This boat was included in the purchase of the cabin by my family about 10 years
ago, it had been out of the water for 10 years or so at that time. I am the only
one in the family interested in sailing so the boat has come to me. The cabin
and the boat belonged to a long time friend of the family who has since passed
on so there is some emotional attachment as well as practical reasons to get it
sailing again.
After selling my
Grampian last year the time had come to go and get the Matilda. The problem
has always been getting the trailer to the mainland. It was brought over
originally on some kind of a float that is long gone. I realized after much
thinking about floatation that the floatation was already sitting on the
trailer i.e. the boat itself could act as a float to support the trailer
- a new definition of "Trailer Sailing"!

20-year storage place
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A bit of a wiggle
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Onto the beach
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Almost afloat, trailer attached
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More "trailer sailing"
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Home, after 3 scrubbings
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Click any
thumbnail to enlarge |
The biggest problem was
the muddy bottom but with some plywood and help from a friend that just
happened along with his sailboat it went quite smoothly. The boat spent about
a month sitting on blocks on the mainland at McBean until I could get back
with wheels, bearings and fenders and bring it home. The rigging all looks in
good shape, the mast spent all that time on the rafters in the cabin. It was
put in and out through a hole in the eaves. The centreboard trunk is damaged
from hitting a rock and there is damage to the hull on the port side so that
will be fixed and the hull painted.
I hope to be sailing
2007.
Bill Ripley