Good Wood Boat Company

The picture shows Tideway TW47 Gannet with her new keel and hog in place.  This iconic challenge trophy winning boat came to our workshop with a clear mandate:  Replace her backbone, make her structurally sound and above all else “keep her shape”.  We’re pleased to report that she leaves the workshop today, not only with the same shape, but also, “in great shape”!

The restoration of Tideway TW233 was completed this month and boat returned to her delighted owner who thought she looked like new!   The photo shows the finished results, complete with blue sails, blue buoyancy bags,  blue halyards and blue tiller extension.  Watch out for this  stunning boat in the Lake District over this summer.

'Before'

'After'

Tideway 359 has recently been at our workshop to have a number of her timbers replaced.  With age and repeated cycles of movement the timbers crack, especially in the area of the mast thwart, where the loading from the mast and the shrouds is concentrated.  The photos show ‘before’ and ‘after’.  Please contact us if you need this kind of work carrying out on your wooden boat.

We have recently fitted forward side benches to TW359 a Tideway Deluxe.  This has made the boat more ammenable for sailing with a crew.   Good Wood Boat Company wishes happy sailing to all her new crew members!

Good Wood Boat exhibted two clinker dinghies at the 2011 Beale Park boat Show.   Wooden Tideway TW233 a restoration project nearing completion and a new build – National Redwing R249.

The Tideway was exhibited to illustrate the quality of varnish finish that can be achieved following non-caustic chemical stripping of the original coating.  TW233 has also had her timbers replaced and a number of plank splits and rot spots repaired.  These repairs were highlighted using labels, as were our custom made buoyancy blocks which we manufacture to suit the wooden Tideway and other classic dinghies.

Good Wood Boat Co. have teamed up with Pheonix Furniture Restorations (Www.phoenixantiquesbarn.co.uk) to offer a varnish stripping and fine finishing service for classic wooden boats.  Pheonix are specialists in the area of sympathetic restoration and conservation of heritage interiors where the emphasis is on consolidation rather than over restoration.  Andy Blundell of Pheonix is a fully accredited member of British Antique Furniture Restorers Association BAFRA.

The photo illustrates varnish stripping TW233 at the Pheonix workshop prior to repair work and revarnishing at Good Wood Boat.

Half timbers removed

Restoration of TW233, a Tideway Super, continues at Good Wood Boat Company.

Most of the fit out items such as the aft locker, side benches, sole boards and fittings have been removed.  Every other timber (sometimes known as ribs) has also been removed.  New timbers will be steam bent and fastened in place.  Leaving half the timbers in place ensures the boat keeps her shape as work proceeds.

During this winter we have two Tideway restorations to complete.  The picture to the left depicts an early stage of one of these restorations.  We have assessed the restoration requirements and started  to remove the decking.

The hull requires new timbers, repair of split and rotted planking and revarnishing.  The running and standing rigging, buoyancy and sails are all due to be replaced.  She will also be converted from gunter to bermudan rig.

You can visit this blog to follow her progress.

This month We have been carrying out a number of repairs to a beautiful 1960s Camper and Nicholson racing yacht.  She is carvel planked, mahogany on oak.

The work has involved repairs to her damaged stem and apron (see photo above), replacing a handrail, repairing localised rot to planking, making a new cockpit locker lid and making an instrument cabinet.

The left hand photo shows the impact damage to the stem and the right hand the finished replacement stem with silicon bronze bolts postioned and ready for tightening.