Some time ago, I seem to remember it was the spring, but can’t find anything in my files to substantiate this, I had an email from a chap who wanted some advice about selling his father’s Finesse. His dad had passed away leaving the boat to the family … I responded asking for various details saying that I could post on the Finesse facebook page and also on my blog … I didn’t get any further communication or thanks – this happens a lot!
I let the matter rest…
However, recently, up popped a Finesse 21 for sale in Gillingham – well she’s at the boatyard down along the Lower Rainham Road at Mariners Farm, which has use of one of the old barge wharves along that shoreline of the River Medway. Gillingham is ‘close by’…
See: http://www.marinersboatyard.co.uk/index.html
All pictures in this post are from Les Long, a Lower Halstow YC member and are used here with his permission. My thanks are profuse … I owe you a beer!
Georgina propped up and covered over.
I can’t even remember the name of the person who contacted, however, now that the boat is formally for sale at Clarke and Carter, I thought I’d investigate a little further: the boat seems to be in relatively good condition. The pictures jogged a distant memory for she’s a boat I remember seeing over a number of years on the river and I believe she was moored for a period in West Hoo Creek.
See also: https://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/1691041/
Here are a series of Les’s pictures:
The starboard bottom.
Port bilge with stub bilge keel – these are much shallower than those fitted to the ’24’.
Aft end…
Now, I understand that the boat’s cover shredded and she was ‘uncovered’ for a little while. A cockpit cover isn’t apparent, yet the cockpit is in a remarkably good condition. The boat has been out of the water for four to five years.
Cockpit forward bulkhead to starboard and companionway door (half of).
Engine controls.
Inside starboard locker – bilge pump. Note shredded cover material!
Fuel tank located beneath the poop deck inside locker.
Engine exhaust outlet elbow – note no dribbles!
Engine control lever, sited to port.
Gas locker.
This is the only view I was sent of the deck – being the poop. Some ‘green weed’ has grown … but is likely to be cosmetic. I am not able to say what the deck edges are like…
The engine is an older version one cylinder Yanmar. It looks as if it has suffered from ‘getting wet’. This is so easy to avoid by fitting an internal ‘lid’ over the engine as i have done on my own Finesse 24.
The journey now goes below where some damage due to water ingress will be seen around the forward end of the cabin top. This is probably due to corner beading to deck coming loose. Early lifting and resealing and refastening could have prevented this. She looks to be in generally good health apart from that problem though.
Electrical control panel.
Bilge in way of the centre plate case in main cabin.
Further bilge view… Water will be fresh! It hasn’t leaked out, but fresh isn’t good inside a wooden boat!
The starboard berth looking forward.
‘Galley’ arrangements – simple and probably suited to craft.
Looking into the fore cabin – it would appear that a berth could be made to port. Note loo to starboard.
The loo…
Note discolouration of forward face of coach roof side. Whether or not this is still a problem, only an inspection will say.
Well thought out forward storage. Chain locker is in here too.
Cabin side (inside).
The boat is cutter built, but not rigged as such. She seems to have a single roller headsail set to her bowsprit. Spars are wooden. Condition – unknown.
Looking up the mast…
I am told that her hull/sail number is 41 – this fits with her build date of 1966.
Full details of the vessel and such are on the two web sites mentioned. From the pictures I have seen of her she is certainly worth looking at. Nothing seems bad, although the forward leak needs attending to, and the boat looks ‘sound’. The price of £2,500 is pitched for her to go, but I wouldn’t be surprised if an offer wasn’t accepted: it is costing to keep her there!
Go on…
And, during the late spring of 2019, someone did … the boat’s life, for the time being, has been secured.