled ready to get back to the water.

Beam Shelf

Beam Shelf

Cracked beam shelf hiding itself at the back of storage locker move a few things and its amazing what you find.