Oh yes, I went to see Dawn, the sweet little stackie barge that is, currently berthed in Maldon…

Actually I went to see the ladies in the Salty Dogs Christmas Shop to sign a clutch of books: customers have been asking for it. At the same time I needed to visit the chandlers near the Hythe, being a Friday I treated the mate to a lunch at a very nice cafe in Wenlock Way – lovely.

The Dawn has been fitted with a tiller to her rudder head. The mizzen will be stepped onto the rudder once a step and iron work are fitted. The spar was usually stepped to one side, but it may be set on top of the blade … all will become apparent when done.

Two views of Dawn’s new tiller. It looks as if the old rudder (only a few years old…) has been reshaped with new cheeks added. Her name is carved in the squared sides towards the rudder head… Very sweet.

I’m not sure why the Dawn Trust want to return the barge to as built, well it isn’t: she’s far more sheer than then, as if she is permanently loaded – that is my view… I find this project a little like the preservation of old buildings fixed in a moment in time from whatever age by the likes of the National Trust. And too the way buildings are forbidden changes … they evolved and should continue to evolve. However, I like the look!

For an up-date to this see: http://nickardley.com/ditch-crawler-goes-on-board-the-spritsail-barge-dawn/