NEWSLETTER - DECEMBER 2022

The end of the year is rapidly coming, hence our Iron wharf end of year newsletter, which we hope all of you will enjoy. What a year it has been! Since our last newsletter, we have had a scorching summer with record temperatures, no rain for weeks, which has led to a water shortage at the end of the summer, autumn. When writing this newsletter, rain every day for weeks, which has now produced large puddles in the yard and floods in Faversham town, not to mention a very rocky economy and finally marvel of not just one change of cabinet but three in just a year.

We’re not hoping to bore you with politics or even the weather in our newsletter, but what has happened over the past year with the Iron Wharf boat yard, tell you about the great projects its people who are here in the yard, we will need to touch on the rates, but will leave that to the end.
Last winter at Iron wharf was one of the busiest we have had, we had boats everywhere, if there was a space, we put a boat in it. This year is looking similar; we are spoilt with our new 70-ton grove crane, which has enabled us to place boats in locations which the Ruston or our little red and yellow Grove couldn’t. Over the summer and autumn our staff have been moving boats to give us a little more room and also the customers a little more room to work on their boats, it’s been a game of Tetris. So, if you are still wanting to come out the water, please let us know with plenty of warning, if you have a rough idea when you want go back afloat, please let us and the crane crew know so they can position you in an accessible location, and please remember the ones that book early get the best places!

Toilet block
I’m writing this with a little trepidation, hoping that when you receive this newsletter our toilet block will finally be finished! I know, it’s been an incredibly long process but we can say it’s warm, new washer dryer, good warm showers and ultimately draft free. We ask all who use this facility to please treat it as you would your own home!
In the coming months we are hoping to instal an electronic door entry system, in order to stop unwanted guests.

Projects
​Over the past newsletters we have given you an insight in to the projects that are happening in the yard, this year is no exception.

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SILVER LASS SHOWS OFF

​A major renovation took place quietly under a white cover on the front of the wharf over several years, this vessel being Silver Lass a 58-foot Ormidale class motor yacht. this vessel was finally launched in June, after what seems years at Iron wharf, using a hired 120ton crane, finally her bottom saw the tide without even getting muddy, after which she motored successfully to Ramsgate. The renovation to Silver Lass includes, planks in her hull, new decks, interior, engines, electrics, all completely rebuilt using many of the people at Iron wharf such as Jim Daniel, Greg Dalton and Finn Birch,

​just to name a few. Silver Lass looked fantastic when launched, she is a credit to her owner Michael and those who worked on her. A small article in August’s 2022 Classic boat can be seen. Iron wharf wish her and Michael happy sailing.

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TO6411

​This is an unusual vessel for British waters, her origin is from Northern Africa, this is now a very controversial and current subject having links to immigration and people smuggling from Africa to Italy.
Lucy, her current custodian, found her in Lampedusa, a small island in the Mediterranean. After a brief fitout Lucy single handily navigated her through Europe, a 4000-mile journey, finally ending up here at IronWharf, a really epic journey. She was in need of renovations to the cabin and capping on her bulwarks. Much of the work under taken by Morgan Lewis and Lucy herself, Morgan is one of Iron Wharf’s shipwrights. If you see Lucy, I’m sure she will tell you all about it, it is very remarkable story, if not visit her web page, www.lucywood.net
She is now awaiting to be launched in early spring to take up after our hot dry summer.

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MAYHI
In autumn we saw the launch of a new boat the Mayhi, commissioned by Brian Pain. Mayhi had her lines taken from an existing Edwardian 1 ton rater, that spent many years at the IronWharf, this had sadly seen better days. Simon Grillet painstakingly re drew the lines to produce what we now see, a very sweet and beautiful looking vessel, this 27’ boat has been under construction over the past 7 years or so. Simon had trainee Burt constructed the vessel when time allowed.
We look forward to seeing this beautiful vessel under sail, hopefully winning cups in the Swale match. Well done Simon and his team.


At Iron Wharf, we’ve had vessels leave to be rebuilt, one vessel is Gamecock a Whitstable oyster smack, she laid in one of our mud berths down river, she finally found a new home on the quay at Whitstable. Gamecock is now having a full restoration, which is Undertaken by one of our resident ship wrights, Morgan Lewis. Now she can be seen on Whitstable quay with many new frames. See Whitstable Maritime Facebook page for details, or pop down and have a look.

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GAMECOCK
At Iron Wharf, we’ve had vessels leave to be rebuilt, one vessel is Gamecock a Whitstable oyster smack, she laid in one of our mud berths down river, she finally found a new home on the quay at Whitstable. Gamecock is now having a full restoration, which is Undertaken by one of our resident ship wrights, Morgan Lewis. Now she can be seen on Whitstable quay with many new frames. See Whitstable Maritime Facebook page for details, or pop down and have a look.

MARINE CARPENTERS
Maris, one of our resident marine carpenters has been especially busy this year, one project in particular is Mojo, a 34’ Nelson motor boat. Maris and his team have been busy putting new gunwales on and re modelling the wheel house, all work has been done to a very high standard, she is looking great.

