Caravela 22 from a Dorset Garden
Our boat disposal team always love the challenge of removing a boat from a garden. Usually the jobs involve a great deal of planning and the problems that need to be worked around add to the fun. This time the team had a Caravela 22 which was at a garden in Ferndown. She was sat on a road trailer but it was on blocks with no wheels.
The usual plan would be to send our Hiab truck to collect the boat and bring it back to the scrapyard. However this one needed careful planning to avoid wasted trips and having to cut on site. First of all we had to check the access. There is no point getting any further into a plan if the vehicle can’t get onto the property. Thankfully the entrance to the driveway was just wide enough. But only by a few inches each side.
Overhead Cables
Next we had to make sure there was no overhanging TV cables. In this case the house we were taking the boat from was in a row of bungalows. This meant the telephone cables were all fairly low hanging. Our team suggested to the owner of the Caravela 22 that it would be wise to try and get the lowest cable taken down. With plenty of notice the Openreach team were able to do this and the neighbour was happy to see the redundant wire go.
After that the width of the space where our truck would be loading was important. Hiab trucks need space to put out their legs to stabilise whilst lifting. This particular driveway was really wide and we had no doubts we would have the space to load.
Boat Breaking
Our boat breaking team had been down to the boat to prep her for collection. Anything loose on deck was stowed inside. The mast and boom were removed for scrap. A few items like the tiller and sails were taken to hopefully be re-sold. We had to chop the pushpit off of the back as the garden Acer tree had grown up and through. Our team wanted to minimise the disruption to the garden which was ultimately achieved.
On the day of the collection the lorry entered the site ever so slowly with only a few inches to spare. It then set up the crane and gently lifted the Caravela 22 from her stationary trailer. Her owners watched on as the family landmark in the garden was plucked from the greenery.
Old Boat Removal
Within half an hour or so the boat was loaded and strapped down ready for the trip back to the yard. Her owners retained the trailer which I believe they will try to sell on. Once they have found some wheels for her. We're sure they will find a buyer as it was a good size.
It's always great to see an old boat removed from a garden. Because you can see the immediate physical difference it makes to the garden.
