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Havengore restoration underway
23 Aug 2017
The issues were first discovered in 2015 after sections of the teak deck were removed
Havengore is undergoing extensive restoration work at Fox’s Marina & Boatyard.
Initial assessment found the beam shelf, carlin and deck beams were in need of attention, while the vessel’s oak structure was suffering with softening and decay.
The issues were first discovered in December 2015 after sections of 1in thick teak deck were removed and it was established deck fittings, including the heavily worked fairleads and mooring bollards, were allowing water ingress.
Last year, repairs of the ex-Port of London survey vessel, best known for her role in transporting the coffin of Sir Winston Churchill at his funeral in 1965, took place to the portside midships to allow her to complete corporate hospitality duties.
In January this year, Havengore, owned by Chris Ryland, arrived at Fox’s Ipswich boatyard so the rest of the work could begin.
A system of temporary laminated formers, braces, jacks and tension straps were designed and set up to ensure that the original dimensions of hull and deck form were neither lost or disturbed.
With a significant amount of new oak and teak ordered, the process began in stages, alternating port and starboard/forward and aft ensuring adequate structure was maintained throughout. All new timber sections were laminated as required, with the tighter sections aft requiring up to 20 laminates to create the necessary form.
Having re-established a sound shelf around the entire sheer line, new deck beams/part beams ends were fitted, copying the original half dovetail joint outboard, with glued and bolted scarph joints into sound deck beams as required. The original tie rods had also suffered, particularly outboard where they passed through the beam shelf, so these were also replaced allowing the new structure to be securely clamped together.
Combined with new fabricated stainless backing plates, knees and brackets in way of loaded deck fittings and other equipment, the new deck structure was faired off for the next stage and teak decking to be re-laid and fastened.