BONITA
Bonita. Like every autumn Mike Beckett has brought the old white yawl Bonita to the yard from her summer mooring at Uplees in the Swale – Bonita means pretty girl in Spanish! She normally lies afloat outsides Mirosa for the winter, but this year she is craned ashore, near Alan Staley to have some keel bolts looked at. She was built by Cross fields in 1888 at Morcombe as a yacht but along the lines of a Morecombe Bay prawner.
She has been so well looked after all these years that she has never needed a rebuild, rare for a vessel for a vessel of her age.
This is, however, not the most significant thing about Bonita! She was brought by Mikes father Alan Beckett, in 1937 for £90, then passed to Mike in 1983. We knew Alan well- he was a very modest man. But what he never told us was that in 1944, at the age of 28 he designed the roadways for the Mulberry harbours, to enable the D-day landings in Normandy to get supplies ashore and thus liberate Europe. What a hero. One of his bridge spans is preserved for all to see at the imperial war museum at Duxford.
If you would like to know more about Bonita, she has a ‘blog’. You will find she has made some very notable voyages recently.

DO YOU FEEL INSPIRED TO DO A PROJECT OF YOUR OWN?
If you are inspired by these projects, how about one of your own, IronWharf has a couple awaiting a keen owner.
Patience, a large smack yacht built in Wivenhoe, Essex in the late 1800’s she has been completely reframed by master shipwright Alan Staley
Or
Prince of Wales a river Colne police boat of 28 feet, built at the turn of last century.
Both are very historic and need to be preserved.
Please contact the boat yard office for details.

BARGING NEWS
IronWharf boat yard has its own unique fleet of four Thames sailing barges, Mirosa, Orinoco, Ironsides and Henry. Also having occasional visits from Repertor and Whippet.
All of which have had a busy year either sailing or under restoration.

Mirosa managed to make the most of a wonderful summer; normally when she ventures out the weather turns sour… not this year, enabling her to have some great passages across the estuary. She did two races (where there were four engineless barges) without success, coming last in her class at the Pin mill but improved to second to last in the Blackwater! But we enjoyed every moment.

Orinoco too has been flying around, she has attended the Medway and Swale barge matches, coming first in her class in the Medway barge match, well done Orinoco and crew, Frog and crew are endeavouring to continually renovate her.

Toby and Linda’s Ironsides, after replacing a large section of her bow over last winter in the dry dock, eventually got underway, she has had a busy sailing year mainly being mother ship for her youngest crew member Kit, whilst attending various Optimist regattas around Essex and Suffolk. Kit should also be congratulated as he secured a place to represent Britain with his Optimist in the Irish nationals, well done Kit. No racing for Ironsides, perhaps next year!

Henry - we mentioned Henry in last year’s newsletter, Justin is marching on with Henry’s renovations with the port side bow nearly complete, this has been a mammoth job, all done single handily, well done Justin.

All these barges are an intrinsic part of our maritime heritage, as you can imagine, take a lot of time and money to keep maintained in sailing condition, if any of our customers have any free time, the owners of these barges
would be grateful for your help, whether, painting, dressing sails, heaving up the rig at the beginning or end of the season or even making the tea.


ELECTRIC
We thank everyone who is on an electric meter, this has helped us monitor the boat yards electric usage, it is imperative especially in these times with rates rising.
We will need to evaluate the rate in April, and will let all that are using it know of any changes.
So new and old customers are aware if you are plugged in to a meter the current rate is 24pper kWh, plus a weekly administration, charge of £3.
For those who are plugged and metered, please ensure you stay in your socket and either lock in plug or socket, the yard is not responsible for others using your socket, you will be responsible for the units used. Please all costumers are required to be on the direct debit system if using electric.
We are aware there is casual usage for customers that plug in here and there, for this service you can plug in providing there is a vacant socket, please ask a member of staff beforehand. For this service, a fee of £8 per day, an honesty box situated in the office. You will be required to remove your lead every day, if we find an unauthorised lead plugged in a daily charge will apply from when we last read the meters. This may be harsh but we are trying to keep the rates down for those that use the electric in an honest way.

BOAT YARD RATES AND SERVICES
Boat yard rates, as we all expect we will need to review all the boat yard rates for April, we have kept the rates below inflation in 2022-2023, the rate increase will be stated on the April invoices. We thank all those that are currently on our direct debit system we encourage everyone to sign up, this enables us to keep track of all payments, if you need help setting the direct debit up, please come into the office where Yvonne, Ian and Toby can help facilitate.

The boat yard has a fantastic array of trades on site for boat owners, from general cleaning and washing, to shipwrights, welders, mechanics, laminators, cover makers, yacht surveyors, painters and locally in Faversham sail makers and much more, too many people to list is this newsletter, if we haven’t got what you need, I’m sure we can find someone who can, please call the yard office where we can hopefully point you in the right direction.

CONTAINERS and units, ever increasing demand has led to the yard increasing the amount of storage units we have, we now have a range of units from small boxes to forty-foot containers.
If you require a unit, please call the office.

NEW COVERED FACILITY; in the coming year we are hoping to offer under cover storage, this will accommodate boats up to 50 foot and a maximum of 18 tons, this will hopefully enable you to paint and do general repairs without have to worry about the weather conditions.

FAVERSHAM CHANDLERY
Mark the owner of Faversham chandlery is endeavouring to increase and maintain good levels stock. Including screws, paint, hose, pipe fittings and even dinghies, you can pretty much find what you need, if he has not got what you require just ask and he will find it for you.
It is very important in this online age that we try to look after our small onsite retailers. Faversham chandlery is part of the fabric of IronWharf, please use it.
Mark is open all week apart from Tuesdays and Wednesday’s.

Finally, Iron Wharf’s newest and youngest addition! We would like to congratulate Stephanie and Heron. In September, Stephanie gave birth to little baby ‘Rowan’, we wish them all best.


All at Iron Wharf Boat Yard wish you a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

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