When the dust has settled

Most of our time this week has been spent on Fair Freedom.

This old lady has had a tough life. I'm not sure of her full heritage but she was part of the Benson fleet on the Thames for some years and was haulled back up to Norfolk and put to work as part of Horning Pleasurecraft, later being sold to Woodsdkye Boatyard.

Freedom bought the vessel from Ferry Marina in 2008 (Len Funnell having bought Woodsdyke's site and fleet in late 2007).

It was one of our best decisions that year; Fair Freedom is a remarkably popular vessel that's well priced.

However, she's now showing real signs of abuse and it's time for open-hull surgery and a partial refit of the saloon area.

This week we've stripped out the saloon to bare grp. Floor boards are being replaced, new cabinetry will be fitted and remaining surfaces will be overhaulled.

The entire vessel is to be repainted and all the windows are being removed to assist in this and to ensure that a good, water-tight seal is put in place upon refitting.

The front of this 44ft boat can take a real pounding and so far we've completely replaced the bonding that holds the superstructure to the hull from the helm position forward to the bow. Ventilation will be put into the hull along both port and starboard sides to cut down on condensation (I can't believe that it wasn't there before).

We have other plans for improvements too but we'll have to see where costs of repairing her end before we commit to things like 240v systems, flat screen TVs and so on. She is, afterall, on of the lowest priced 10 berth boats on the Broads.....

Some pictures next time.....