Wild Duck Dug Up
Posted: Tue August 7th, 2007, 9:12 pm
Hello All.
I have just, almost literally, dug a "Wild Duck Class" out of a field in Devon (needed 5 men and a winch) and brought her back to Hampshire to try to restore her.
Her name is "Pochard" and she was built in 1960. Hull is sound, mast is split (but repairable), nice teak (I think) decks, 2 sets of sails + storm gib and I paid the grand total of £300 to move her plus £150 to the farmer who wanted her moved or he was going to burn her.
She needs a complete re-rig and a lot of sanding and painting but, with a bit of luck, I might have her on the water in the course of the next month.
Can anyone tell me how many of these are left, any history about James Cowlin and Sons (the boatbuilder) or anything else that might possibly be of interest.
I note that a good looking Wild Duck is for sale at £995 so I am probably not going to make a fortune if I chose to sell her but, just to give me a little heart before I plough lots of money in, are these boats worth restoring?
She has had a "cut out" put in the cockpit to incorporate an outboard engine ( I got a free 4HP 4 stroke Mariner with her but dont know if that is man enough).
In short, any help that anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. I have some paperwork with her and the last association eith EOA seems to be between 1991 and 1993 where I have copies of letters from John Williams and Geoffrey Hyde Fynn.
Also, a nice letter to the new owner, "Mark", from John Ashill?, Ashwell?, in Highcliffe, Dorset dated 1992.
I have just, almost literally, dug a "Wild Duck Class" out of a field in Devon (needed 5 men and a winch) and brought her back to Hampshire to try to restore her.
Her name is "Pochard" and she was built in 1960. Hull is sound, mast is split (but repairable), nice teak (I think) decks, 2 sets of sails + storm gib and I paid the grand total of £300 to move her plus £150 to the farmer who wanted her moved or he was going to burn her.
She needs a complete re-rig and a lot of sanding and painting but, with a bit of luck, I might have her on the water in the course of the next month.
Can anyone tell me how many of these are left, any history about James Cowlin and Sons (the boatbuilder) or anything else that might possibly be of interest.
I note that a good looking Wild Duck is for sale at £995 so I am probably not going to make a fortune if I chose to sell her but, just to give me a little heart before I plough lots of money in, are these boats worth restoring?
She has had a "cut out" put in the cockpit to incorporate an outboard engine ( I got a free 4HP 4 stroke Mariner with her but dont know if that is man enough).
In short, any help that anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. I have some paperwork with her and the last association eith EOA seems to be between 1991 and 1993 where I have copies of letters from John Williams and Geoffrey Hyde Fynn.
Also, a nice letter to the new owner, "Mark", from John Ashill?, Ashwell?, in Highcliffe, Dorset dated 1992.