The New Roach Bog Roll Trophey

Made from part of an Honduran Mahogany Plank and her old keel bolt.

Mystery Instrument

Does anybody know what this instrument is or what it does?

New Engine Installation Notes

When installing the new engine it was wise building the cockpit around engine first in order to get the correct clearance and servcing space. This worked well. Too many restorers build the cockpit first and exepct the engine to shoehorn in place. The engine can still be lifted clear now the cockpit is in place, but it was worth doing a trial fit first - not the battery shelves deep in the bilges keeping the weight low. The grey tube off the exhaust is what is called a "dry riser" - this stops water syphoning back into the engine - this was fitted as the waterlock is not placed very deep in the bilges.

An encounter with Humphrey Barton

I quite like this quote showing the opinions of one of Britain's best sailors - an all inboard rig,
large ballast ratio and a decent engine. Pretty modern stuff for the times. If I ever upgrade a boat it will be to something with these wise words in mind.

Seraffyn’s Mediterranean Adventure
By Lin and Larry Pardey
Pg 230
“[but] almost half of the yachtsmen in Malta stayed onboard that Winter, including an international collection of some of the most interesting sailors we have come to know. Humphrey Barton and Mary Barton, an English couple, were spending their seventh winter here. Rose Rambler, their thirty-five-foot Giles designed wooden cruising sloop was vastly different to Seraffyn. We spent many boisterous evenings comparing these differences over rum and lime juice in the Barton’s warm cabin. Humphrey had crossed the Atlantic twenty-one times in yachts under forty feet. He had written a lovely book about one of these voyages-the story of Vertue 35, a twenty five footer he sailed to New York- and founded the Ocean Cruising Club of voyaging sailors. Humphrey had expounded the idea of taking all-female crews: for comfort, for a well run ship, and amiable company. His wife Mary was one of those crews. He proposed to her after an Atlantic crossing and they were married at a real cruising man’s wedding ceremony in Antigua. Now she was a veteran of several Atlantic crossings and thousands of miles of Mediterranean cruising. On Humphrey’s Birthday a dozen or so cruising friends planned a surprise party at Sally’s restaurant. It worked wonderfully and the hit of the evening came after Humphrey again told Larry he should give up bowsprits, sculling oars and beamy boats in exchange for an in-board rig, a fifty percent ballast ratio, and a diesel engine. As their discussion reaches its usual end, Humphrey, who had just turned 70 years old, waited for a moment’s silence. Then he stated in a firm voice, “ Larry Pardy, all that is wrong with you is your are old-fashioned.”

Classic Boat

In 2008, Classic Boat Magazine shortlisted Roach for her restoration. Unfortuntaley they got most of her details wrong. She is 22ft and 7ft beam and the yard that helped me in the final srages was Everson's and Robertsons - also Jerry Hearle - a first rate boat builder from Roberstsons helped a A LOT with steaming timbers, keel bolts making the cockpit and the interior bunks to waterline level so I had something to work from.

At Ramsholt three summers ago...

Drinks in the cockpit after a storming sail from Pin Mill. Not a bad view from the cockpit! Note that the seatbacks are not in yet.

Under Engine Deadwood keel bolts

Current Project: This bolt is not one of the ballast keel bolts, but on that was weeping under the engine - so it was engine out and have a look. Well this is my biggest risk to launching this year as the bolt is well and truly stuck or even sheared maybe. You can see I have managed to get it out by about a inch and half. So the next step is trying to pull a section out and hopefully the whole thing will come out in one whole bit. Watch this space.... More news as I wrestle with this bolt!

The Ballast Keel Bolts

I though I would show shots of the ballast keel bolts being replaced in 2000. This was done by Jerry Hearle of Roberston's boatyard in Woodbridge. They were certainly the original bolts, and not too bad after 47 years! New ones were made up and three new oak floors made to take the bolts. One under the mast step, one in the central section of the keel, and one aft. The keel was re-set using pitch and then tightended. There was some damage to the deadwood which was replaced as well. The current problem is the deadwood bolt under the engine - and this is causing me problems.

Photos of the cockpit old and new

I have been told that I have not put any before and after pictures on this site, so I have dug out some old photos. This one shows the old cockpit being ripped-out and a new to Dallimore's original design to go in.


Here we can see a new floor under the engine (the last ballast keel bolt) and also a new floor going in under the mast step.



All the seat tops are solid Brazilian Mahogany but the sides are Tiger Ply from Robbins Timber.