Boat Scrapyard Success Story at the Henley Royal Regatta

How does the Boat Scrapyard group have a connection with the Henley Royal Regatta? In 2022 we helped a Boat Scrapyard member find a home for some Catamaran hulls that were in his garden. This was one of the early project boats we helped rehome using the group. It was also one of the boats that gave us the impetus to start the Lonely Boats offering. At the time we helped the owner of the hulls we advertised the boat hulls at no cost. We fielded a number of calls and messages about the hulls and we soon had someone who was willing to take them on as a project. We put the two members in contact and they liaised on the removal plans.

It was no small undertaking as the hulls had to be lifted out of a garden using a Hiab truck. More often than not people will be willing to collect projects from gardens but when it comes to involving heavy machinery (and the extra cost) it can put people off. Thankfully this wasn’t the case with the catamaran hulls and they were removed as planned.

Her former owner even posted on the group about the progress of the collection, he said, “Some weeks back, Luke was kind enough to post my offer of a pair of catamaran hulls – free. An hour after I left his office, I had a phone call. Somebody wanted them. Yesterday, he collected them and Yes, they’re going to a good home…”

Fast forward two years and her new owner messaged us to show the finished boat in all her glory. She’s been used as a filming boat at the Henley Royal Regatta.

It’s great to see a Lonely Boat being fixed up and given a new lease of life. As you can see from the pictures she looks amazing and has been completed to a really high spec. You wouldn’t think that the hull have been sat in a garden just over 2 years ago.

Her new owner even sent us a little write up about the process. He explained, “We collected the boat from her former owner near Gloucester in November 2022. The modification work was done by M Ocean down in Wareham by Chris Coe. This included taking 7 feet off the transoms and preparing them to take 2×200 hp outboards. They also prepared the decks. Changing them from elliptical shaped to flat and modifying the bulkhead to accept the aluminium cross beams. More glass fibre was completed by John Pike. Survey work was carried out by Giles Innes to meet insurance needs . Boat was finally launched in June in time for filming work at the Henley Royal Regatta.”

As a Boat Disposal team we are used to putting an end to the boat’s story. But we think it’s fantastic to see what can happen to a project boat with plenty of skill, expertise and we’re sure lots of money put into her. Hopefully as the Lonely Boats service continues to grow alongside our Boat breaking we will save more boats that go on to prestigious new lives.