The neglected vessel was moved out of Looe on Monday and taken to Hayle.
Historic boat saved from watery grave
A piece of Cornish maritime history was saved from a watery grave recently.
Dos Amigos, believed to be St Ives’ sole surviving Carvel Gig,was craned out of Looe Harbour on Monday and transported to Treeve Boatyard in Hayle.
The 38ft craft is one of renowned boatbuilder Thomas Paynters’ original creations. But after 92 years as first a well-maintained working fishing boat, then a converted gaff-ketch in Looe, she’s fallen into ‘severe disrepair’.
Boatbuilder Robb Lello, who is now storing the boat, said: ‘Dos Amigos has been neglected for 10 years.
‘Very sadly her owner wasn’t able to
maintain the boat and over time most of her keel was eaten away so that today she is far from seaworthy. She went from being an asset to Looe to a blight on the harbour.
‘She had to come out of the water because eventually she got gribble: this is a kind of tiny prawn that gets into unprotected wood.
‘It’s about the size of a woodlouse, has three mouths, seven legs, and dines out mainly on classic boats.
‘This meant as more time went by Dos Amigos’ gribble infestation got worse and fewer people were likely to take her on.
‘In fact she was on the verge of being quietly impounded by Looe harbour.
‘Luckily the vital first step of getting her out on to dry standing is now taken: she’s out and we have bought some time.’
Robb added: ‘There’s still a tremendous way to go, and it’s going to be down to the inventiveness and determination of everyone involved,
and we hope the support of the local community, whether Dos Amigos sets sail again.’
Dos Amigos was built at the Paynter yard in 1920 for a local family and initially named Our Francis.
But she spent her working life manned by two Spaniards, who had settled in Newlyn around the time of the Spanish Civil War, and gave their boat her distinctive name – the Spanish for Two Friends – when they took her over in around 1935.
For most of the 20th century she fished out of Cornish ports in a variety of trades – drift fishing for
pilchards, potting, hand-line mackereling and dredging for scallops.
In 1985, Mike and Sue Darlington, of Looe, restored Dos Amigos and her name was translated into the Cornish ‘Deu Kerens’.
During the 1990s, she day-tripped and chartered for weekends and trips, sailing to classic boat festivals in Brittany such as Brest and Dournanez.
She was then sold on and, since 2002, this boat has been moored against a Looe Harbour wall.
Fashion show to aid charity
A fashion show to promote businesses in Looe while raising funds for the Miscarriage Association will take place on Thursday, March 7, at Looe Bay Holiday Park.
Cornwall councillor Edwina Hannaford and proprietor of Sheila’s School of Dancing Sheila Brock last organised a fashion show in 1997, when more than £13,000 was raised for a cancer charity by promoting Looe fashion, hairdressers and beauty shops and allied businesses.
Sixteen years later they feel its time to once again show what fantastic businesses and shops Looe has to offer, while supporting ‘restaurant runners’ Michelle Sadler and Faye Hancock, who will run the London marathon in support of
The boat at sea, painted blue and later pitch black, in the 1980s LOOE NEWS FEBRUARY 2013 7
the Miscarriage Association. Cllr Hannaford said: ‘It is especially important, with all the road closures, landslips and competition from other towns and Plymouth, that we make sure we shout loudly that Looe is open for business, all year round.’
The show will include a catwalk show, stalls, a raffle, dancing show and musical entertainment from singer / songwriter Marc Rice.
Any businesses which wants to be involved should call Sheila Brock on 07866 771429 or Edwina Hannaford on 07717 203725, or e-mail
sheiladancing@btinternet.com or edwinahannaford @
btconnect.com
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